All Things Iceland

Icelandic food culture is deeply rooted in Scandinavian cuisine. As I mentioned in the "Brief History of the Icelandic language" episode, Iceland was settled mostly by farmers from Norway along with Vikings and some Celtic people who were made slaves after being captured by those Vikings . These Scandinavian people brought with them their cooking traditions and farming lifestyle. However, there is not much evidence of Celtic influence in Icelandic cooking.

Icelandic Food Culture During the Middle Ages

During those medieval times, settlers grew barley and oats and raised mainly cattle.They also raised other animals, like sheep, horses, pigs, chickens and goats.

The rivers in the country provided fresh water fish and people with boats could venture out to the sea to catch cod, haddock and other variety of saltwater fish. Fish was either eaten fresh or stored in salt and then dried. The salt was made by boiling salt water or burning seaweed. However, firewood in Iceland was used up  quickly in most areas of the country, so dried salted fish was eventually phase out. Drying fresh fish in the wind was the dominant way of preserving this food, which is still done today to make harðfiskur. Meat was also preserved in fermented whey. Fermentation of shark, skate and herring still happen today.

One would assume that there were a lot of fishing villages in Iceland since the beginning of when it was settled, but that was not the case. The farmers that settled there seemed to be stubbornly devoted to cultivating crops in such a harsh climate. Some were even opposed to fishing villages, mainly because fishing was considered a lot more risky when compared to farming. However, this didn’t stop people from fishing or consuming that food. While stockfish was used for trading with other countries, Iceland wasn’t heavily relying on fishing to fuel their economy until the 20th century. Meat and dairy products were what primarily made up the Icelandic diet for many centuries.

Dairy, Turf Houses & A Little Ice Age

Like many western cultures, Icelandic people love cheese and other dairy products. For centuries, they have been creating cheese from goat, sheep or cow’s milk. Interestingly, skyr, a food that Iceland is known for is said to have come from Norway but it seems that it fell off as a food in Norway, but  it never disappeared from the Icelandic diet. The leftover whey from skyr was allowed to sour and then was used to preserve meat. As I mentioned in my Top 10 Icelandic foods to try episode, skyr is classified as a cheese, even though people, including myself, call it yogurt. Check out that episode to find out what the other foods are.

From settlement times until the 14 century, Icelandic people used to live in longhouses that placed the kitchen in the center of the house in order to heat it up. Earth ovens were used for making bread and cooking meat. During sometime in the 14th century, those longhouses were replaced by turf houses. These houses were smaller and the kitchen had its own room with a raised stone or hearth. Hooks were hung from above to hold pots at the desired height from the fire. During this time there was also shift from eating  two meals a day to eating three.

During medieval times, grains were more easily incorporated into the Icelandic diet. On average, it was a warmer time, which allowed for barley and other grains to be grown in Iceland. However, that all changed when the country and other parts of Europe and North America experienced a  “Little Ice Age”. The cooler climate started in the 14th century and continued u...

Even though, English is widely spoken in Iceland, I think these words and phrases will certainly come in handy if you plan to visit or if you already live here and want to learn the language.  Even if you don’t have Iceland on your bucket list, I find it is a fascinating language to listen to, especially since it has not evolved much since the 12th  century. For anyone that is curious about the history of the Icelandic language check out the podcast episode I did about it.

If you find yourself interested in learning more Icelandic words and phrases after listening to this episode, head over to my Instagram account @Foreign2familiar. I teach a new Icelandic word or phrase in my Instagram stories every day.

Icelandic Letters That Are Not in the English Alphabet

Before I jump into the useful phrases, I want to point out that there are some letters in Icelandic that do not exist in English and they are the following:

Æ

ö

Ð - a "th" such as in weather

þ - a"th" sound that is unvoiced

Á

Í

Ý

I am not going to go over every word in the Icelandic alphabet because that would make this episode much longer. However, I have included a cute Youtube video below about how to pronounce Icelandic letters.

One simple rule to remember when saying Icelandic words is that the stress falls on the first syllable of a word.

I am going to start off with the most widely used words and phrases that are helpful when you are interacting with a person that speaks Icelandic. Then, I will move on to words and phrases to know when at a restaurant. Following that are useful words if a problem arises (such as needing the police, if you are sick and so on).  The third section are words about common signs in Iceland. Lastly, are words for service places and titles of professionals that you might need, such as a doctor. Ok, now let’s jump into some Icelandic.

