Eyrar brauð

Although I have been living here in Iceland more than three years, I have not developed a lot of brand loyalties. I can never remember which skyr brand I prefer, which hotdog is better, which type of Icelandic icecream I prefer.

So I consider it a real accomplishment that I have actually, finally found one Icelandic grocery store item that I clearly prefer and now always buy without a moment's hesitation. 

Eyrar brauð. 

It is a barley/wheat blend, and the barley all comes from Iceland, from a farm called Þorvaldseyri which is not that far from Eyjafjall on the south coast of Iceland.

Barley was grown in Iceland in the settlement period at least in some valleys. Used both in brewing beer and making bread, barley was important in the Viking Age, and the first generations of Icelanders made sure to plant some here. But then in the medieval and early modern period, bad climate and imported flour made barley cultivation untenable. 

I am more than happy to be using my spending power at the grocery store to support this, literally, home grown enterprise. 

The bread has an unusual texture, not as fluffy as wheat bread (even whole wheat) but it has a rich, almost honey-like flavor to it that I like a lot, plus it toasts up crispy, and soaks in lots of butter.  

I may just try to smuggle some to the US with me. Seems like Eyrar brauð could pass for jólabrauð if one uses one's imagination.