Sun stones and cream buns

So, in the U.S. tonight, on the Travel Channel, was the "Expedition Unknown" episode about the sunstone, that piece of Icelandic feldspar that has refractive light properties which was supposedly used by the Vikings to navigate on a cloudy day. Like all shows on the travel channel, it is all about watching the host travel all over the world, eat weird foods, get in dangerous and unusual situations, but in this case, there is also a mixture of the "history's mysteries" format, where the host also tries to unravel some question about the past. It was OK.

I'm on my own research expedition at the moment, trying to understand if all the Scandinavian countries do bollurdagur on the same day or not. I wish I could travel to all of them on Tuesday, and find out, but alas, my work will not allow it. Plus I have to give a talk about it tomorrow, so it would be too late anyhow.

The bakery at Pacific Lutheran University is baking buns and filling them with whipped cream, and we will be handing them out after morning chapel tomorrow. I have to say a few words explaining why. Wish me luck!

Comments

Islandsbloggen said…
Yes, we all do it. The traditions are somewhat different though. In Finland the buns are usually filled with jam, in Norway and Denmark there's jam or custard, and in Sweden almond paste and cream. I'm sure you're familiar with the Icelandic ones. The Icelandic bun is pretty different. Here's an interesting piece on the difference between Swedish and Icelandic "bollur": http://kvennabladid.is/2015/02/13/saenskar-rjomabollur-semlur/
February 17, 2015 at 8:05 AM
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