Árbær Open Air Museum

The Árbær Open Air Museum is Reykjavik's version of a little Greenfield Village. Each building on the grounds, save one, was moved here in order to save it.

There newer houses,

as well as much older sod houses.

 

After all those summers cooking in the Biddle House, that hearth doesn't look like much fun. The interpreter explained to us that in the early days they often stored food in whey - the liquid left over after making butter. (The butter grew mold on the outside that preserved it.) Then, foods could be submerged in the liquid whey where they would get gross, but not unsafe to eat. This method of preservation led to the development of a type of Icelandic food called surmatur, or "sour food." It isn't really eaten anymore - except during a few festivals.

If it tasted anything like it smelled it was the kind of thing you ate because you were desperately hungry. The interpreter had a sample of whey that she passed around for all of us to smell. Just imagine the month-old milk you forgot was in the back of the fridge. You know the odor that comes off as you pour the chunks down into the garbage disposal? Make that smell about 10 times worse and you'd be getting close.

Back in those days, each Icelander owned one of these - an askur. It served as a bowl and plate as well as a place to save uneaten food. Since farm workders were often paid in food, men's askurs were significantly larger.

We enjoyed wandering around the grounds, but really enjoyed the English tour. We've been impressed that every site we've visited in Iceland has been English friendly.

Of course, the kids and I were thrilled to find the museum's  free-ranging chickens.

After exploring the grounds we stopped at the cafe for snack of traditional Icelandic foods:

one bowl of  traditional Icelandic meat soup,

a plate of smoked lamb,

and a slice of marriage cake, also known as wedded bliss. It is said that it is the secret to a happy marriage in Iceland is being able to make this cake for your husband.