Foods RakelOm Has Tried

These detailed, dainty confections are made by hand with minimal tools.

The key to this colorful holiday sandwich is extra-crispy pork skin.

To honor Iceland's patron saint, feast on fermented skate.

The Icelandic brew is made with malts smoked over burning sheep dung.

This midwinter food festival honors Iceland's pagan history.

It's not Icelandic Christmas without two sodas in one cup.

Anyone for a shot of “Black Death”?

Meet Sweden's savory “sandwich cake.”

This controversial meat is ingrained in ancient Nordic culture.

The pungent, wind-dried white fish is a traditional Icelandic food.

With no trees left to burn, Icelanders turned to sheep dung for meat-smoking.

Denmark's open-faced sandwiches are equal parts decadent and decorative.

Japan's traditional temple cuisine features meals that are nutritionally and visually balanced.

This tofu alternative replaces soybeans with sesame and kudzu.

Once made by monks, this candy spends 15 days rolling in sugar syrup to get its pearly-white shell.

Every December, Sinterklaas and his helper throw these little spiced cookies to Dutch children.

On this holiday, Icelandic children earn cream buns by spanking their parents.

Sicilian nuns once hung these sugary "fruits" from tree branches.

This jelly is made with dandelions and tastes like honey.

The aroma of this mulled wine has been compared to “a warmed-up bowl of Froot Loops.”

This unusual take on a British comfort food hides two surprises inside.

In Icelandic cuisine, few things are more traditional than half a sheep's head.

A wartime rice scarcity made this versatile pancake a Japanese staple.

This pancake pays tribute to one of Japan's favorite fish.