Living on an isolated island in the North Atlantic can be quite desolate when the long Winter arrives, so having a sense of community, no matter how small that community was, has always been very important to Icelandic people. Nothing brings people together more than food, and the Feast of Thorri has been helping people through the darkest days for centuries.
It was originally a pagan festival, possibly praising Thor, the God of Thunder, after his association with ‘thorri’, or ‘frost’, and though Christianity brought a halt to proceedings until the 19 th century, the people decided it was just too good a thing to let go, and so the feast which begins in the 13 th week of Winter, according to the old Icelandic calendar, re-emerged as an important social event.
Traditional food takes centre stage, with hákarl (fermented shark), boiled sheep’s head, blóðmör - a sort of black pudding made from sheep’s blood in stomach lining - ram’s testicles and assorted parts of fish dished out, all washed down, preferably, with a healthy amount of brennivín (which you may need to brave some of the fare on offer).
The feast is no longer just observed in isolated areas, and after one enterprising restaurant in Reykjavik started serving up traditional food in ‘troughs’ styled on those in the National Museum and coined ‘thorramatur’, other eateries got in on the act and you can now enjoy a feast in many restaurants across Reykjavik and beyond, where everybody can tuck in.
Though some dishes may not be for the squeamish, it is worth tucking in to enjoy a distinctly Icelandic way of sharing and a great sense of community and getting through harsh times together, making them all into good times. Sharing a plate with a good friend or neighbour is something that always makes food taste even better, and to share it surrounded by friendly and welcoming Icelandic people is an experience you will never forget.
