Grandmother’s Sugar Cookies

20 years ago on FITK

In response to popular demand and because I am baking these today here is my sainted grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe:

blend in a mixer:
1/2 cup shortening (125ml)
1/2 cup butter, softened (125ml)
1 cup sugar (250ml)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk (45ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5ml)

sift together:
3 cups flour (750ml)
1 teaspoon soda (5ml)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar (5ml)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5ml)

fold flour mixture into mixer ingredients, then chill
roll into balls on cookie sheet, then flatten with a sugared glass bottom or Teflon spatula (dough will be quite sticky),
bake at 400˚F (hot oven) till lightly brown on bottom edge

please note: if you want to wreck these with frosting, sprinkles, etc., go ahead, but you will miss the point of the sublime, almost zen-like, minimalism of these treats. They are not very sweet.

I have a feeling that she just got this recipe from a magazine somewhere, although I've never tasted anyone else’s quite like these. Perhaps the recipe came over from the old country (Sweden) with her mother?

UPDATE: This twenty-year-old post is definitely not AI!

Reykjavík Brutalism

Ráðhús Reykjavíkur:

Reykjavík Edition:

Harpa:

Ráðhús Reykjavíkur:

Agatha’s Ghosts

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer

A mystery
By Ragnar Jónasson
Translated by Victoria Cribb
Minotaur Books, 2025

Another year, another mystery from Ragnar. I’ve read several, they are all pretty digestible. You won’t find much poetry in them, but you will usually be rewarded with tightly plotted novels in the Agatha Christie vein. Ragnar is a popular author and he knows how to deliver to his audience. He also knows his classic mystery writers and even has a little meta fun with his own career in the book.

Set in November, 2012, Elín Jónsdóttir, a successful Icelandic crime fiction (author who had retired in the 1990s), has been missing for several days but there is no sign of foul play. Helgi Reykdal, a young detective on leave to pursue graduate work in Akureyrí, is called back to Reykjavík by his boss to conduct an informal investigation as the case as it doesn’t yet require a full police inquiry.

Parallel timelines in 1965, 1976, and 2005 are developed, slowly revealing that the missing author led a more more complex life that it seemed. Helgi’s vengeful ex, Bergthóra, also shows up, further muddling the waters.

There is a fair amount of local color; if you are familiar with central Reykjavík it will add some realistic depth to the book. It's one of the better titles by Ragnar, I enjoyed it for what it was. Victoria Cribb’s translation is, as usual, flawless.

Recommended.

Death on the Island

A novel
By Eliza Reid
Poisoned Pen Press, 2025

Yet another Icelandic mystery author! Eliza Reid is no stranger to FITK, in fact I have met with her IRL as well as a Zoom during the Iceland Writers Retreat in 2021.

This is yet another murder mystery in an Agatha Christie vein, even down to the central event taking place at a dinner party with nine suspects (professional people, politicians, spouses) and the victim sharing a toast at a fancy restaurant in Heimæy, the volcanic island off the southern coast of Iceland. They are gathered here to celebrate the opening of an art exhibit by Hanna, a free spirit with ties to several of the characters. I found it helpful to write down the characters and their position at the table to keep the characters straight. There is a murder and a storm is raging (keeping anyone from escaping), and a young police detective tries to make sense of it all while the suspects suspect each other and do some sleuthing on their own.

This is a competent mystery, more of a construction than an work of literature, which I think is precisely the kind of book Agatha Christie fans desire, I wasn’t too impressed. Ragnar Jónasson does this better, but it is a good beginning. Recommended for fans of the genre, otherwise, no.

Red Zinger Tea

Twenty Years Ago on FITK

Once upon a time, somewhere in the vast North American prairie, there lived a young bachelor.

A co-worker was moving and, being an agreeable sort, he volunteered his help. There wasn't a great deal to move, it only took a few hours. The other people who were helping left one by one. The young man started to pick up his jacket, which he had removed when he became hot from climbing stairs. “Don't go yet,” the co-worker whispered; “… stay. We can have some tea... it’s Red Zinger!”

