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Remembering Erlen
Remembering Erlen
Erlen was born and raised in beautiful small village of Vik. As an adult, she went on to work in various parts of the world, including as a flight attendant during the 1960s and 70s. She was a unique mix of small village girl, who could also find her way around the streets of Manhattan.
Location
Vik, Iceland
A small village on the South coast of Iceland surrounded by the Atlantic ocean, glaciers, black sandy beaches, mountains and the Volcano Katla.
Most well know jam in Iceland
Rhubarb jam is common in Iceland. Rhubarb can often be seen growing in the wild and most home gardens have a small patch dedicated to rhubarb, mainly because it can stand the weather and you don't really have to do anything until you're ready to turn it into jam. Hjónabandssæla - the famous "happy marriage" cake - is filled with rhubarb jam and is a "must try" for anyone visiting this extraordinary country.
Grandma Erlen had a passion for making food, but mostly she loved serving food she knew her family and guests would love – and she prepared and cooked everything with love. Home made from scratch was her preferred cooking style.
Who will forget her homemade waffles or pancakes on Sundays, served with her amazing rhubarb jam and whipped cream?
She was always very particular about where and when she picked the rhubarb. She would be easy on the sugar and make sure to warm up the jars in advance. She knew that good jam was all about making sure it was stored correctly.
As everyone loved her rhubarb jam, she would happily serve it with all kind of sweets and dishes, including Icelandic lamb and homemade lamb liver haggis. It even went well with lightly salted cod (Bacalaou). She really was an innovator!
Sadly, Grandma Erlen passed away in the Summer of 2020, but we are forever thankful for all her love – and cooking. The last thing she ever made, just one week before she left us, was 9 jars of her special rhubarb jam. We now treasure them more than ever before!
Five things you may not know about Rhubarb
The roots were used in ancient Chinese medicine to aid in digestion.
The leaves are pretty but poisonous.
Rhubarb is really a vegetable, not a fruit.
Rhubarb is a cold-weather plant, and it will grow back every year for a decade or so, when treated properly.
In the early 20th century, Henry Clark of Skagway, Alaska, was known as the Rhubarb King. His crop provided vitamins, fibre, and flavour to gold rush hopefuls who had few other options for fresh produce.
Curiosity
Iceland has a number of extraordinary traditional delicacies. One of them is sviðasulta - sheep head jam - which is made by chopping up the meat from cooked sheep heads, pressing it into moulds and then cooling it. Sviðasulta is eaten as a bread topping.
ICELAND.mp4Memories of Iceland : A film by Dave Low, Tales of Jam team member (May 2019)
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