Whole Story
The Official Whole Foods Market Blog

by Allison Burch

Bubbling hot springs, breathtaking waterfalls, scenic volcanic mountain ranges, crystal clear water. No, I’m not talking about Hawai’i…I’m actually describing Iceland. Okay, I’ll admit it, I was surprised too. Until very recently, the only Icelandic export I was even remotely familiar with was the indie music icon, Björk. And even so, I only know a few of her songs.

But lately it seems I’ve been seeing more and more foods from Iceland on our store shelves; and the more I’ve learned about them, the more I’ve learned about the country, since their food, culture and traditions are so closely tied together.

For example, the Icelandic people are very proud of their traditional approach to raising animals and how that translates to the purity and flavor of their foods. For example, all Icelandic dairy stock are raised in a free-range environment and graze on natural pastures. They are not given feed with added animal by-products, nor are they given antibiotics or added growth hormones. Also, did you know that dairy cows in Iceland are unique to Iceland and they are the only type of dairy cow in the country? Their origins date back to the cattle brought from Norway during the settlement of Iceland in the 10th century and there has been no import of dairy cows since then.

Like the country itself, here are a few products from Iceland that deserve a closer look: Click to see the products.

Enjoy Icelandic cuisine at the 2011 RAMMYS! Purchase Tickets or Sponsor the Event