Most Widely Used Words & Phrases in Iceland

Já - Yes

Jú  - Yoo and it is used for answering a negative question

Nei - No

Góðan daginn or Goðan dag  - Good morning or Good afternoon. Commonly used at any time before 6 PM

Sæll - Hello (informal, to a man).

Sæl - Hello (informal, to a woman).

Hæ - Hi (pronounced just like the English word)

Gott kvöld or Goða kvöldið - Good evening - commonly used after 6 PM

Ég heiti ______ - My name is ______

Gaman að kynnast þér - Nice to meet you.

Hvað segirðu gott? - How are you? or literally What say you good?

Ég segi allt gott, þakka þér fyrir - Fine, thank you.

Hvað heitirðu?  - What is your name?

Ég er frá - I am from

Weirdly enough, Icelandic people don’t have a word for “please”. The closest word they have is vinsamlegast, which means kindly.

Gjörðu svo vel, (to one person) or Gerið þið svo vel (to many people) - Here you are or if you please

Takk fyrir or Takk - Thank you.

Ekkert að þakka or Ekkert mál - You're welcome.

Afsakið - Excuse me, (getting someone's attention).

Fyrirgefðu - Excuse me, (begging pardon).

Ha? - I'm sorry, if you didn't hear what they said

Því miður - I'm sorry, (regretful)

Bless or bless bless - Goodbye

Bæ - Bye

Góða nótt - Good night.

Sofðu vel - Sleep well

Ég skil ekki - I don't understand.

Gætirðu talað hægar? - Could you speak more slowly?

If you are planning a trip to Iceland at any time in the future, this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast will arm you with useful facts and tips that will make your preparation much smoother.

Prepare for Icelandic Weather

I’m going to start off with one of the most important things to keep in mind when you travel to Iceland - the weather! Regardless of the season, the weather in Iceland can vary wildly. In one minute, it can be raining and windy and in the next, the sun can be shining and it is a lot less windy. We’ve even had snow and hail during the summer. While snow and hail are rare in the summer, it is best to know that rain and strong winds are likely to show up during your trip.  Vedur.is is the weather website that most Icelandic people look at when they want to know what to expect weather wise.

What to pack for Summer & Winter in Iceland

Regardless of the season in Iceland, you will need to pack layers. The average temperature in Reykjavík during winter is freezing (32 degrees F or 0 degrees celsius), but it can be much colder in other parts of the country, especially north. During the summer, the temperature can range from 10 - 13 degrees Celsius or 50 - 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Check out my podcast episodes about summer and winter for more information. As I mentioned in the weather portion of this episode, one thing that is best to be prepared for is the varying weather conditions.

The list I am about to share is in no way all you should pack. These are items I feel that you should for sure pack. Clothes like underwear and toiletries are not mentioned because I assume you will have some. If you don’t, no judgement on my end.

For summer, definitely pack the following:

* waterproof or water resistant jacket or coat with a hood- Goretex is your friend

* waterproof or water resistant pants

* Sweater - preferably a breathable material made from synthetic or natural fibers, like wool. If you are hiking, don’t wear cotton. It holds onto the moisture from your body and can make you feel wet and cold. No jeans while hiking either, but you can wear them around town or if you will mostly be in the car

* A light shirt for underneath your sweater. If it gets quite warm, relatively warm for Iceland, it will be nice to have this layer

* Sun protection in the form of a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. The sun is very strong here and you can get burned or tan quickly.

* Hiking boots with good grip, Vibram soles do the trick - this is especially needed for hiking, walking on uneven ground (which is everywhere outside of the city) and for ensuring that you won’t slip on wet surfaces. You can, of course, bring regular shoes or sneakers to wear in the city, but if you want to explore outside of urban areas, hiking boots is a must. Ones that go over the ankle are especially good for glacier walks and supporting your ankles on uneven or sloped terrain.

* A swimsuit

* Gloves

* A buff, which can be used as a scarf, hat or to pull your hair back

* Reusable water bottle. Icelandic water is delicious and you can drink it right out of the tap or from fresh water streams. You do not have to buy bottled water here, so reduce your use of plastic and save yourself some money by bringing a reusable bottle

* Your camera - smartphones work just fine. The landscapes are gorgeous here.

For winter, definitely pack the following:

* A warm winter coat with a good water resistant layer

* Sweater - preferably a breathable material made f...

This episode might be short but it gives you a good overview of foods to try while in Iceland. Before I jump into this list, I have to inform you that I have been a plant based eater, usually referred to as vegan, for the last five years. However, I did taste all of these foods before I made the transition. The foods on this list are very much a part of the Icelandic culture and it would be difficult to talk about Iceland without mentioning these foods.

