Smalahoved

"Lars, what have we got to eat?"

"Gee Sven, there is nothing much here, have a look in the shed out the back."

"Hey Lars, there is only some old sheep heads out here and they are a bit moldy and besides, they are covered with all this old wool. What are we going to do?"

"I know Sven, let's toss them in the fire and burn off the mold and wool."

"Hmm Lars, there is still some wool and mold left."

"Well, toss them in the fire again."

"Nope, still got some mold and wool left on them."

Sven, do I have to do all the thinking, toss them on the fire again and keep doing it until all the wool and the mold is gone."

"OK. Lars, I've got it now. The heads are clean. They don't taste too good the way they are though. A little smoky. What are we going to do now."

"Well Sven, let's put them in the smoking shed for a few days where we smoke the salmon".

A couple of days later Sven reports that the heads taste better but they are not too good cold.

Lars says, "OK Sven, stick them in the pot and we'll boil them up, that should warm them through."

The heads are then boiled. Now Sven tries them and says, "hey, they do taste better but one head is too much for me to eat. Have you any ideas Lars?"

Lars says, "OK Sven, just cut the head in half and eat one half then."

And that is how Smalahoved was born. Taken from here.

Comments

[\_escarpment]

If someone shoved a plate of that in front of me I'd throw up all over it - to make it more appetizing.

[bartelby]

Whenn I was kid my dad brought home capuzella, Sicilian for sheep's head. I thought it was sort of cool, but I don't recall eating any. I can't count it as a close shave with the laughing death since my dad, who did eat it, seems to have emerged from the experience unscathed. Generally the brains of mammals should be avoided.

[Dale Hazelton]

Oh my God, how DISGUSTING!!!!!! Mashed rutabagas???????

[jeroen]

If you think smalahoved is weird, go to Iceland and try 'Þorramatur', traditional Viking food. Icelanders appreciate their smalahoved as well (though they call it svið), and hangikjöt ('hung meat', smoked lamb) is actually quite good. For the rest, nothing is too weird, really. Hákarl (putrefied shark) is a classic to have with your brennivín - though you mostly drink the latter to soak away the ammonia taste of the former. Goody goody.

http://www.grapevine.is/?show=paper&part=fullstory&id=1059

[John from Oslo]

Ah, the Icelandic cuisine is an aquired taste. And the BRENNIVIN - that is the king of booze. Too bad Brennivin is no longer available in Norway. The lay out of the label is the most down to earth I've ever seen on a bottle; http://www.johnnyjet.com/images/PicForNewsletterIcelandMay2005SuperJeepTourBLACKDEATH.JPG

However, I remember my first smalahoved. It was on the western coast of Norway. I nibbled around, and ate quite a bit of the feshy parts, the eye I did not touch. While eating, I also managed to drink about half a bottle of vodka, of which I felt no effect at all! The sheep-fat must have made a layer inside my intestines... The day after I woke up with my worst hang-over ever. So remember to have some hot coffee in between the heads and the booze. (oh, and we stay clear of the sheep's brain...)

[bartelby]

Needless to say, but had I eaten the sheep's head and contracted BSE as a result, I would have been "mad about ewe."

[Thomo the Lost]

I thought I should let you know that the URI for the piece on Norwegian Cuisine including the Smalahoved piece has changed to:

http://thomo.coldie.net/?page_id=126

Mind you, apart from the description of Smalahoved, on that page are also descriptions of Lutefisk (soak your dried fish in caustic soda), Rottfisk (let it get really rotten before eating it), Brodkaker (bread given the mouldy old treatment) and so on.

Most importantly, the whole article decribes why one needs to be cautious of the words "Special" and "Aquavit" on Norwegian Restaurant menus.

Cheers, Thomo the Lost