Friday, May 25, 2012

Sushi Night!

          As you would likely guess, ever since I arrived in Iceland my experience has been a learning one. I've learned about Iceland's history, witnessed many famous landmarks, attempted the country's language, and experienced many new things as I adjusted to the Icelandic way of life. Lucky for me, that includes trying the country's cuisine.  About a month ago - yes, I know this is long overdue - I not only indulged in some of the finest seafood in the world, but I learned how to prepare it, too! Okay, perhaps assemble is a better word considering all the ingredients are raw. Either way, I got my first lesson on making sushi!

         Growing up in a house where fish wasn't frequently served, I didn't know I liked sushi until I was about 18, when I tried my first California roll.  It took some time and gumption to overcome my raw fish hesitancies before I finally ventured into some real specialty combinations. But since then, sushi has become one of my favorite dishes. Thanks to Torfi and Svava, now it's one that I can make at home! Would it be too corny to pull out the "If you teach a man to fish" story? Perhaps too corny, but appropriate. 


 
The seaweed sheets
       Thrilled with my new skill, I immediately knew I'd have to share what I learned. With the camera charged, my learning senses alert, and my excitement soaring, I watched Svava set up the ingredients and prepare for roll assembly. The picture below shows the ingredients: lots of boiled rice, sliced orange peppers, green onion stalks, thinly sliced avocados and mango, and long strips of cucumber; thin strips of fresh salmon, stalks of imitation crab meat, lobster tails, and thin strips of raw tuna. The plastic container in the front holds vinegar water – a mixture of rice vinegar (sold at the supermarket) and water.


The wide array of possibilities!

Svava spreading rice one the seaweed


         First, Svava placed a sheet of seaweed paper - shiny side down - on the placemat-looking wooden rolling tool. After dipping her fingers in the vinegar water to keep the rice from sticking, she spread a thin layer of rice evenly across the seaweed, leaving an inch-wide strip at the top bare. I'd estimate the layer of rice to be about half an inch thick.

Svava adding ingredients


         Next, Svava placed her chosen ingredients in a thin strip in the middle of the rice. The beauty of homemade sushi is the ability to create your own combination of ingredients. And we certainly did that! We made all kinds of varieties by complimenting flavors and forming colorful designs. No two rolls were alike!




My soon-to-be first sushi roll!

Svava pausing mid-roll for the blog pic!
         Once the ingredients have been chosen and properly laid, it's ready to roll! This I found to be the trickiest part, but after a few tries, rolling became fairly easy. Placing the strip of seaweed without rice away from you, start rolling from the other side. Use your fingers to hold the ingredients in place while your thumbs hold the wooden mat and roll the seaweed towards the middle, tightly engulfing the ingredients. As the seaweed is rolled, you'll have to grab further down on the mat - keeping the roll tight, while letting the excess (or part of the mat that was closest to you) fall over the roll, away from you. Underneath the mat, you should find your very own sushi roll!

        Before long, with Nicole, Melanie, and I eagerly improving our skills, and Torfi and Svava whipping out professional rolls, we had ourselves a pile piles of sushi!  To add to our selection, Torfi created a special kind, displaying the lobster tails in unique fashion while Svava formed an inside out roll, where the rice is on the outside of the seaweed. Maybe I'll try making one of those in a future sushi night. 



         Lastly, Torfi used a sharp knife to cut the rolls into bites. He wiped the knife with a cloth, damp with vinegar water, to keep the rice from sticking. 

Svava finishing her inside out roll & Torfi cutting 'em up! 
         The sushi rolls themselves were enough to impress me, but the complete table set up, utensils, and atmosphere exceeded my expectations! Sushi night at Torfi and Svava's ranked better than any sushi restaurant experience I've ever had! Perhaps my assembly lesson and fantastic company influenced my ranking, but look at the picture below.  Don't you agree sushi night at Torfi and Svava's could give a few restaurants a run for their money?! I certainly think so.

Do you see Nicole and Melanie? It wasn't just me admiring the presentation!

          Now that the table was elegantly decorated with homemade sushi, traditional sides, restaurant-style dinner ware, and lovely lit candles, it was time to eat! Roll after roll, boy, did we enjoy!

