Traditional dishes in your country

[Talisman]

I am not of course Icelandic, but have visited the country 8 times now over a 30 year period. As a pistacarian who eats fish but not meat I would never touch the traditional foods like blood sausage and sheep's head, and would not go anywhere near the putrefied shark, but I had the most delicious fresh fish I have ever tasted this time around in a lovely little restaurant in a town called Isafjordur which is right up in the northwest fjords - not too many visitors venture this far north. Oh my god though, that fish was so good I can still taste it a month later and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  

 

Each variety is cooked differently in a variety of herbs and spices with butter and served piping hot in a skillet with potatoes and vegetables. I don't have pictures as I prefer to eat my food rather than take pictures of it, but there are some reviews here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g189967-d1099110-Reviews-Tjoruhusid-Isafjordur_Westfjords_Region.html one of which is mine. Iceland is beginning to get a bit of a culinary reputation though. The veggie burger I had in Reykjavik was quite nice too.  

[emelee]

I have a section on my Pinterest site, "typical Swedish". http://www.pinterest.com/eclt83/sweden/

 

 

To go even more specific to where I live in Sweden, I'd be shot if I didn't mention Kalixlöjrom. Roe of vendace. It's got the EU brand protection so others can't copy it. You can put it on sandwiches or eggs or in pie for instance. Or just on the side to almost any dish. I perfer it like this:

 

 

 

 

 

The "dip in cup" is a somewhat old traditional dish. 

Melt butter and add sliced onion then pour in a cup. Serve with fresh picked potatoes and pickled herring. Dip potatoes and herring in the cup and eat.

 

 

 

 

Black pudding and Palt. "The poor man's food". Two old dishes that was common in the old days when people didn't have much money and couldn't go to the grocery store everyday like nowadays. 

Black pudding is preferably served with fried onion, bacon & jam

Palt is a kind of dumpling with pork in the middle. Preferably served with jam and bacon. Some also like a little butter to it

 

 

And most people already know of Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes. 

 

 

Ärtsoppa is a yellow pea soup. Traditionally eaten on Thursdays. 

 

Gravlax is "buried" salmon, meaning raw salmon that has been cured in salt, sugar and dill for some time. 

 

Swedish pancakes are super thin pancakes made in a frying pan. 

 

Swedish cheesecake. Quite different from an American cheesecake. 

 

Smörgåstårta, Sandwich-cake, often a party dish. It's 3 layers of bread, mayo, and pretty much anything you want on. Preferably gravlax, shrimps, salad, eggs, cheese, cucumber etc

 

 

 

And for dessert, cinnamon rolls (Kanelbulle) of course! 

 

[Athena]

Some of these things look delicious!

[kimble]

Today is Mardi Gras and the floats are going past my house with music blaring, 20 or so people standing on them, going to the place they assemble for the parade. About 100 floats are in this parade, 40,000+ people on the route.

 

 The bayou is very low, about a foot deep, from the North winds blowing the water out of the sound, and a couple big fish are swirling, a great blue and great white heron standing on the edges.

 

 And we will soon leave for a friends house on the parade route. Last night I left a car parked right by there because all parking for a mile out will have all ready been taken by now (9:30 a.m.). This way we can walk in but then leave quickly in the stashed car and get home before the roads become a huge snarl, picking up the truck we will go in later, and then get to drive about and see the incredible mess.

 

 So food - here it is gumbos, ettoufee, cubion, crawfish/shrimp/crab boils (with potatoes, onions, lots of hot pepper, salt, garlic, and sasuage) and a big range of Soul and Creole foods, red beans and rice, all kinds of boiled greens, fried catfish and hushpuppies, cornbread, pork chops and ribs, fried chicken..............and today King Cakes.

 

 January is the Christmas tree burning on the beach with huge releases of flame balloons over the water on the breezes and a big bar and food buffet with the first appearance of 'King Cakes' the ring cake with a fruit filling often, and garish Mardi Gras colour icing and colored sugar (Gold Green and Purple).

 

 

 

 This is a crawfish boil, people here have huge pots and gas burners with a #20 gas bottle - the salt and boil spices started, potatoes, onions, lemon halfs, whole garlics, then the sausage and seafood added - and it is dumped out. All the supermarkets and Walmarts sell 20 pound bags of live crawfish - all the harbors have seafood outlets with live crabs, and on the roadside are vans selling fresh shrimp, or you can go to the harbor and buy shrimp from the boats ($2-3 a pound).