The bachelor, who really wasn’t much of a tea drinker, stayed, if for no other reason than to try a drink named “Red Zinger.”

Everyone was gone, excepting the two co-workers. The tea was made, it was spicy, and warmed and relaxed the young man. When the two put their clothes back on three hours later, they both realized that their office relationship had changed, for the better. The tea was good, also.

Moral: Tea for two can get one into more hot water than one originally intended.

6 Commenting:

lab munkay said...

Where do I get me some of this Red Zinger elixer?

Professor Batty said...

..."step into my parlor..." said the spider to the munkay...

Comica said...

So, what sort of aphrodisiac can one find in a Zinger? And is it always Red?

Professor Batty said...

...it's only a fairy tale...I mean nothing like that EVER happen to me.

...

...

...

well, maybe once...

...

upon a time...

Little Miss Loopy said...

You know, to some people tea is still just tea. I may be the only one but that's a different story altogether.

Ironicly enough the tea in my tea story was also red zinger. I wonder if that means anything.

Professor Batty said...

...Munkay- find it in the herbal tea section of your grocery store...
...Brackety- try some and see! Also- something will turn red...
...Little Miss L- I have scientifically studied the "Red Zinger Coincidence Effect" and have concluded the following:
A. Either you and I should have tea together as soon as possible, OR
B. You and I should never have tea together.
C. Red Zinger only works on some.
D. Sometimes things just happen.
E. When in doubt, kick him out.
F. It is probably a good thing that you and I are thirty years and an ocean apart...:-)

Remember…

… Reykjavík

Laugavegur, 31 October, 2025

Iceland Airwaves 2025 — Index

Due to image posting limitations, sometimes posts will not show up in the month index. Here is an index of all the 2025 Iceland posts, Airwaves and otherwise:

Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven
Day Eight
Day Nine
Day Ten
Portraits I
Portraits II
Portraits III
Portraits IV
Recap
Óx Revisited
The World According to *Garg
Symposium
Remember
Flybus Flashbacks
Burlesque Queens
Reykjavík Brutalism

Iceland 2025 Recap

Tourists waiting to board the Flybus, BSÍ station, Reykjavík

The last day of a vacation involving flights can be chaotic. This time I was early and the airport was nearly deserted, eerily quiet. They have a Pylsur stand in the airport now so I just had to get “eitt med öllu” before I left:

My sixth Iceland Airwaves was bittersweet.

Sweet, in that it is always fun to come to Iceland and, in particular, to stay in Reykjavík. The weather started off ridiculously (over a foot of snow had fallen in the days before I arrived) but it then turned wonderful with warm temps, sunshine, and little wind.

I had several days to acclimate and I made the most of my time before the festival began: meeting people in the pool, attending the theatre, crashing a symposium on Halldór Laxness, a night of Michelin-star dining and even catching a Halloween burlesque show! Iceland Airwaves started on the right foot with the President of Iceland addressing a group of pre-schoolers at a senior residence before speaking to the rest of the audience. When GDRN played and sang traditional Icelandic songs it was so poignant (one of the wheelchair-bound seniors played air-piano in time with the band) that I was on the verge of tears. Throughout the week there were some good off-venue performances with madcap musical ideas coming from Mag og Tómas at Reykjavík Records and esoteric singer/songwriter/bassist/dancer K.olá at Smekklysa. Marvaða, a female-oriented music collective, presented a solid line-up of interesting and accomplished acts at Iðno Wednesday night.

Thursday night found me attending a half-dozen shows, all female performers with the exception of keyboard virtuoso The Vernon Spring. All these acts were good, with artfully stylized presentations.

Friday I saw fourteen acts, but most were undistinguished. Sean Solomon won originality points for his retro-nerd VHS animation duets, as did Mermaid Chunky for their trippy genre-surfing compositions. Magnús Jóhann, another tremendous pianist/composer, went above and beyond the call of duty when he played a Ondes Martenot.

