to be found in proximity to the cottages

Did you know that you can go out to pick blueberries, krækiberries (crowberries) and mushrooms during your stay in our cottages?

The blueberries are healthy food. According to late investigations an active ingredient, antocyanoacid, is found in blueberries (at least in Iceland). The active ingredient is good for the eyes, especially for night seeing and for eyes under strain. The berries are picked in late summer or in the early autumn. Some years there is a lot of berries, but other years the berries are sparse and difficult to find. There are three types of blueberries found in the northern part of Iceland. All of hese are to be found in the wilderness close to the cottages at Kaldbakur. Krækiber (Empetraceae) are black and smaller than blueberries. Krækiber are easier to find, most of the times. An icelandic wine is made from these berries. The wine "factory " (small family business) is indeed situated in Husavik! The name of the wine is "Kvöldsól " or "Evening sun". Some other kinds of wild berries are found, but it is not common to use it for food. In gardens there are red currant and blackberries. Our short summers make them very tasty if they manage to finish blooming. Wild strawberries are not common to find in Iceland but it is possible to find. Look where there are birch trees growing in warm spots facing south. All the berries in Iceland are considered healthy and were used as medicine in the old age. Here you can find some useful information about the Icelandic flora and also here One writer wrote: "The days are shorter, and the air feels like fall. Our neighbor just down the hill has begun saddling up the horses, riding tall in the saddle, anticipating the trips to collect the sheep in the highlands. It is also time to collect the berries. Yesterday we spent a few hours in the cool air collecting "krækiber," or crowberry, andwild blueberries - enough to have for breakfast and to bake coffee cakes. Sadly, it only took a moment for us to finish the one perfect strawberry harvested from the plants I put in the garden this spring"

 Just a little about mushrooms

In Iceland there are around 1900 known species of mushrooms.   they are divided into many subgroups and only few of them are used as food. Be careful and ask before you eat picked mushrooms. Mushrooms should be picked in dry weather shortly after rainfall. Some of the most common mushroom species grow near certain types of trees, after which they are named, such as the Larch Bolete (Lat. Suillus grevillei), easily recognizable due to its yellowish color. It’s best to pick the Larch Bolete while it is small, firm and button-like. Then the pores don’t have to be removed. The Birch Bolete (Lat. Leccinum scabrum) grows near birch trees, as the name indicates. It has a light-brown hat and a white stem. Another common mushroom species that grows in Iceland is the Slippery Jack (Lat. Suillus luteus), which can be found near pine trees and looks very similar to the Birch Bolete. It is slimier, though, as the name indicates. It is recommended that the slime coating is removed before eating. There are also some toxic mushroom species in Iceland, for example Psilocybin Mushrooms, or Magic Mushrooms, and the more easily recognizable Fly Amanita (Lat. Amanita muscaria), which the Vikings called berserkur and ate for its hallucinogenic effects. So, if you’re uncertain about a mushroom you’ve picked, it’s best to leave it alone. If you’re new to mushroom picking, it’s a good idea to rent a book on Icelandic mushrooms in the library and carry it with you. While picking mushrooms, grab the lower end of the stem and twist it lightly so that the stem doesn’t break off. Cut the mushroom in two to see whether snails, worms or insects have gotten to it before you did. If the meat looks clean, brush the dirt off and place the mushroom in a basket. Plastic containers are not suitable for mushroom picking as the mushrooms require air to dry. However, you should carry a plastic container with you to combine a mushroom picking tour with a berry picking tour should the opportunity arise. Blueberries and crowberries grow all around the capital region. Not in too large or dense forests, though. Back at home, the mushrooms should be cleaned and prepared the same day that they’re picked. The pores are generally removed from the Birch Bolete and the Slippery Jack, and if the pores are large and moist, also from the Larch Bolete. If the cover of the cap is very slimy, it should be removed too. Only brush or scrape the dirt off the cap and stem—mushrooms should not be washed in water.