Oooo! I'd love to peek through that cookbook! I have no idea what traditional Icelandic cuisine covers! Pancake mix...that would be a big hit here!! I have never heard of crowberries, either! I'll have to look that up! I'm sure the jar topper is very pretty. Nice package! Can't wait to see the pix! enjoy!

Great job Netla!!

Looking forward to the pictures too, especially that jar topper.

Regional food is great, and from another country, that's extra special.

Enjoy it, Catherine, and tell us more about crowberries. Another here who has never heard of them.

Here are the pictures of the lovely gifts that Catherine received from Netla.

Wrapped

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Cookbook

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Jam and crocheted lid cover

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Everything

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I'm glad you like it :-)

I was lucky enough to be Netla's swap partner last time and know she packs a great box. I would love to hear more about the jelly.

Enjoy Catherine!

Tracey

Catherine...the Hoito in your own home, how cool is that? Or is it the Scand's secret recipe? Netla, the jam is such a personal thoughtful gift, it really all looks lovely!

janet

Great pictures!

Oh I love the little jars topper, how cute is that. My canning always goes naked!

The cookbook sounds interesting, you'll have to post a few recipes Catherine!

Good job Netla

What neat stuff! The cookbook would be interesting to read and try. The pancake mix sounds like it will make for a great breakfast, and I bet the jelly is awsome - that crocheted top sure is! What a cool package!

Sally

Puffin breasts?? People eat those cute birds?? Maybe they are like squab here.

I love the crocheted jelly cover, and I know I would love the jam, too. I wonder how it would taste on the pancakes.

Very cool to get a package from Iceland.

Pam

Netla, what a pretty way to display your homemade jelly! I've never heard of crowberries - will have to do some research!

I'm not sure I've ever looked through an Icelandic cookbook, either! I'm intrigued. Catherine, it looks like you'll have fun exploring Iceland through your new cookbook! What a nice swap box!

Lori

Puffin breasts?? People eat those cute birds?? Maybe they are like squab here.
I was thinking the exact same tning, Pam! LOL

Icelandic cuisine sounds like a fun read, and I love the jam and crochet cover. What do crowberries taste like?

MMMMM...pancakes! What a great box, Netla!

Linda

That is an interesting box! I love the jar cover, how pretty! Let us know what crowberries taste like!

It would excite me too to get a package all the way from Iceland! I will be interested to hear about the crowberries. I can't even imagine.

That is an exotic and "cool" box!!

Crowberries grow in Canada and the northern USA and in Scandinavia, as well as in Iceland and were harvested and dried by the natives and stored for the winter. Icelanders seem to be the only ones who thought of making jelly from them, probably because there are not many types of berries growing here and we like variety. They are small and time consuming to pick by hand, but we generally use special berry pickers to speed things up.

Very interesting package - how fortunate that the cookbook is in English!

I used to crochet when I was a child, and so I especially appreciate the jam cover. I'm still curious as to what crowberries taste like. Also, what is in the pancake mix?

Lars

What a wonderful package! My father's totem animal is the puffin, but on his last pass thru Iceland he was willing to try puffin breast. I'd love to hear about some of the other recipes in the book.

I think the farther north you go, the more special hardy berries become in the cuisine. I've never heard of crowberries, but I love cloudberries.

And that jam topper is really cute -- nice job netla!

the jar topper is really grand! And the Icelandic Cookbook!! What a treat!!

Your mom picked the berries! Wow! so that's both local AND homemade!! How's the jam on the pancakes??

What a great swap package!!

Elizabeth

I agree...COOL package. The berries are intriguing.

Holy moly, we didn't cover crocheted jar toppers at Canny Camp!

Cathy

I'm interesting in hearing what the jam tastes like, if you can approximate it to anything familiar. Bet the pancakes will be good. And the cookbook looks intriguing. Great gifts!

I don't know aboput puffin breasts but I'd love to know more about Icelandic cooking. And crowberries. Another new thing. What a great exotic package. Lucky girl.

Netla, that is a lovely package. I do love your crochet handiwork...I never ever heard of crowberries. Wonder what they taste like? Nice package ziporion. Enjoy your goodies. I bet that cookbook is a fun read.

Janet, too funny! We loved the Hoito (even when they did allow smoking and had long lineups), but found the Scand one day and made that our weekend breakfast place! I'm making those pancakes for breakfast this weekend, and I plan to put some of the crowberry jelly on them.