I just want all of my vegetarian and vegan listeners to know that there are a lot options for you in Iceland and I am working on putting together a video and podcast episode about those options.

*

Icelandic Hot Dog

* Iceland’s hot dog has become a must have food while visiting. Most tasters of it agree that is deserving of its reputation.  Its mix of lamb, beef and other sustainably raised meat has become a crowd pleaser. You can top them with fried onions, raw onions, and condiments, such as tomatsosa (ketchup), plysusinnep (a sweet hot dog mustard) and remolaði, which mixes mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs. It is served on a warm bun.  You can buy a quality hot dog in any gas station but the most popular place to get one is at the famous hot dog stand downtown called Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur.

*

Skyr

* The next on the list is skyr, which is a cultured dairy product made in Iceland that has the consistency of strained yogurt. Surprisingly, it is classified as cheese but I consider it yogurt. It is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals, and is naturally fat free. Its texture, taste and diet friendly nutrition have made it popular around the world. There is a good chance that Siggi’s skyr or some other Icelandic brand is available in your grocery store right.  When visiting Iceland, you will be able to have some from different brands. The amount of flavors here is pretty incredible.

*

Ice Cream

* A dairy product that rivals skyr in popularity in Iceland is ice cream. There is no such thing as ice cream season in this country. Even when there is a snow storm outside, people will still head over to the ice cream shop for their favorite ice cream. There are several ways that Icelandic people like to enjoy their ice cream. One is having a swirl of vanilla ice cream on a cone dipped in a warm sauce, such as caramel, chocolate, licorice and many others. The sauce coats the ice cream and forms a thin hard shell of candy around it.

* Another way to eat ice cream in Iceland is in a cup mixed with candies of your choice. While they do have different sizes to choose from, I feel like a “small” is huge and would be more than enough for two people or one person who has a big appetite and really loves ice cream. The ice cream stores are called ísbuðin or literally ice cream store. There are plenty of them around and are easy to spot because they usually have an illustration of ice cream on a cone in the window of the store. There are some places that offer vegan ice cream in Iceland but my ultimate favorite is Brynjuís in Kopavogur, a neighborhood in the Reykjavík area. If you are lactose intolerant or a vegan but you still want creamy and delicious ice cream, definitely try their vegan ice cream. You can have it soy or coconut based. The coconut based one is absolutely divine!

*

Lamb

* Icelandic people have been raising and eating lamb for centuries. Eating lamb is a huge part of their culture and they have eaten it in many different forms. Some of the most notable is slow roasted,

In the last episode, I went over Iceland’s noteworthy traditions, holidays and celebrations. I recommend checking it out, if you haven’t already. This week, I am expanding on the Christmas holiday celebrations that I spoke about in that episode. While most countries that celebrate Christmas only have one Santa that comes to town, Iceland somehow ended up with 13! During this episode, I will talk about where these 13 Santa Clauses or Yule Lads come from, when they come to town, what they do while in town and include some other interesting characters that show up during Christmas.

Are They Icelandic Yule Lads or Santa Claus?

While Yule lad is the most appropriate term for these 13 mountain dwellers, Santa is a term that has continuously been used throughout the years, so I will use them interchangeably in this episode. In fact, they are called Jólasveinn in Icelandic, which translates to Yule Lad or Santa Claus.

Where do Iceland's Yule Lads Come From?

When it is not Christmas time, Iceland’s 13 Santas live in a cave in the mountains with their mother Grýla, as well as a gigantic black yule cat and their mother’s 3rd husband, Leppalúði. This might sound cozy but Grýla is a giant troll that has an insatiable appetite for bad children and her husband shares the same pleasure in eating misbehaved kids. Grýla likes to make stew out of the bad children that she collects.

Additionally, their yule cat is a vicious monster that eats people that have not received any new clothes to wear before Christmas Eve. I think anyone growing up in a household like that would be kind of strange, and the 13 Yule lads are certainly not an exception. They each have their own personality and a specific mischievous act that they do when visiting houses in Iceland during Christmas. In fact, their names describe the special thing that they do while visiting.

Grýla illustrated by Brian Pilkington

As I mentioned in the episode about Icelandic holidays, traditions and celebrations, the first Yule Lad comes to town on December 12th and the last one arrives on December 24th. Back in the day, they weren’t that nice but as the years have passed, they have become milder in nature and have even started to leave gifts for children.

