Atlantica No. 4, 2010, July-August - Iceland Review

On the FlyA Feast Fit for KingsPhoto By Páll StefánssonAlda Kravec sneaks a peek into the old residence on the islandof Videy as it prepares for a summer of regal dining.The island of Videy is a natural haven within the city limits.There you will find sculptures by Richard Serra and YokoOno’s Peace Column, a memorial for John Lennon.Once upon a time, a Danish adventurer by the name of Jorgen Jorgensensailed to Iceland on an English merchant ship. But when the Governor ofIceland refused the ship access to the local market, Jorgensen gathered up someof the crew, arrested the Governor, declared the Icelandic nation free of Danishrule and appointed himself as interim Protector until the country was ready toreinstate the Althingi and establish democracy. A revolutionary proclamation wasdrawn up, a new national flag commissioned, and, of course, a great feast was heldin honor of the new leader.The feast was held on Videy, an island in the bay on the north side of Reykjavík.Nothing was spared in the selection of this sumptuous banquet, which included asago pudding cooked in red wine with raisins, roasted lamb served alongside sourweed mash, salmon in brown butter, Arctic Tern eggs with cream, waffles “measuringthe length of an octavo manuscript,” various breads, plenty of wine, rumpunch and coffee to finish. Such was the opulence afforded by this evening’s finefare that the host’s chair is said to have given way beneath the freshly devouredextra weight.Although Jorgensen’s rule turned out to be as fleeting as the feast whichwelcomed it, the legend lives on, and today, 200 years later, the old residenceon Videy has re-opened its culinary doors to the general public. Fridgeir IngiEiríksson, head chef at Hotel Holt’s fine dining Gallery Restaurant (est. 1965) in10 atlanticaFridgeir Ingi Eiríksson, head chef at Hótel Holt, and his staffcook lava dinner at Fimmvörduháls with thevolcano blowing behind them.Photo By Kristján Logason