91-year-old writes a cookbook of Icelandic recipes

Ieda Jonasdottir Herman and her daughter, Heidi Herman, have released their first collaborative effort, Homestyle Icelandic Cooking for American Kitchens.

“Whether you're looking to connect with your roots, try something new, or already love Icelandic food, this book is a must,” said Heidi.  The book features twenty-eight of their favorite everyday Icelandic recipes, converted measurements and translated into easy to follow instructions.

A native of Iceland, Ieda Jonasdottir spent her first 19 years immersed in the Scandinavian culture, growing up with the stories of hidden people, trolls, and her Vikings ancestors through the Sagas. She married an American, raised a family, and after retiring, she began writing short stories and full-length books, sharing the Icelandic culture and mythology in each. Ieda enjoys conducting seminars and presentations on Iceland, attending Nordic events, blogging, and sharing her knowledge of the country and history. She visits Iceland frequently, in between her speaking and writing schedule and enjoys spending time with her ten children, 16 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

After several annual visits to Iceland, the two found they often wanted to recreate some of the traditional dishes at home. Heidi, an avid cook, collected recipes of their Icelandic favorites, but found it necessary to translate from Icelandic, convert from metric, and adjust both ingredients and processes.   For them, it was an adventure of experimentation and taste-testing that spanned months.  The result is a cookbook of unique and tasty recipes, reflecting the diverse flavors and traditional cuisine of Iceland.  Our initial response from the Icelandic and Scandinavian community has been very positive and many people have wanted a book like this.

Both mother and daughter are seasoned authors and have written books regarding the culture and folklore of Iceland.  This is the third book for each of them.   Ieda has used her books to promote education of Iceland and the culture.  Her first book, Trolls - Monster Worm - Hidden People: Fond Memories of Iceland, is an autobiographic account of growing up in the 1930’s in Iceland.  Her second, The Silver Arrow, is a Young Adult adventure story, wherein she shares the Icelandic experience using the landscape, culture, and Nordic mythology to weave an entertaining tale that carries a special message.    Heidi has penned two children’s books, The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads, and The Yule Lads & Other Legends Activity Book, which introduces  mythology from the Icelandic culture, including the trolls of Christmas, Guardians of Iceland, and Hidden Folk.

The book is available on Amazon HERE.