Svið

In case you are wondering what Svið is it is boiled lambs head. Tradition has it there was a time the Icelander´s had very little to eat so besides eating rotten shark they also ate the lambs head and still do. I will say that I enjoyed the little bit of meat I found inside the head but I did not go to the extend of eating the skin, fat and eyeball which several of the Elders did. Systir Bremner would not even eat the good bit of meat I dug out for her. You have to understand that before you even can eat the lamb you have to cut through the skin and fat from the mouth to the ear and then take the lower jaw in one hand and the upper jaw in the other and pull apart. Our host had given us each towels to put across our laps as well as napkins and all were used. Oh for the good old days - NO. I will not call them back!

Success!

When we arrived in Selfoss the space rented for the chapel had just been converted into classrooms but the last of the 4 classrooms designated as the Young Women's class room was not completed as they overspent the budget. The members were asked to finish the room. The room had been made by taking part of another room and adding a new wall in the hall - not the best arrangement as it is long and narrow. One member did some work to smooth the transition where the wall had been removed and had painted the room as well as the floor thinking it was being replaced. Friday we picked up a used whiteboard from the Reykjavik Chapel and took to Selfoss. It had a good bend in it so we put it on the floor of the chapel and piled chairs and tables on it until it was flat then went and bought paint to finish the YW room. Saturday morning we went to the chapel and removed all the items off the whiteboard to get it out of the way of a Relief Society activity and the board went right back to its bend so I decided we would have to see what happens when we mounted it. I then went to work painting the room. The ceilings are so high that standing on the top of the ladder on my tiptoes and the paint brush at the ends of my fingers I could just get the brush into the corners. Painting the room was a challenge with the height, the paint and the type of roller. I finished the room about 3 PM and we went home for dinner and to wait for the paint to dry. We went back at 6 PM to hang the whiteboard and I was shocked at how bad the paint job looked. I repainted the room, then took the whiteboard off the wall we were going to use in the YW room as the one from Reykjavik was too big. Then I went to work hanging the bent whiteboard. With Systir Bremner's help we got it mounted to the wall at the top and the bottom stuck out 8" from the wall. We tried pushing it tight to the wall but it wouldn't go so I tried putting a screw up 10 cm from the bottom. With us both pushing we were able to get it screwed to the wall and then I was able to get the bottom rail screwed to the wall on that one side. No matter how hard we pushed we could not get the other side attached to the wall but at this point it is only 3-4" away from the wall and it is in the corner and I don't think anyone even noticed today. (We were happy to see it was still on the wall this morning as I was afraid the screws might pull out of the wall from the pressure). I am going to get longer screws and see if I can draw the last corner into the wall. I then scraped all the paint off the linoleum as I felt it would look better even with the area that is not covered. We then hung the whiteboard as the walls were now dry - it is almost 10 PM at this point. We put in the chairs and felt good that the room was complete except for the flooring, baseboards, table, bulletin boards and cabinet. Today the YW´s President and her counselor were very happy to have their room and not to have to meet in the entry which is where the Elders Quorum is going to meet when we start the 3 hour block. You can see the tip of a ladder in the picture because we have no where to store it, but at least they were happy with the room today. I just wish my body felt as good - that was a long hard day and my body didn't like it.

Another Sun Rise

Another of our sun rises - note this one was taken December 30, 2008 at 11:30 AM. It is trying but never really made it because the cloud cover got worse. When people talk about getting depressed here in the winter I am beginning to understand why. We haven't seen the sun for days other than this brief moment and the last two days we haven't been able to see across the river due to fog.

Our Christmas Decorations

Those who know us know we love to decorate at Christmas so it was a little hard for us when we found everything so expensive here in Iceland plus you can't buy anything electric thinking you might want to take it home as everything is designed for their 240 V power. We managed a few items to make it seem a little like home. Kristi also sent us a number of ornaments, food items and other things to remind us of home including the little house I made with her girls. The ornaments are on the small tree (plant) on the left side of the picture as that is all we had until the day before Christmas when the candle tree went on sale 1/2 price. We were going to buy the Yule Lad figurines but at $15 a piece we settled on three we liked. This is basically the width of our living room and it is about half that size in depth. We do enjoy our big window and view of the river. I made our traditional Christmas breakfast of Eggs Benedict with the Hollandaise sauce Kristi sent and then for New Years I made the Spinach Dip with the vegetable packet she sent. We didn't have green onions so we used regular onions and I had to pay $2.50 for a tiny can of water chestnuts but it was nice to have my favorite dip. We had a great Christmas serving others and a great New Years Eve doing the same.

