This Month In Food: May / June 2015

Vísir reports that the head of the farm-to-table organisation in Iceland is less than pleased with budget supermarket chain Bónus labelling their pork as farm-to-table. The pork is sourced from the farm of one Geir Gunnar Geirsson, who also happens to be the CEO of Stjörnugrís, the largest pork producer in the country. We’re guessing that factory-farm-to-table just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

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Grocery stores, supermarkets, and restaurants alike continue to suffer the pangs of chicken withdrawal due to the strike of veterinarians and food scientists. They have provided exceptions for cases where the welfare of animals or humans was at stake but that does not extend to slaughtering meat. Cattle, poultry, and pig farmers are struggling and grocery stores are running out of frozen meat. Vegetarians break out that bottle they’ve been saving for a special occasion.

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Two well-established food trends are finally making their way to Iceland’s shores. First Fosshótel announced that their hotel behemoth by Höfðatorg will feature Iceland’s first beer garden, with a 120-person capacity. Then Le Bistro (don’t let the name confuse you—it’s a French bistro) is the first restaurant to offer BYOB with a corking fee of 2,900 ISK. We at the Grapevine just need to figure out where we’re going to find that kind of money.

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Finally, a pair of Hungarian green tea enthusiasts have opened a popup tea house serving rare teas from East Asia at art gallery Mengi (Óðinsgata 2). Now you can too can enjoy a cup of Gyokuro Shiun with your ambient-drone concert.