Skyr með hunangi ok berjum — skyr with honey and berries
A thick, tangy dairy product, close to a very firm fresh cheese, sweetened with honey and crowned with wild berries. Light, bright, and nourishing—the comfort of evening and the fortifier of long northern nights.
A thick, tangy dairy product, close to a very firm fresh cheese, sweetened with honey and crowned with wild berries. Light, bright, and nourishing—the comfort of evening and the fortifier of long northern nights.
When the day fades, take this skyr: it is firm as packed snow and tangy as the clear fjord air. I draw it from curdled milk, I let it drain in cloth until it holds on the spoon, then I mix in a thread of my honey and a handful of blue berries. Eat it in the evening, traveler: it soothes without weighing down, and restores to the weary body what the night will take from it.
- •Drained curdled milk (skyr) — a bowlful (fermented dairy base)
- •Wild honey — a drizzle (sweetness, signature)
- •Blueberries, lingonberries, arctic brambles — a handful (tangy topping)
Skyr með hunangi ok berjum — skyr with honey and berries
A thick, tangy dairy product, close to a very firm fresh cheese, sweetened with honey and crowned with wild berries. Light, bright, and nourishing—the comfort of evening and the fortifier of long northern nights.
Why this dish? Milk is among the foods attributed to Idunn, goddess of renewal and vitality. Skyr, the fermented dairy of medieval Iceland—the very land where the Eddas that tell of Idunn were written down—is a food of strength and longevity: exactly what a keeper of youth would offer to restore a tired body.
When the day fades, take this skyr: it is firm as packed snow and tangy as the clear fjord air. I draw it from curdled milk, I let it drain in cloth until it holds on the spoon, then I mix in a thread of my honey and a handful of blue berries. Eat it in the evening, traveler: it soothes without weighing down, and restores to the weary body what the night will take from it.
Ingredients (period version)
- Drained curdled milk (skyr) — a bowlful (fermented dairy base)
- Wild honey — a drizzle (sweetness, signature)
- Blueberries, lingonberries, arctic brambles — a handful (tangy topping)
Ingredients
- Plain skyr (or very thick Greek yogurt) — 400 g (fermented dairy base)
- Multifloral honey — 2 tbsp (sweetness, signature)
- Fresh blueberries — 100 g (topping)
- Lingonberries or redcurrants — 50 g (tangy note)
- Crushed hazelnuts (optional) — 1 tbsp (crunch)
Method
- If using store-bought skyr, whisk it briefly to soften; otherwise, drain Greek yogurt in a cloth for 2–3 hours in the fridge to thicken.
- Divide the skyr among bowls or cups.
- Drizzle each portion with honey.
- Top with fresh blueberries and lingonberries.
- Sprinkle with crushed hazelnuts if desired and serve chilled.
How it was made : Skyr is attested from medieval Iceland: the sagas (Egils saga, Grettis saga) mention it as a common food. Skimmed milk was curdled with rennet and a little skyr from the previous batch, then drained to obtain a tangy, protein-rich paste, kept cool in the larder. Sweetened with honey and garnished with summer berries, it made a light meal or a fortifying snack.
The contemporary twist : Served as a 'youth pot': layers of pearly skyr, a mirror of honey, and berries arranged in a crown, like the golden apples around their guardian.
Sources : Egils saga Skallagrímssonar (mentions of skyr) · Daniel Serra & Hanna Tunberg, An Early Meal: A Viking Age Cookbook, 2013
Idunn · Charactorium