On any given Sunday afternoon you might find an Icelandic household making waffles or pancakes with family or friends to relax and celebrate the weekend. Last week, Herdis and Rosy, fellow Solheimar residents, came over to share this tradition with us as we settled into our new home in Brekkukot at Solheimar. I had just learned to knit less than a week before, and we planned a leisurely afternoon of knitting, trying the delectable Icelandic waffles and pancakes, and spending time to get to know each other. Herdis brought the special pan that would be ruined if it were used for anything but making these pancakes. The pancakes looked very similar to the crepes my family makes, but the special pan does make a difference, and Herdis, apron on, showed us her special technique. As she flipped the paper-thin pancakes, she told us the significance that connected her to these foods. She made sure to preserve the methods she learned from her mother, replicating just what her mother’s mother had done. If she pours them into the pan wrong or flips them wrong or makes them too thick, then her children and the younger generations will learn the wrong way and the old way of making them will be lost in a matter of decades. It was up to her to keep Icelandic pancakes connected to their original heritage. The way she spoke about holding on to this tradition, no matter how small, resonated with me.
The kind of care that goes into keeping a tradition alive depends on dedicated individuals being accountable for upholding and appreciating these traditions. This may sound like I’m giving a lot of weight to a special flick of the wrist or a tasty treat, but the involvement that culture depends on exists at all levels. Michael Pollan writes, “The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.” Besides being perfectly crisped and fluffy, accentuated by a smear of rhubarb jam and a dollop of homemade whipped cream, these pancakes introduced us to the community of Solheimar, the culture of Iceland, and a rich history that will shape our experience over the next three months. In appreciating the mingling of good flavors and good conversation, this shared meal connected us to a culture and community we are just getting to know.
By Caroline Bruno