Saturday night I bounced around venues (and watched Ms Obama bounce around) until I settled in at Fríkirkjan to listen to Hania Derej. At the age of 20, she has already developed into a formidable artist—a musical virtuoso on piano, keys and composition. Hers is a name to watch for.

And, fittingly, the final act I saw was JFDR. She has had quite a career since I first saw her as a teenager with Pascal Pinon in 2009. Since then I’ve followed her musical development: three Pascal Pinon albums, three Samaris albums, a Gangly EP and dozens of collaborations in addition to her career as a solo artist and composer for film and TV. Jofriður has had no shortage of musical and lyrical ideas. In the last few years it seemed to me that she was going a bit sideways with her Ableton-enabled compositions so it was a special treat to see her get back to her roots, performing with an ensemble of friends playing mostly acoustic guitars and singing beautiful harmonies in an intimate setting.

One bitter aspect of Iceland Airwaves for me this year is the alarming drop in attendance, especially among younger people. Despite official claims to the contrary (and excepting the smallest clubs), most venues were half to two-thirds empty. While I was usually the oldest person in the room, my 56-year-old self who attended Airwaves in 2006 would be about average in age for the grey-haired crowd at the festival this year. With a few notable exceptions (Geðbrigði, Hania) the acts were trending older as well. The festival organizers are acutely aware of the fact and have taken steps to address the issue. Another down-trend is the dearth of real bands—a majority of the acts were solos or duos, techno and/or rap, using samples and pre-programmed beats. That was in an inverse ratio to the Airwaves of 20 years ago and even noticeably different than three years ago. The bands that I did see were mostly good. I had used the Iceland Airwaves video links to pre-screen the acts; it may be that the mostly lame videos put me off from seeing some really good shows. 

The big question: “Was it worth it?”

Again, bittersweet. The best shows were as good as the best of past Airwaves. The original concept artists were also very good. The genre-stylists were mostly forgettable. The main venues were good, but the smaller ones (Bird, Gaukurrin) were awkward, although you could get a better view (and sound) at Bird by standing outside and listening to the PA feed and looking through the plate glass windows! With the exception of hideous modern architecture in the old harbour area, Reykjavík itself remains an interesting and vibrant place, especially so for such a small city.

The almost-as-big question: “Will I do it again?”

Probably not next year.

As I get older, traveling becomes more of a challenge. The whole music scene in general is also rapidly undergoing changes with the stranglehold of corporate interests dominating streaming and exposure with AI music the wildcard in the mix. If IAW can successfully re-invent itself (and the world doesn’t blow up), it might be worth a trip in 2027. I was sitting in a hot-pot talking with Anna Róshildur in Vesturbæjarlaug and she mentioned the very restrictive audition process for a local act to get into Airwaves off-venue schedule, to say nothing about the regular venues. Evidently there is an underground scene in Reykjavík for young performers but it is hard for an outsider to crack, and it is certainly not aimed at foreign septuagenarians. I’ve written about these issues before, and no progress has been made since. Any changes in the IAW format are, of course, dependent on the economy, local talent pool, and numerous other variables. Still, it would be nice for more smaller non-bar, presentation options. Sorely missed were the laid-back venues Hitt Husið, Norræna húsið and the bonkers breakfast shows at Prikið. Other main venues absent this year were Gamla Bíó and the National Theatre, both of which had other scheduling. Nasa was back, however, and Harpa did have some big, separately ticketed, shows but there were no smaller shows in Kaldalón or Norðurljós as in past years.

Looking back over its 26-year history, its amazing that Iceland Airwaves even still exists, so I really can’t complain. As long as there are the dreamers who create music, and those who find inspiration and solace in it, there is still hope for humanity.

