The cheese by-product grannies kept in the fridge is having a revival,with Iceland’s brightest new restaurants now including it on their menusSkyr, a low-fat fresh cheese brought to Iceland by Norse settlers over 1000 years ago, and is an integral part of the Icelandic national diet – particularly when served with blueberries and cream for dessert. And just as much part of the tradition is whey,the liquid remaining after the cow’s milk has been curdled and strained. This has long been valuable for preserving food because of its acidity. It also makes a refreshing drink, is a qualified tenderiser for meat, and can be used in baking or as a base for making alcohol.
Older Icelanders would always possess a jug of whey in the fridge (it’s fairly sweet with a trace of sharpness and a creamy aftertaste),and it can still be found in supermarkets. But whey fell out of fashion a few decades ago. I remember it being used in fondues in the 1980s instead of imported wine, which was very pricey.
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Source: theguardian.com