Patiently posing for a family photo before digging in!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Wonderful Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss


      After a rainy and very cold (and victorious) game on Saturday, Sunday brought the first taste of summer. Torfi and Svava recognized the good weather so off sight seeing we went! The four member family I moved in with has nearly doubled in the past month. Nicole, my teammate at USF, arrived in Iceland over three weeks ago and will be playing for Selfoss this summer, too. Melanie, a Texas native, made her way to Selfoss about a week ago and is the third and final American playing for Selfoss this season. Svava and Torfi housed all three of us for a couple of nights.  I'm not sure how, but they seem still sane and full of smiles! 

      Torfi, Svava, Emilía, Ásdís, Emilia's friend, and the three Americans piled in the cars and hit the road to see the sights of Iceland!  We traveled down the southern coast of Iceland, heading for a famous waterfall called Seljalandsfoss. Our first glimpse of the masterpiece was a small white band, striping the end of the mountains in the far distance. As we approached the falls, its enormity and picturesque qualities were undeniably visible. The ability for viewers to walk behind the falls makes Seljalandsfoss unique. We got a full 360 degree view of the cascading water! Although I have to admit, the path behind the falls wasn't as sunny and peaceful as admiring the waterfall from the front. The constant crashing of water and wind gusting both air and water towards us made for a bit of a wild walk, or maybe even hike. Nonetheless, being so close and witnessing the spectacle from all angles made for a memorable experience. You may even recognize it as a site in the first leg of The Amazing Race 6. If not, 
I think we can all agree it's beyond amazing.

Melanie, Nicole Emilia, Inga, and I behind Seljalandsfoss!
The sights and sounds behind the waterfall

         Our next stop left us in admiration at another Icelandic beauty, known as Skógafoss. This waterfall is positioned on the southern coast of Iceland and used to mark the former sea line. Many years has moved the coastline about three miles from the famous fall. Skógafoss and its neighboring cliffs, run parallel to the North Atlantic Ocean shore line and distinguish the coastal lowlands from the Highlands of Iceland. The remarkable sight stands about 200 feet tall and 82 feet wide. With those statistics, it's no surprise that Skógafoss rivals the massive Gullfoss of the Golden Circle (My visit to Gullfoss is described in the post titled The Golden Circle Part II). 


        The massive stature undoubtedly reveals Skógafoss' powerful qualities, but the delicate design displayed in front of the fall is really what grabs my attention. As we approach the falls, two beautiful rainbows stretch across the width of the waterfall in perfect synchronization. The scene was stunning. The spectrum of colors in the form of a bow reminded me of words from Genesis 9. In reference to a rainbow, verse 9 reads: "God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” With these promising words running through my mind, I look at this breathtaking sight with feelings of awe, thankfulness, forgiveness, and undoubted assurance of the Lord's promise for all mankind. Whew! What a feeling!


Emilia and I in front of Skógafoss' rainbows

         The information panel told about a giant Viking by the name of Þrasi Þórólfsson who settled in Skógar and who supposedly hid a chest of gold behind the waterfall. The legend goes on to say that the chest was discovered, but only the handle was in reach and taken before the chest disappeared again. The handle was given to a church, and now, it's the pride of a local museum, validating the chest of gold that's hidden in the waterfall's caves, beyond man's grasp.


        Skógafoss is one of many waterfalls along a popular hiking trail that goes throughout the highlands. We took the steep path up the mountain to see Skógafoss at it's peak. It was quite a climb, but the view was definitely worth it!


The view from the top of Skógafoss

The Top of the Watefall


         Although we had already visited the tourist attractions for the day, I can't help but share the memorable sights from the ride back to Selfoss, too. I viewed the peaceful scene of the sunkissed Atlantic Ocean to my left, and the mountainous landscape with pearly white glaciers  touching the fluffy clouds to my right. The divine panorama reminded me again of the Artist behind it all.




         I recently listened to a sermon about rainbows given by one of my favorite pastors, Dr. Bob Bushong. His sermon titled, The Promise of a Rainbow, offers great insight on the passage I referenced earlier. I enjoyed the sermon, and with the sights of Skógafoss, I felt it appropriate to attach the link below. I hope you enjoy it, too!