January 6, 2025

Defending the Icelandic Hotdog

I never imagined that taking a study abroad trip to Iceland would lead me to defend a hotdog as if my life depended on it.
 
One of Iceland's many famous cuisines is a somewhat peculiar-looking hotdog. In Iceland it is called a "pylsa". It’s topped with a mysterious brown sauce, crispy onions, and made with lamb meat. As someone already suspicious of the vagueness surrounding the American hotdog, the thought of trying one with additional unfamiliar ingredients was daunting.
 
On the first day of the trip, I quietly decided I would be okay with not trying the hotdog. With all the amazing new foods I had tried that strongly represent Icelandic culture, I was okay with missing out on just the one. When a few of my classmates decided to venture out to the famous Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand, I offered polite smiles and reassuring nods, all while sticking to my plan.
 
By day two, my plan was already beginning to crack. I may be a hotdog hater, but my need to try new foods, especially with different cultures was winning. I began to say things like, “I’m not against trying one.” or a nonchalant, “If everyone else wants to stop for one, I'm going to get one too.”
 
By day three, I caved. My curiosity had grown too strong, and I decided that I couldn’t leave Iceland without tasting the famous hotdog. My class shortened the word "hotdog" to just "dog", a necessary shortcut for how often we spoke about it. At the stand, I placed my order with a mix of excitement and nervousness. I asked for the hotdog with everything on it and waited as I watched the man behind the stand move as fast as lightning to assemble the "dog".  
 
When the hotdog finally arrived, I could barely contain my excitement. I took my first bite, and the juicy, flavorful combination of lamb, sweet brown sauce, and crispy onions lit up my tastebuds. It wasn’t just good, it was life-changing. The American hotdog was nothing compared to this. Naturally, I went back for seconds.
 
From that moment on, the Icelandic hotdog became a designated late night trip. One of my classmates even managed to set a class record by eating 20 hotdogs in total by the end of the trip.
 
I didn’t quite hit 20 hotdogs or even half of that. But the truth is, I didn’t need to. By the end of the trip, I was ready to defend this Icelandic hotdog like my life depended on it.