Eating hákarl in Reykjavic. NB I ate this, so you never have to.

“Hákarl is traditionally prepared by gutting and beheading a Greenland or basking shark and placing it in a shallow hole dug in gravelly-sand, with the now-cleaned cavity resting on a slight hill. The shark is then covered with sand and gravel, and stones are then placed on top of the sand in order to press the shark. The fluids from the shark are in this way pressed out of the body. The shark ferments for 6–12 weeks depending on the season in this fashion.”  (Thanks to Wikipedia).

I joined some illustrious company in my consumption of this.

Gordon Ramsay did, and then promptly threw up.

Meemalee also ate it last year and wrote hilariously about it here.

{ 5 Comments }
  1. I am surprised you didn't fall into the water. You should try the Swedish equivalent called surströmming, its fermented herring and by some accounts the worlds most disguisting food.

    Such foods are generally eaten together with items like boiled potatoes, sour cream, crisp bread etc. On its own its probably less appetising.

  2. You're a brave woman! Thanks for taking one for the team!!!!!

  3. LOL loved your descriptions of it. I can't say that I'm in a hurry to try it. I remember reading that Gordon Ramsay threw up after eating it and your face is priceless as you're clearly trying to swallow and finish it.

  4. Your facial expressions are fantastic in this video!! And yet you were still so diplomatic "it's not great…" Thank you for taking a bullet for us all 🙂

  5. Ben Goodwin on 29 March 2011

    Check out this video of me trying hákarl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PipbJPMiyGE 🙂

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