North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland
SynopsisPlot
Iceland is known for being one of the most beautiful and untouched places on earth, and a burgeoning destination for travelers lured by its striking landscapes and vibrant culture. Iceland is also home to an utterly unique and captivating food scene, characterized by its distinctive indigenous ingredients, traditional farmers and artisanal producers, and wildly creative chefs and restaurants.
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About this book
North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland presents the cooking of Gunnar Karl Gíslason, the chef behind Reykjavík's Restaurant Dill. The book pairs recipes with essays about Iceland's food culture, focusing on the indigenous ingredients and local producers that shape the island's kitchen. Gíslason works alongside food writer Jody Eddy, with a foreword by Rene Redzepi, the Danish chef whose own restaurant helped bring wider attention to Nordic cooking.
Iceland's geography limits what can be grown and raised on the island, and those constraints have shaped a distinct food tradition. The volcanic soil, cold ocean currents, and short growing season produce ingredients that are uncommon elsewhere. The book documents farmers, fishers, and artisanal producers whose work supplies Icelandic restaurants and home kitchens alike, and it connects specific dishes to the landscapes and seasons they come from.
Beyond the recipes, the book functions as a record of a national food scene in a period of rapid change. Iceland's growing popularity as a travel destination brought new interest in its cuisine, and the book captures how chefs adapted traditional ingredients and techniques to a modern restaurant context.