Troy, Tina and Barry are entranced by Hania Derej, Frikirkjan, 8 November, 2025

Óx Revisited

This beguiling alcove on Laugavegur hides a delectable secret:

Press the lion’s tongue on the wall, state your intent and, once you’ve been buzzed in, traverse a long hallway and down a flight of stairs to Amma Don, a stylish mid-century-modern apartment where congenial hosts await to fulfill your every gustatory desire:

An ordinary bookcase hides another secret:

Óx, a secret restaurant where you will be wined, dined and sublimed for the next four hours:

The exotic tasting courses are magically prepared before your eyes:

The Óx team’s efforts ensures success:

And a curtain call acknowledges the patron’s ovation:

This was my second trip to this legendary restaurant.

The first time I was a timid thrill-seeker, this time I was a seasoned gourmand. As we chatted over prosecco awaiting for the tasting to begin I assured my fellow patrons that yes, it is an experience worthy of the hype. After we entered the restaurant proper our half of the U-shaped table consisted of a young woman from California with her spouse (who was from New Zealand), a professional couple from London (she was in marketing, he worked in ‘the city’) and a professional couple from Singapore (the other diners were too far away for me to interact with. Table talk was lively, I had a particularly intense conversation with the Singaporean representative from AMD and his wife, who ran an optical clinic (I shared my macular degeneration prevention strategies with her). He was interested in my retirement income and magic mushrooms, not necessarily in that order! We coasted on, drinking til well past ten when I left with a quote from Laxness.

Symposium

I experienced an unanticipated event during my recent trip to Iceland: Symposium on Halldór Laxness: The Nobel Prize for 70 Years. Louise Calais, the Swedish Ambassador to Iceland, opened an exhibition about the Nobel Prize in the lobby of the Nordic House before the symposium began:

Program of the symposium:

Salka – Love and death. The writer Halldór Guðmundsson discussed a new work based on the novel Salka Valka with Unnur Ösp Stefánsdóttir, actor and playwright. Unnar performed a sample from her work.

Excellence from the Outskirts: What a Difference a Nobel Prize Can Make, an overview by Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, professor of literature at Aarhus University and expert in the system of world literature.

The Glacier is Open: On Young People’s Reading of Halldór Laxness’s Works in the Light of Christianity Under the Glacier, by Anna Rós Árnadóttir, literary scholar and poet, read by a young man, perhaps one of her students?

Only Mads speech was in English, but I managed to catch a a little bit from the other presenters. The young man nervously talking about Úa, the female primal force in Under the Glacier, was a highlight. After the speeches there was socializing with drinks and confections.

I was somehow annexed to a trio of women “walking back to town” and we shared some life experiences as we strolled past Suðurjörn, splitting up as we reached Skothúsvegur with two of the women (sisters) going west and the remaining one and I going east. We continued our discussion along Tjörnin until we reached Fríkirkjan (and my apartment) where I reluctantly said goodbye.

The World According to *Garg

… I have this this recurring dream, I keep imagining myself as an equal to all the humans around me, I try to give myself the same pedestal to stand on… ~ *Garg #03

One pleasant and enlightening episode on my recent stay in Reykjavík was a stop in the Garg bookstore on Hofsvallagata.

Helga Dögg Ólafsdóttir and her twin sister Alma opened this shop which focuses on feminist, queer, self-published, and secondhand books as well as supporting a literary scene. Garg periodically publishes broadsides concerning various topics and also hosts reading and other events.

We spoke about several things including ‘The Atom Poets’ as well as her older sister Auður, no stranger to this blog. Most of Garg’s stock is in Icelandic, but that didn’t prevent me from purchasing a slim volume of poetry by Þórbergur Þórðarson (author of The Stones Speak) for my amateur translation efforts. The shop also displays various art works for those seeking a true Icelandic souvenir.

Helga is well-spoken and engaging, definitely worth a visit if you have any interest in modern Icelandic literature.

Image of Helga by Art Bicnick, Reykjavík Grapevine