2016Nordic stamp, The Nordic kitchen - First Day Cover block of 4

The Norden stamps of 2016 are dedicated to Nordic food and what has been termed as the “Nordic kitchen”. In Iceland’s case the focus is on the “Icelandic kitchen”, the stamp featuring Icelandic food ingredients. The history of Icelandic cuisine is rather short and simple. However, an interesting national kitchen has developed – the cuisine being based on excellent ingredients and old traditions. Icelanders have access to fresh and unpolluted ingredients. Little is known about the food and eating habits of Icelanders during the settlement´s first centuries. Settlers brought with them sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, chickens and even ducks. The settlers‘ diet must have been varied. Milk was processed into a variety of products. The exploitation of seabirds and fresh water fish has always been an important part of obtaining food. Icelandic lamb is considered much more like venison than lamb in markets abroad. The main advantages of Icelandic beef is that it is clean and unpolluted. The sea around the country has always been a major source of food. Dried fish was an early and important foodstuff. The essence of the Icelandic kitchen is its focus on natural ingredients, fresh seasonal vegetables, fresh and processed fish.