Good things are all around me. Yesterday I celebrated my third wedding anniversary with Keith. On Friday my brother Keith is coming to visit us all the way from Florida.  (We haven’t seen him in a year and a half. We miss him.) But, lest you think it’s all about the many Keiths in my life, Monday is Ava’s 2nd birthday. That’s pretty great, too.

Not to mention I’ll be sharing Icelandic treats with you all week. Given the heatwave we’ve been enduring, I’ve put together a summertime sampler… except for the hot and hearty Rye Bread Soup. I dedicate that recipe to our friends in the Southern hemisphere, where a sweet, hot bowl of rye bread soup might be just the ticket.

What sounds good to you?

Rhubarb “Raisins” [recipe]
A simple and ingenious way to use up rhubarb in baked goods.

Rye Bread Soup [recipe]
The hot answer to Iceland’s sweet tooth. This unusual soup is loaded up with raisins and sugar. And, of course, rye bread.

Blueberry Cardamom Ice Cream [recipe]
Cream. Blueberries. Cardamom. Sugar. Need I say more?

Chilled Rhubarb Lemon Soup [recipe]
The bright cheery flavor of this tart soup will make you a believer.