Culinary Adventures in Europe

By Violet Hume

Tourists choose travel destinations based many different things: certain events, historical sites, or the opportunity to see where their ancestors came from - to name a few.Not quite as often, travelers explore areas to experience different cuisines. There are people, however, who base their vacation destinations solely on food. This article will act as a guide for those adventurers who are considering such a trip!

The Ukraine is home to a slew of unusual foods, notably salo. Simply put, salo is fat from the underskin of pork. It is typically eaten raw as a condiment for borscht. It is also consumed in thin slices on rye bread and accompanied by horilka, Ukrainian vodka.

One enterprising man created "Ukrainian Snickers" which are bits of salo dipped in chocolate, an interesting combination to say the least! After traveling so far from home, it would be a shame not to explore a bit of history this amazing country has to offer. Don't leave without heading to Kiev to visit the fascinating Chernobyl Museum and some of the enchanting churches and cathedrals.

A trip to Iceland will provide many stunning sights. Blue lagoons, hotels made completely out of ice, imposing glaciers, and geothermal hotspots are just a few of the interesting things you will see and encounter. As far as strange cuisine is concerned? Don't worry, there's plenty of it here! One of the more fascinating delicacies offered here is hakarl.

This interesting dish is actually fermented shark that has been buried in the ground for 6-12 weeks to press the poison out of the beast and then hung to dry for up to five months. Those brave souls trying this dish for the first time often gag due to the high ammonia content in the meat.

More often than not, it is paired with a shot of brennivin, a local spirit that is flavored with caraway seeds. If you're wondering why anyone would eat something that practically requires a chaser, maybe you should head to Iceland and find out for yourself!

Rumored to be more palatable than the dishes mentioned above is smalahove, found in nearby Norway. Smalahove is a traditional Norwegian dish consumed primarily around the Christmas holidays. This supposedly tasty meal is comprised of a sheep's head with skin and fleece scorched off, the brain removed and the head salted. At this point, the flesh is smoked or dried.

Once in a Norwegian kitchen there are a few methods that can be used to prepare, one example is to boil the head for approximately three hours and then mash with rutabaga and potatoes. Traditionally, however, the head is eaten while intact starting with the ears and eyes.