Mischievous Yule Lads Turn Into Gift Giving Santa Clauses

When it is time for the Santa Clauses to start coming to  town, Icelandic children leave one of their shoes in the window before going to sleep on each of the 13 nights. Good children will find a little gift in their shoe when they wake up in the morning. However, misbehaved children will receive a potato, which could be rotten. Below, you can see the spelling of the names of the Yule Lads in Icelandic. I have also included the days that each lad arrives and the day when they leave town.

Ok, now let’s jump into the names of each of the 13 Icelandic Santa

Stekkjarstaur

1.Stekkjarstaur - Sheep Cote-Clod or also known as “stiff legs” - He is said to have such stiff legs that he walks as if they are peg legs. He harasses sheep, and steals milk by suckling the ewes on a farm. (12 December to 25 December)

Stekkjarstaur illustration by Brian Pilkington

Giljagaur

2. Giljagaur - Gully Gawk-  Hides in gullies, waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the cowshed and steal milk.

Because the holiday season is right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share the list of Icelandic holidays and traditions they celebrate throughout the year. Some of the traditions might sound the same or similar to some of your traditions while others might be completely new to you.

Icelandic Holidays, Traditions & Celebrations

1. Fyrsti Vetradagur - First Day of Winter

As I am recording this, it is October and the next holiday tradition coming up is fyrsti vetradagur, which is the first day of winter. It is the  Saturday that falls between October 21st and 27th and is according to the Old Norse calendar. If you are curious about what winter in like in Iceland, here is the link to my podcast episode “How to Survive an Icelandic Winter”. On this day, merchants on Skólavörðustígur, the street that leads to Hallgrimskirkja church, hand out free meat soup. From this day until the 21st of December, the shortest day of the year, the length of daylight decreases rapidly.

2. Jólabókaflóðið - The Christmas Book flood

The beginning of November is the start of Jólabókaflóðið or the Christmas Book flood. During this time, the list of newly published books is announced in Iceland. Giving a book on Christmas eve is a longstanding tradition in Iceland that started during World War 2. Books weren’t as expensive back then, so families could offer to give them as presents. The bulk of books sales for the year happens at this time. Every person gets a book in the family to take to bed with them. I think it is lovely that after dinner and opening gifts on Christmas Eve, that Icelandic people cozy up with a book and some chocolate. After Christmas, everyone talks about the books they have read and give their opinion on it.

3. Dagur Íslenskrar Tungu - Icelandic Language Day

It is celebrated on November 16th, which is the same day as the birthday of 19th-century poet Jónas Hallgrímsson. Even though not every Icelandic person celebrates this day, most, if not all, are very proud of their language. In my second podcast episode, which is a brief history of the Icelandic language, I talk about the committee that was formed to preserve the language. Dagur Íslenskrar tungu was created because Icelandic people feel it is important to protect their language. Sometimes there are gatherings to celebrate this day.

4. Icelandic Sovereignty Day

December 1st is Sovereignty day, not to be confused with Icelandic Republic Day on June 17th. On this day in 1918, Iceland signed the Act of Union with Denmark, which recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state but was still united with Denmark under a common monarch. Before Icelandic Republic day, this used to be a national holiday and people had a day off from work. While it is no longer a day that people have off, many people still fly the Icelandic flag and observe it in their own way. I’ll talk more about Icelandic Republic day later on in this podcast.

5. The 13 Icelandic Yule Lads Come to Town

The Christmas holiday season is in full swing in December. People have already decorated their houses with lots of colorful lights, there are festive activities and people are extra cheery. I feel like it kicks into high gear when the 13 Yule Lads or 13 Santa Clauses start coming to down to town from the mountains.

The first comes on December 12th and they arrive one by one until the last lad is in town on December 24th,

This is the 3rd and final part of my interview with Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s funniest and most famous Mayor. If you haven’t listened to part 1 and part 2 of this interview, I recommend that you do because Jón dives deep into why he ran for political office, Taosim, his experience as the Mayor and other fascinating things about his life.

During this episode, Jón shares his feelings about the current political landscape in Iceland, why he feels it is important to teach people about empathy, what he has been up to since running for office and his favorite Icelandic word or phrase. We also dipped into talking about education, creativity, religion, philosophy and empathy. In part 2, I taught you how to say the Mayor of Reykjavík, which is Borgarstjóri Reykjavíkur. This time around, Jón will share a pretty funny Icelandic word before the end of the episode.

Jón's Book

Questions I Asked Jón During the Interview

* What have you been up to since leaving your role as the Mayor of Reykjavík?

* How to do you feel about the political landscape in Iceland now?