The flavour of the crowberry jelly reminds me of black currant jam. I've dug into it a few times and hope I have enough for my pancakes!

As for some of the requests about the recipes, there are some very interesting ones, and regional too. For example, poached lumpfish, herring salad, a boiled red cabbage which looks very interesting using red or black currant juice. Others include Christmas ptarmigan, reindeer steaks with red wine sauce, Bilberry soup (blueberry), what looks like an interesting Christmas dessert Love Balls, and the infamous crepes. Some really interesting items ... I'll post a recipe on the recipe swap thread, but if there are any you're interested in, just let me know and I'll print those too.

A fun swap netla! Thanks again!

Catherine

As Janet says, very exotic! Wow, I can just seeing you go to the market and ask for some ptarmigan. That's very cool you got such a regional package! Love it!

I believe you can substitute ptarmigan with grouse if you want to try the recipe. They are related species.

Grouse - hehe! I don't know why that name makes me laugh, but it always does.

Otherwise, a most excellent swap box! I love that the berries were picked by netla's mother, and the crocheted cover is beautiful.

I'm also curious about the recipes ~ always fascinates me to learn the common dishes of another country, simply because they are exotic and interesting.

Enjoy, Catherine!

Netla, this was the perfect swap box. Just perfectly done.

Catherine, enjoy your goodies.

The crocheted topper is tops!
I'd love to read the cookbook, but don't know that I'd use it much. Reindeer, puffin??? hmmmmmmm

Pancake mix sounds good though! And jam..what could be better?

Very cooool. That is so nice that you were missing those pancakes and the jelly sounds really special.

Great job, Netla.

Catherine, don't forget to post those love balls.

Very nice swap box Nelta! I think the swaps are so cool and fun but sending and receiving from different countries really makes it somthing special. Catherine, I have no doubt you will enjoy all of these gifts that have traveled so far. I'll be looking for a recipe from that cookbook.

David

Now that's a unique and interesting swap box.

I've never heard of crowberries either, and I think the cookbook would just be fun to read, although I'll bet nearly any of those ingredients could be substituted (venison or beef for reindeer, chicken or pheasant for puffin, LOL)

Annie

I'll bet the jam will be great on the pancakes. And the cookbook will be a great read, and a fun challenge to find some of the needed ingredients.

I love it too when packages go from one country to another.

Nice, Netla!

Lee

I've never heard of crowberries, what a treat. The jar topper is beautiful, Netla. And I bet the cookbook is a fun read. Enjoy your international goodies, Catherine.

Maggie, I'll post the love balls on the recipe swap thread.

Catherine

Lovely jar topper!

Love balls, crowberries, puffin, reindeer and ptarmigan! Looks like I've got reaserch to do.

This is a wonderful swap box!

Catherine, did you know they knocked down the Scand and built a brand new, bigger one? About twice the size, really Scandinavian looking (go figure) inside. Same menu, same food. They built in the parking lot next door to the original and then knocked down the old one for the new parking lot.

Janet, wow, I guess it gives a pretty good indication of the popularity of the place.

Catherine

Netla, how wonderful to share some of Iceland with Catherine (and your Mom's hard work with the berries..lol). Enjoy the jelly and pancakes, Catherine. How fun to read and learn about Iceland from the cookbook. I love your jar topper, too.

Netla, what a wonderful package!! It is special that your Mom was involved in the crowberry picking and I can't wait to hear a review of the jelly! (The jar topper is tooo cute!) I love international cookbooks and this selection looks superb. Enjoy your goodies, Catherine!

Catherine, I've been away since before the election & am just getting caught up on the swap. What a wonderful package you received!

My DIL's family is from Iceland & she went back for the summer about ten years ago bringing me back some fun souvenirs. I'm certain you'll enjoy your cookbook!

I've also never known about crowberries...but no doubt the jelly's delicious. And, the jar topper is just the perfect finishing touch.

That pancake mix would have lasted just long enough for me to grab a bowl and heat the griddle around this house... :)

Enjoy Catherine & great package netla

Tricia

Another that has never heard of crowberries, but the crocheted top, that is so special and alot of work. I don't crochet but years ago a neighbor TRIED to teach me. Notice I said TRIED!

What a very nice package and from Iceland!

Enjoy Catherine!