The food in Iceland was, needless to say, incredible. However, there were a few surprises! I have heard many stories of people with celiac disease traveling to various European countries, eating gluten, and being completely fine. At first, I was not ready to test this anecdotal evidence, so I began the trip looking for gluten free options wherever we ate. In many cases, this meant simply foregoing the bread on a sandwich. This wasn’t too bad, as the insides were delicious enough on their own, especially on this lamb steak sandwich!
The first five days of the trip, I continued to play it safe and steer clear of glutenous items. I even dedicated a Bonus trip to finding several gluten free treats to last me the rest of the trip! A very exciting taste test video of those can be seen below.
However, as the trip went on, I began feeling more adventurous. Each day I would find myself taking just a nibble of someone else’s gluten-laden food, and I continued to have no reaction from the small bites. It was on the fifth evening that I risked it all. We were at dinner, and Abby had ordered a cheese pizza that she couldn’t finish, so she offered it to Sarah, Chenin and I. It smelled so scrumptious that I couldn’t resist it any longer. I started off with a small bite but knew I must finish the slice…it was so good!
The next morning I was preparing myself for the worst, but when I felt completely normal, I was shocked. I waited a full 24 hours to be safe and…nothing! I COULD EAT GLUTEN HERE!!! I was ecstatic. This was the best possible outcome of risking the safety of my small intestine.
The following day, I indulged in the traditional Icelandic lamb soup, with some of the best (glutenous) bread I had ever had the immense pleasure of tasting. I felt on top of the world. Heavenly soup and bread are pictured below.
My indulgence in this special European gluten continued with the most delicious macaron. Dubbed a “Lava Macaron,” this was a dark chocolate and Espelette pepper macaron. Truthfully, I don’t know if this had gluten in it or not, as it is common for macarons to be made with almond flour. All I know is…well, I believe the way my eyes lit up when I took a bite speaks for itself.
Throughout the rest of the trip, I went back and forth between staying safe with a gluten free option and full-sending the risk of chowing down on the luxurious gluten-filled foods. In fact, as a farewell to the lovely country of Iceland and its lovely, magical gluten, I treated myself to five pastries the morning we departed.
But wait, there’s more! Now, this story isn’t just about my gluten journey, I’d also like to focus on one standout drink. This drink I must mention is, of course, Somersby Cider. This. Was. Perfect. Never had I tasted a cider like it, and I’m sure I will never find one like it back in the states. I loved it so much, in fact, that I would advertise it for free, to anyone who will listen to me. So, now that I have your attention, please bless your ears with this lovely Somersby ad.
Overall, I have never had better food than when I was in Iceland, and I think about it every single day. Was it pricey? Yes. Was it so worth it? Hell yes. Would I move to Iceland just for the food? Abso-freakin-lutely.
**Honorable mentions: Koko Mjolk, European Dr. Pepper, Arctic Char, various volcano/lava themed teas, and every single dessert.
**DIS-honorable mentions: any and all black licorice flavored items.
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