Reality television just can’t get enough of strange foods. From shows like Man V. Food and Bizarre Foods, to Fear Factor challenges, if it crawls, slithers, or is the part of the animal usually tossed away, it’s fair game. The Vikings knew this 1,000 years before the first cathode ray tube ever flickered.
The ancient Viking midwinter tradition – named for Thorri, a month in the old Icelandic calendar – was originally the feast of sacrifice involving the blood of oxen and goats. Contemporary celebrations – which visitors can experience at many restaurants – involve dancing, singing, drinking, and eating traditional Norse specialties (so far, so good), but are combined with eating singed sheep’s head, pickled rams testicles, and putrefied shark that has been buried for three months or more (certainly not for the meek). There’s puffin on the menu as well – nothing like eating the national bird so long as it’s cooked in a good sauce. Just don’t expect it to taste like chicken. Celebrations begin January 22 through most of February.
Tags: cuisine, food, restaurant, Thorri