 

 

 

 Leaving soon - I have made a lemon (from my lemon tree in a pot) blackberry (from my garden - I can them for all year) strawberry and apple pie, and we are doing a dozen deviled eggs from my chickens. (the bottom layer of the pie is lemon curd which is made from 3 egg yolks, 3 T lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar cooked over a double boiler till thick and put on the bottom of the pie shell)

 

 They will have gumbo, oysters cooked over a fire, and all kinds of stuff. Food eaten outside is a big thing here, today is sunny and cool, but will be warm by noon when it begins. This party has a big yard and 100 people will be attending - the crowd in front of the yard will be packed - you can catch a bucket full of beads if you wish - they throw thousands of pounds, the streets are deep in them and trash when it is over, an amazing sight, with beads hanging off the power lines and trees and solid on the asphalt. Prisoners come and clean it up in their green and white striped uniforms.

[kimble]

 Big Mardi Gras, 50,000 estimated - 6 people shot, 2 dead, otherwise it went well as usual. In fact I would say less drinking - this is the only occasion where drinking in public is allowed (and laws are strictly enforced).

 

 The party we attended had a good, full, band, a large oyster roasting BBQ, another couple for hanmergers/hotdogs, and a guy from Minnesota (the German and Nordic state) brought down authentic bockworsts and cooked them, fantastic. Big buffet of sandwiches, fried chicken, and side dishes. King Cakes, which can be fantastic!  Especially the authentic Paul's.

 

 Like the sixpence in a Christmas pudding a toy plastic baby is hidden inside a King Cake. Cinnamon, cream cheese, and fruit are inside, and combinations. A Paul's is best the simple cream cheese way - it is mixed with Ricotta and is amazing - pictured from yesterday, a genuine Pauls, amazingly good!

 

 

 

 The streets were packed, vendors selling stuff on rolling carts, all covered with flags, the Confederate flag is flown. We were at the white end, we usually go to the Black end, basically the East end is more Black people and the West end is more White - you can go where you want, but this is how it goes even now. The races do get along pretty well here, Black people can move onto any street they wish, I live in a White part of town yet my neighbor is Black, and my two main fishing friends are Black middle class - race in The Deep South is complex, and is moving on a bit. Races marry without issue, and homosexuals are treated like anyone else in my area - but there is a lot of history, this area goes back to the 1600's and has seen it all - and people still feel the ties to their heritage very strongly. The foods here are a huge part of the culture and go back to Spanish, French, African, and European, regional dishes are eaten by everyone regularly - or part of their daily foods are influenced by the historical foods.

 

 This is cooking oysters, a scoop of butter and garlic is on some, spinach, butter, garlic, cheese on others. Slices of garlic topped bread also cooking. We have one of the biggest oyster reefs in the world just off shore, oystering is a big industry here and they are eaten a lot. Notice two grills are loaded, and they just kept them coming.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by kimble

[kimble]

 I did not want to make the last post too long so continue here; The parade is 100 floats and takes about 2 hours to go by, all throwing beads, just hold your hands up and make eye contact with a thrower (20 or so a float) and they will throw you beads or a 'throw' which is big plastic doubloons, bracelets, nerf darts or footballs, beer cozies, stuffed animals, I once caught a rubber breast, Moon Pies, (I got one yesterday, my favorite throw) plastic spears, just all kinds of Chinese stuff. Like I said, you could fill a shopping bag if you wished.

 

 But food - I mentioned how people here have #20 gas bottles and burners for fish frying and crayfish boils, here is a picture from yesterday of frying Boudin balls. They are common here, you can get them at my local gas station, with fried chicken and french fries. Boudin is from the French Cajun culture, pork meat sausage with pork heart, liver, and rice. They are rolled in bread crumbs and fried. These ones had a core of mozzarella cheese.

 

 

 

 This all is under the grand 'Live Oaks', one of the planets great trees, I have planted dozens of them, they are the regional tree. Called Live Oak because they are Southern coastal (in hurricanes they let the leaves strip off so are not blown down but end up totally naked.) and lose their leaves Feb - March as the new ones emerge so are never bare. The lateral length of their branches is extreme! This is one from yesterday, it is doing poorly and is very old - the lateral branch is a lot longer than this picture shows. Under these massive trees is where outdoor parties are held. They are draped with Spanish Moss in most parts but here are covered with 'Resurrection Ferns' mostly. Picture not down loaded properly

 

 (edited because I am having trouble with my pictures)

Edited February 8, 2016 by kimble

[Athena]

Big Mardi Gras, 50,000 estimated - 6 people shot, 2 dead, otherwise it went well as usual. In fact I would say less drinking - this is the only occasion where drinking in public is allowed (and laws are strictly enforced).

6 people shot and 2 dead is usual? How different from here. We're having Carnaval here (which is maybe a little bit similar but also different) but other than people getting sick from drinking or doing drugs (shame on them), I don't think there are ever any guns or deaths involved (in fact, the newspaper's headline from yesterday was 'people feeling unwell after drinking and drugs' from Carnaval).

