If you consider Iceland, you have a tendency to think about glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, earthquakes and dramatic landscapes. Hardly ever do individuals consider tomatoes. Nonetheless, whenever you cease to consider the nation’s endless provide of geothermal vitality, it’s simple to see the potential. As greenhouse rising continues to increase, making the most of the nation’s pure sources, so too does manufacturing. And while the nation’s manufacturing is minuscule in contrast with that of enormous producers similar to China and India, 2020 alone noticed a rise of over 280% in Iceland’s exports of tomatoes. What’s extra, 40% of Iceland’s tomatoes come from only one place – Friðheimar, located 1 hour east of Reykjavik, the place there’s additionally a tomato-themed restaurant inside one of many web site’s giant greenhouses.
Greenhouse rising has been practiced at Friðheimar since 1946 and the present homeowners – horticulturist Helena Hermundardóttir and agronomist Knútur Rafn Ármann – have lived there with their youngsters, who’re additionally energetic contributors within the enterprise, since 1995.
So in style is the Friðheimar expertise that it’s strongly advisable to guide forward. Observe that they’ll preserve your reservation for quarter-hour if you’re operating late however, if it’s any longer, you should name and advise them of any delay if you wish to preserve your desk. In fact, it’s solely truthful to inform them, however demand is excessive so make sure you afford this household enterprise this fundamental courtesy should you don’t want to lose your desk! We had come straight from our Arctic Rafting journey, positioned lower than a 15-minute drive away, so judging the correct time was not too troublesome. If travelling from Reykjavik, I’d permit an hour and a half, simply to make certain.
Having been proven to our desk located in an open space inside an enormous greenhouse, with aisle after aisle of tomato vegetation close by, we have been greeted by Sonia who gave us a extremely informative introduction to Friðheimar. We learnt about how Iceland’s many wealthy pure sources mix to supply optimum circumstances for tomato rising. A borehole positioned simply 200 metres away offers the proper geothermal heating system, offering a whole bunch of 1000’s of tons of scorching water every year, at a temperature of 95 levels Centigrade, thus serving to to supply the optimum temperature circumstances for fruit manufacturing.
Iceland’s ample ‘inexperienced electrical energy’ generated by hydro-electric and geothermal energy stations offers the vitality for Friðheimar’s excessive energy sodium lamps which run for 14 hours per day within the Summer season, and for at the very least 17 hours per day within the Winter. There are additionally carbon dioxide tanks to provide all the pieces a little bit enhance, with CO2 ranges in every greenhouse round double the degrees you may usually anticipate.
In relation to style, an important issue is water high quality. The vegetation are watered with the identical water that Icelanders drink – the standard is necessary as a result of tomatoes are about 90-92% water. and so higher water means better-tasting tomatoes.
Friðheimar doesn’t use any pesticides as a result of in Iceland there aren’t a number of bugs or flies. As an alternative, they use a organic pest management system the place ‘good flies’ come from the Netherlands (Macrolophus callignosus) eat the eggs of the native ‘dangerous flies’, thus giving steadiness between these flies – it’s fairly a easy system however a really efficient one.
We learnt that Friðheimar can also be very near the markets so within the morning, staff attempt to decide the reddest tomatoes off the vegetation, and the packagers will often ship them on the identical day. Friðheimar branding is used on the packaging, in addition to the Icelandic flag colors in order that you understand its native, and the homeowners Knútur and Helena have gone one step additional and included footage of themselves, in addition to additional data to carry the enterprise nearer to the shopper.
The vegetation – there are 27,000 vegetation throughout 9 greenhouses – develop to about 9 months outdated and 9 metres lengthy and, after these 9 months, they’re despatched away to native farmers to compost. It’s good for Friðheimar to eliminate them, but in addition good for the farmers to get the compost.
All the things begins within the nursery the place the vegetation are grown from seed there for about 6 weeks. After these 6 weeks, they’re put in the principle greenhouse the place they develop at a price of about 25-30 centimetres per week (fairly quick!). The vegetation are twisted and lowered each single week, and the bottom three branches are eliminated – if they’re left, these branches take all of the vitality away that must be distributed all through the plant. There’s must be 18-20 branches of leaves per plant for optimum manufacturing.
There are solely 20 greenhouse staff coping with 27,000 vegetation and all of the selecting is completed by hand, twice a day. The very best staff, although, are the bees, additionally imported from the Netherlands. There are round 1,200 bumble bees working on the web site, and every bee can pollinate as much as 2,000 flowers per day. Once they pollinate the flowers, they go away a scent, so that they know to not go to the identical flower greater than as soon as. The pure lifetime of the working bumble bee is barely about 6-8 weeks, while the queen lives for a couple of yr. Maybe unsurprisingly, the male bees simply fly round and don’t do any work in any respect.
The entire operation is aided by some unbelievable know-how, too. Management computer systems in every greenhouse management the warmth, humidity, carbon dioxide and lighting. Management computer systems are additionally linked with fertiliser blenders that water the vegetation in accordance with a pre-determined schedule. Climate stations on the rooftops get hold of data on wind pace, wind route, temperature and daylight. And all these units are in flip linked to the principle pc, which is linked to the web. This enables the couple who personal Friðheimar to go surfing, wherever they’re on the earth, and monitor the standing, change settings and management watering.
Having discovered all about Friðheimar, which was actually fascinating, it was time for the principle occasion… lunch!
Our waiter was Lorenzo and, as you’ll have already gathered from the title, all the pieces that’s served at Friðheimar makes use of tomatoes in tne components. And that features the drinks!
In addition to the apparent Bloody Mary tomato drink, you may select from drinks similar to
Wholesome Mary (a refreshing drink constituted of inexperienced tomatoes, lime, honey and ginger, served chilled with glowing water), Mary Poppins Child (cucumber, mint and lime sorbet, stuffed up with glowing water) and even Friðheimar’s very personal tomato beer on draught, brewed from purple or inexperienced tomatoes.
Friðheimar’s signature course is their tomato soup. It’s served on a buffet with home-baked bread, bitter cream and cucumber salsa. Diners selecting this feature may also help themselves to as a lot soup and bread as they please.
However there additionally different tomato-based dishes to select from such because the contemporary mussels from Breiðafjörður – a big, shallow bay within the west of Iceland – cooked in Friðheimar’s particular tomato seafood sauce.
And notably tasty is their ravioli with home made pasta sauce and pesto.
Included with all important programs is home made bread from the buffet.
After which there are the desserts… once more, all made utilizing tomatoes, in fact, that embody this scrumptious cheesecake topped with tomato jam constituted of inexperienced tomatoes, cinnamon and lime.
Alternatively, there’s the inexperienced tomato, apple and cinnamon pie served with whipped cream.
No matter you select, you’re positive to be delighted. This can be a eating expertise like no different!
We beloved our time at Friðheimar – it was a enjoyable and memorable journey that we’d totally advocate you add to your itinerary… simply make sure you guide prematurely as it may be highly regarded, notably throughout the principle season.
And earlier than you allow, don’t overlook to go to the little tomato store the place you’ll discover quite a lot of meals produce you can take with you as a memento of your go to.
Grasp Chef Jón Ok. B. Sigfússon has developed and designed all of the meals merchandise for the store and the restaurant. He has a few years of expertise from world wide, and has cooked for a lot of heads of state.
Planning a visit to Iceland your self? You possibly can watch a video from our journey to Iceland right here. Footage from Friðheimar might be seen from 3m 30s – 3m 38s.
Disclosure: This put up is sponsored by Friðheimar. Our journey to Iceland was additionally sponsored by Helly Hansen.
