The annual sales of Þorramatur, the food traditionally eaten at the mid-winter feast of Þorrablót held during the old Icelandic month of Þorri (in late January and early February), have begun.

Þorramatur includes such delicacies as slátur, or blóðmör and lifrapylsa, (blood pudding and liver sausage), hákarl (fermented shark), hangikjöt (smoked and boiled lamb) harðfiskur (dried fish), hrútspungar (boiled and pickled ram testicles), selshreifar (cured seals flippers), svið (singed and boiled sheep heads), and sviðasulta (sheep headcheese).

According to restaurateur Ole Olesen at South Iceland catering company Veisluþjónusta Suðurlands, sales of soured meats has been slow this year. “More people are buying fresh meat instead of soured meat. Fresh lamb steaks are really popular—sales have really increased in volume, but slátur, briskets and lundabaggar [pickled rolls of lamb flanks] have hardly sold.”

Olesen told Morgunblaðið that there is a lot of competition between stores and that customers are willing to wait longer to pick up their food even if the price is only slightly lower.

The month of Þorri begins on January 25 this year, Bóndadagur (Husband’s Day), and ends on the day before Konudagur (Wife’s Day), this year on February 24.

Click here to read a Daily Life column about Þorramatur.

ZR