We Have Not See Much of the Sun

This picture was taken in Reykjavik on December 26 at 2:15 in the afternoon - notice how low the sun is over the horizon. We haven't seen much of the sun as is has been very cloudy plus this is as high as it gets so it often can't be seen above the buildings. The weather has been very hard to follow too. We went from shoveling snow several times a day for a week to no snow in two days of constant rain. Then when it came time to drive our 65 km trip into Reykjavik to serve a Christmas brunch to members and non-members without family (the missionaries asked us to provide a Christmas meal for them) we had a bigger surprise. Eileen cooked up a great brunch the night before and we headed off not looking at the road conditions or weather as it had been so nice. Just outside of Selfoss we hit a blizzard but it only lasted 5 minutes or so and then we could see our mountain drive ahead and it looked clear so we kept going. We made it to the top of the mountain without any trouble when the next blizzard hit. It was total white out and I was creeping along watching for the poles on the side of the highway and making sure the cars coming at us were in their lane. We came to a place where 5 cars were pulled off to the side headed toward Selfoss. Since we at times could not see the front of the car Eileen suggested maybe we should turn around. Just then I looked in the rear view mirror and could see the cars turning around to head back to Reykjavik and decided they must figure it is better the way we were going so we kept on. It was along time before we got out of the blizzard and then the road was a mess but we made it in time for our brunch. Afterward it was time to head back to Selfoss with the missionaries for a Christmas dinner we were all invited to. I check the forecast and road conditions and decided we would have to take a much longer route back which even looked chancy but turned out to be quite easy compared to the trip in. We had a great traditional Icelandic Christmas dinner with a great family that decided since the real tradition is smoked lamb but we would probably like regular lamb better had both. Since we had the traditional Icelandic Christmas dinner with another family Christmas Eve with the smoked lamb we knew she made the correct choice. On the 26th we had to take the missionaries back to Reykjavik so that is how we got to see the sun. I am also taking care of the work the couple that had to leave unexpectedly normally does, so I got caught up and sent off the weekly financial reports to the mission office before we came home Saturday. Saturday evening Eileen remembered the Branch President had called Monday and asked us to speak in Sacrament Meeting. So we spent the evening preparing talks but had to do them in English with so little time to prepare. One member translated for Eileen and another for me and all went well. We then got invited to another members home for dinner today. They have a young family so it was fun to be at their home and enjoy an all vegetable dinner that was very good. Tomorrow we are back with the missionaries to teach Auður who has January 17 baptism date and Gyða who postponed her baptism and the date needs to be reset.

Rotten Skate or how could anyone eat the stuff

“Rotten” Skate and Shopping Fury

Today is the last day before Christmas, known as Thorláksmessa (“The Mass of St. Thorlákur,” Iceland’s patron saint). The day is celebrated by eating putrefied skate and buying the last Christmas presents.
Thorláksmessa is celebrated in the memory of Thorlákur “the Holy” Thórhallsson, who was Bishop at Skálholt in Iceland in the 12th century. He died December 23, 1193, which became a holiday in 1199. In 1985 Pope John Paul II appointed Thorlákur “the Holy” as the patron saint of Iceland.
The Catholic Church in Iceland is the third largest religious community in Iceland and nine Catholic churches offer services in various parts of the country.
The tradition of eating putrefied skate originates in the West Fjords, but is now common in all parts of the country. The fish delicacy is usually served boiled with potatoes, turnips and hamsatólg, melted sheep fat.
People who want to avoid bringing the stench of skate to their homes—it smells strongly of ammonia—order the fish at restaurants instead. (avoid all restaurants this time of year or you won't be able to eat anyway)

