Kæst skata

Kæst skata is fermented skate. The pieces of fish are kept in a container for about three weeks, depending on the temperature, and the fermentation produces ammonia, which preserves the meat and gives the dish a strong, distinctive smell. After that, the skate is cooked.

According to Westfjords tourism, the dish originated there, and it was from that region that the custom of eating it on December 23 spread to the rest of the country. That day is Þorláksmessa, the feast of Saint Þorlákur, a 12th-century bishop and patron saint of Iceland. In the Catholic tradition of fasting before Christmas, meat was avoided on that date and fish was eaten instead.

The skate is served with potato, rutabaga, melted lamb tallow and sweetened rye bread. Many people eat it at home; others go to restaurants that prepare the dish on that date, and it is common to gather friends and relatives for a “skate party,” where people comment on how strong the fish is.

The smell is part of the tradition: it permeates the house, clothes and hair, and some prefer to eat the skata outside the home for that reason. Some consider the meal indispensable on the 23rd; others avoid the dish.