What the SHIT

On my 2nd day in Iceland and first day of my internship at Dill I was learning some recipes and techniques in the prep kitchen when I get handed some smokes trout to d-bone and cut up. Me being the snack attack of a human being that I am, I chop off a small bit and taste it. It was a strange flavor I just couldn't put my finer on. It was defiantly smoked and it was defiantly fish but, there was something else.

Dances with dung

What is this smokes with I ask myself, this is not a wood flavor i recognize, so I ask. Sous chef Muni walks in and I ask him, "what type of wood is this smoked with?" and as the answer rolls off his tongue he says it like its the most normal thing in the world....

Iceland, No trees 

"Its not wood, it is smoked with sheep shit." I was sure I had heard wrong, sheep shit!!!WHAT! But yes, As he explained that the literal bi-product of feeding sheep for food what poop and it was free, unlike wood which on this volcanic rock of an island, is few and far between. Smoking is a method of preservation and before refrigeration nordic countries had many methods for food storage, hang drying, smoking, curing and fermentation like Hákarl ... but that's is for a later post.
to read more about Dill's uses of dung-smoked fish  click Here