Utah Þorrablót

                                                                       Þorramatur

The Icelandic Association of Utah has announced its annual Þorrablót for February 22, 2014. Details and ticket information will be released soon.

Iceland is an island nation that was isolated for much of its history. The culture in Iceland changed slowly over time, because of this isolation. Icelanders still make their own food from fresh ingredients, design their own clothes, write their own books, make their own music,  and perform their own plays. A thousand years and counting, Icelandic culture is very much alive.

One of examples of this is Þorramatur that first emerged with the midwinter festivals from with the Icelanders that moved from the countryside to Reykjavik during the urbanization boom following World War II. These festivals became popular in the 1950’s, they are still held today. They have become popular in the Icelandic settlements in North America. This buffet of traditional Icelandic food from the Viking age, which has become rare on the tables of ordinary city-dwelling Icelanders, is becoming popular again at this time of the year.

This midwinter feast is known as Þorrablót. Þorri is the old Viking month from the 23^rd of January to 21^st of February, blót is a feast. In Spanish Fork, Utah Þorrablót is usually held on the last Saturday in February.

You may be able to taste: Kæstur hákarl, Súrsaðir hrútspungar, Svið, Sviðasulta, Lifrarpylsa, Blóðmör, Hangikjot, Harðfiskur, Rúgbrauð, Flatbrauð, Lundabagg, or Bringukollar. You will have to be at Þorrablót to find out which of these will be available.