* Would you ever consider running for political office again?

* You are active on some platforms on social media. Where can people connect with you or learn about what you are up to now?

* What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

* Facebook

* Instagram

* Twitter

I hope you enjoyed listening to my interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make, if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

This is the second of a three part interview that I did with Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s funniest and most famous Mayor of Reykjavík. If you haven’t listened to part 1 of this interview, I highly recommend that you do. Jón shares why he decided to run for political office, his concern about polar bears and more. Plus, it will provide context for some of what we discuss in this episode. For part 2, Jón and I have a fascinating philosophical discussion. I learn about the profound impact that Taoism, surrealism and judo have had on his life and more about his time in political office as the Mayor.

Lastly, I shared the word klakki, which means ice, in the last episode. This time around I thought it might be helpful to teach you how to say Mayor of Reykjavík, which is Borgarstjóri (city boss) Reykjavíkur.

Jón Gnarr's Book

Some of the questions I asked Jón

* I have read the Tao Te Ching many times and it was a pleasant surprise to hear that you have your own interpretation of the book’s core principle wu wei (doing not doing).  When did you start to embody this principle and was it difficult to practice while in office?

* On the surface, the Best party came across as a big joke but I’ve heard that your intention was to make democracy more fun and enjoyable in order to get people more involved. What fun things did you do to encourage people to participate more?

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

* Facebook

* Instagram

* Twitter

I hope you enjoyed listening to part 2 of my interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss Part 3 next week. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make, if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

I had the pleasure of interviewing  Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s most famous and funniest Mayor. Jón became Mayor of Reykjavík not long after Iceland’s economic crash in 2008. His victory was just as shocking to him as it was to many others in the country and around the world.

He was kind enough to host me at his home in Iceland for this interview. We chatted for almost three hours about a variety of topics. In part one, you will hear about why he ran for political office, his feelings about the welfare of polar bears, what surprised him about being Mayor and more.

Because we were at his home, there is some background noise from his 10 month old dog Klakki, who was eating a bone. I apologize in advance for the intermittent crackling noises. Additionally, at some point during the interview his youngest son Nonnie comes home and Jón has him tell me about the time that he met Lindsay Lohan, and he gives us bread that he baked at school. I ended up cutting that part out but it was a cute story and nice to have some fresh baked bread. Needless to say, meeting Jón Gnarr and conducting this interview was fun and included some unexpected events.

Jón Gnarr's book

Questions  I asked Jón Gnarr during Part One of the Interview

* What motivated you to run for Mayor of Reykjavík?

* You openly said that you intended to break all of your promises once elected, which is hilarious. However, if you could have fulfilled one of your campaign promises, which one would you choose?

* When you were running for Mayor did you believe that you could win or was it a kind of a hail mary pass?

* What most surprised you about your the job as Mayor?

* What are you most proud of during your tenure as Mayor?

* Do you feel that being a comedian prepared you for being Mayor?

Jón dressed in drag

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

* Facebook

* Instagram

* Twitter

I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

My love of delicious beer and curiosity about Iceland blended together perfectly when I sat down to chat with Óli, the brewmaster at Ægisgarður brewery. While there are bigger and well known breweries in Iceland, I was drawn to Ægisgarður for a few reasons. The first is that I got married in that brewery in 2017 and I had the pleasure of attending a beer tasting earlier in the spring of this year. Óli conducted the beer tasting and dropped some major knowledge about Iceland’s complicated history with beer and other types of alcohol. After that, I just knew that I needed to chat with him about his role as brewmaster, the complicated history that I mentioned, and how the beer culture has evolved in Iceland.

The Questions I Asked Ólafur About Icelandic Beer History & Culture

* Iceland has a complicated history with beer and other types of alcohol, can you talk a little bit about that history? How has the beer culture evolved?

* When did you first become interested in brewing beer?

* What is your favorite type of beer?

* What is the weirdest brewing combination that you have created or tasted?

* Is there any type of beer that Icelandic people seem to drink the most?

* Today, there are a decent amount of small craft breweries in Iceland and the variety of beers is amazing. When did the small craft brewery scene take off here? Do you think it will continue to grow?

* Why do you think beer and other types of alcohol are so heavily taxed in Iceland?

* If there was only one Icelandic beer you could recommend that people taste, what would that be?

* What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Visit or Contact Ægisgarður Brewery

* Website

* Facebook

* Email - [email protected]

Let’s be social! Here is where you can connect with me on social media platforms:

* Facebook

* Instagram

* Twitter

I hope you enjoyed listening to this interview. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!