Monday Ice: The Puffin

Image via Wikipedia

Icelanders have a cultural and historical relationship to Puffins. In years past Puffin was relied upon as a survival staple food but whilst it still is consumed regularly, today it has also become an iconic symbol of Iceland, like the Koala or Kangaroo is to Australia.  The Puffin usually mate for life, and don't start breeding until they are 5 years old.  The Puffin has not been an endangered specie and is not under threat by human consumption, however through global warming their natural food supply that they feed their young is diminishing and their breeding rate is on the decline.  Puffins rely on a tiny fish known as Sand Eel to feed their young but as this food supply dwindles so do their numbers.

 Puffins on Drangey Island Iceland, photographed by son Jesse summer of 2009

 Drangey Island, North West Iceland
The first video is a lovely close up look at the Puffin in their natural habitat.

Iceland 2009: Lundi from partylogger on Vimeo.

This second video is a National Geographic documentary addressing the issue of dwindling numbers.

This next one is of children in the Westmann Islands trying to save baby Puffins who get a little disoriented by the town street lights and confuse their flight plan.

Puffins from sonja phillips on Vimeo.

Puffin as said before is still a culinary delight in Iceland and is pretty much on the menu of most restaurants!

Image via Wikipedia

Below is a video of Puffin prepared and served in the Vox Restaurant in Reykjavik.  If you want to know how to catch and cook Puffin see earlier post here with Gordon Ramsey.