 

I'm glad you had a nice time. The food looks interesting, not necessarily something for me, personally, but I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

[Nollaig]

I don't know about Kimble, but my housemate is from New Orleans, which also celebrates Mardi Gras. New Orleans has, in its lifetime, had a reputation for being the murder capital of the United States. My housemate asked how to identify gangland in Ireland, I said if there are bars on windows, turn around and walk away - she said she grew up with bars on her windows. To me, that is both tragic and terrifying. I love my tiny country!

 

Honestly, I'd love to share traditional Irish dishes but I'd imagine half of them are British. Things that would be considered nice hearty meals here include bacon and cabbage, and Irish stew (meat-and-root-veg stews). We also love Black and White Pudding, which is made with pig's blood hehe. Oh and Barmbrack? Is that Irish? it's a kind of fruit bread with a cheapy ring in the middle. We have it at Halloween.

[kimble]

 Hi Nolliag, Is your name from the Islands, it sounds like my memories from them. Irish soda bread and Guinness.

 

"6 people shot and 2 dead is usual?"

 

"Two people have been killed and four injured following a shooting at the Mississippi Mardi Gras parade. Some 50,000 joined the march"

 

 No never happened before that I know of, the rest was as usual with everyone friendly. I have a picture of a Black MC, all in their colors (motorcycle gang) posing for my photo - I have never had anything but friendliness from all at this mardi Gras. By the way last Monday and Tuesday and Wed. are holidays here with the schools closed for Mardi Gras, and Fat Tuesday (the last day before Lent - the North Coast of the Gulf is Catholic) and Lent.

 

 Nolliag - St Patric day is a huge thing on the coast! They even do parades like the Mardi Gras ones, same floats with some different banners - same throwing stuff, but Irish themed. Throwing coconuts is traditional by the Zulu Crew of NO so they throw cabbages (not really throw, but drop into your hands) and big carrots on the st Paddy parades, my wife brought home 50 pounds of cabbages from the one last year!

 

 (Zulu is a Black New Orleans crew going back to the 1800's, they throw plastic spears and coconuts along with the junk - actually they pass down the nuts to people at the float, too dangerous to throw. (they do real parades there, not just floats with people drinking and throwing beads and blaring very loud music like here) Zulu are everyone's favorite with huge costumes of feathers (called Indians) and makeup and music.

 

 

 

 My sister just now phoned from her walk to Waitrose in London where she is getting some things for my parents, oh, how I would love to be in a Waitrose now, I would run amuck - I am a foodie and we are quite limited here. She was telling me about yesterday when she was in the city proper and all the street food vendors with beautiful and aromatic pots of things cooking. No more 1970's food limitations in England, Swan Vesta curry and such, (I left England roughly 1976)

 

 edited to say picture from net

Edited February 11, 2016 by kimble

[Poet]

GYROOOOOOOSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREECE! Once you eat it you ll never stop!!!                           

(And of course with beer)!!!

[bobblybear]

^ Oh that looks delicious, just my kind of food.

[Poet]

^ Oh that looks delicious, just my kind of food.

You should taste it! Its amazing! Just dont exaggerate because its soooo unhealthy. (Here this food is like macdonalds in america or crepes in France! Literally everywhere!)!!!!

[kimble]

 Hello Poet, the Lebanese/Turkish Doner Kabab is similar and is the main British take away food (taramasalata and chips too) but mostly is a massive amount of unknowable - fatty meat in a split pita instead of wrapped, with a bit of salad, tzatziki and hot chili sauce. It is the notorious food of drunken people and vomiting in the street afterwards. (UK allows being 'public drunk' and people do so a lot), part of the whole British experience is getting drunk on a 'Pub Crawl', shouting at other drunks in the street, getting a huge doner kebab (they do huge business at the end of pub hours) with extra hot chili sauce and then throwing up on the walk home - did it many times when young in London.)

 

 Irish award doner kebab made of real meat strips instead of the huge revolving cone of ground up animal by products which is more common in UK.

 

 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/migration_catalog/article25690734.ece/ALTERNATES/h342/-7659

Edited February 14, 2016 by kimble

[Poet]

Kimble really???? Hahahaahahahah That sure sound fun!! :D I know british people sometimes get really really drunk!!! Hahaha you are the best!!! ))

 

 

Also here meat is similar to what you are describing! Lots of fat and unknown ingredients...so unhelthy!

[woolf woolf]

GYROOOOOOOSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It looks delicious, now I want one. Is it usual to have the chips inside the sandwich?

[Poet]

It looks delicious, now I want one. Is it usual to have the chips inside the sandwich?

 

hahahaha   yeap!! they go inside! I can even describe the taste! one has to try it to find out!           

[Madeleine]

That looks delicious Poet, what is the meat (or is it best not to ask?!).

 

Sadly Kimble is correct in his definition of a fun night in the UK for some people - ie get drunk , eat junk food and then dump it all somewhere in the street, it's not pleasant walking along a street on a Saturday or Sunday morning (or any other morning in some areas!).  I pity the street cleaners.