Strange-Smelling Delicacy

Putrefied skata, or “skate,” a fish related to sharks, has a strange smell. That I have to admit, but nevertheless I love the taste of it and have eaten it since I was a small boy in the West Fjords. Many young Icelanders have failed to test this delicacy since the strong odor discourages them from trying it.
But skata is just like any strong smelling cheese or even some fruit, like Durian which is considered a delicacy in Thailand. Skata has a wonderful, sweet taste and those Icelanders who still eat it will stuff themselves on Thorláksmessa (Mass of St. Thorlák, patron saint of Iceland, celebrated on December 23) because most feast on it only once a year.
In the West Fjords people like to have their skata very strong. It is so putrefied that when you take the first bite it will numb your nose and throat – so strong is the smell. The habitual way of cooking it is to boil it for about ten minutes. Then the fish is taken from the bones, some lamb fat mör is added, and then this sort of stew is served with boiled potatoes and brown rye bread. When the skötustappa or “skate stew” has cooled down it becomes hard and can be sliced like paté and is usually eaten with butter and dark rye bread. It is a heavenly meal. But the smell is terrible and clothes reek of what they have been downing. The smell is persistent and the only way to get it out of the clothes is to wash them.
The strange smell of skata is everywhere in the air and some can’t stand it. Some try to lessen the odor in their houses by cooking their skata outside on the barbecue. Those well schooled in the tradition simply cook their Christmas smoked lamb hangikjöt after the skate and the odor disappears entirely as the wonderful aroma of the smoked lamb fills the apartment.
My father-in-law is as avid lover of putrefied skata. He is a former fisherman and processed his own skata for many years. In the South the skate is processed in a somewhat milder manner than in the West Fjords and salted. This is fantastic food, a wonderful gourmet meal for those who acquire the taste..........

Picture of skata courtesy of bb.is.

The processing is similar. Shark, though, can be poisonous if it is cooked fresh out of the sea. It needs the processing of being kept for weeks under stones and turf and then being hung out for drying in the cold climate. Skata is similarly processed but this kind of food is by no means rotten or damaged. It is only fermented like cheese, and is very healthy. The oil from putrefied shark is considered very good for the system. Some even believe it can prevent cancer.
I also learned many things about skata which I did not know: one guy whose entry I read claims skata takes his migraine away. My grandmother, who had stomach problems, always said skata was one of the best things she could eat. It made her cramps go away just like good putrefied shark did. (It probably burned the lining out of her stomach so what's left to hurt?)
I once had the opportunity to go to the West Fjords by ship at this time of the year. There had been no flights to the West Fjords for more than a week due to constant storms and blizzards. All roads were filled with snow, so the authorities decided to assign one of the Coast Guard vessels to take some of the unfortunate people who were locked in Reykjavík home for Christmas.
The weather was extremely bad: high seas and storm. We left Reykjavík at 5.30 in the morning of 23 December. The voyage over Faxaflói bay was rough and I could see that many of the fifty passengers were getting seasick. People’s faces were white and green and there was puke everywhere. Then at 11:30 the “wonderful” aroma of skata sneaked upon the other poor passengers who were only on the brink of sea sickness. That did it, puke multiplied for most of them, not me though.
I was beginning to feel quite groggy when I snuck into the mess to have a plate of skötustappa like I had done all of my life on Thorláksmessa. It was good for me and I felt much better in my stomach afterwards. The voyage was a wonderful adventure, although quite rough.
Now for my observations: Last night we were called and invited to partake of Skata at a local restaurant and then go Christmas Caroling and also, as an aside, could we possibly drive everyone around. This was from the SYAs of the branch in Reykjavik. We refused the Skata or even going to where they were eating it so we arranged to pick them up to sing and when they opened the door the odor that came in with them was a cross between old dog pee on your shoe and opening a bottle Ammonia to clean with. It had been two hours and a shower since they had eaten the Skata but they still carried the smell. The Elders told us that in the restaurant with them were a family introducing their young children to Skata. The one little boy took a big bite, gagged, spit it back out and would not eat anymore. Their parents pointed at the Elders and said to their children, "see those are Americans and they ate all of their Skata, do you want American's to eat it and not you." No problem, I am with the little boy, no way am I eating something that smells like I should be washing it away with a hose to clean up the back yard.

Oh Holy Night - Tradition Live On

Eileen has sung Oh Holy Night every Christmas I can remember except our first mission. This year we had a pianist who could play for her so she was going to sing at our Christmas program tonight. When the Wohlgemuth's had to return home early we looked for ways to provide accompaniment and found a two verse mp3 version. It was not the best but it works. Then this morning we did not have any special music for Sacrament Meeting so I suggested Eileen sing between talks. She sang as beautiful as ever and had several members in tears. The speaker following thanked Systir Bremner for bringing the Spirit of Christmas into her heart. The attached video is for those of you who miss hearing Eileen sing Oh Holy Night - sorry it is no where as good as her nor is it the version she sings but the best I could find! Have a Merry Christmas and may we ever proclaim His power and glory and serve Him.