Food Of Iceland: Skonsur

The word “skonsa” (the singular form of skonsur) may remind you of the English word “scone”, but that’s where the similarities end. They’re more like American pancakes. In fact, a side by side comparison of skonsa and pancake recipes indicates that there is fundamentally no difference between the two. In practice,, however, the foods have some major differences.

While American pancakes are served hot off the griddle, slathered in butter and drowned in maple syrup (some even put peanut butter and jelly on them), skonsur are served cold with butter and cheese. When made from scratch, they are prepared as an afterthought and attempt to get rid of expiring ingredients. Most often, though, they are bought pre-packaged in stores, usually stocked next to packs of flatkaka. Besides butter and cheese, non-traditionalists may also eat them with honey, peanut butter and jelly, or even butter and syrup, although at that point they’re really just pancakes.

Whatever you put on them, these tasty pastries will keep even the most intrepid hiker going for hours. Although we have nothing to base this on, we think that J.R.R. Tolkien used skonsur as the inspiration for Lembas Bread, which makes sense. They’re filling, full of energy and nutrients, and keep sweet for days if unbroken and left in their wrappings as you bought them.

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