Westmont University Visits GeoCamp Iceland: Culinary Culture, Storytelling & Sagas

During a single afternoon and evening in May, students and faculty from Westmont University visited us for a shared dinner at our farmhouse Kollabær with Arnbjörn Ólafsson, Managing Director of GeoCamp Iceland. The visit formed part of Westmont’s summer study abroad course Food Systems and Food Writing, a program that traces connections between food, sustainability, and storytelling across Iceland, France, and Italy.
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Iceland offered a distinct lens through which to examine how geography and energy shape a national food culture. From geothermal greenhouses and hot-spring baking to locally sourced lamb, fish, and dairy, the culinary landscape in Iceland reflects both environmental adaptation and deep-rooted traditions. During their time in the country, the group explored sites like Laugarvatn Fontana, where geothermal heat is used to bake rye bread in the earth, and Friðheimar, where tomatoes thrive year-round under glass, thanks to natural hot water and abundant light.

Dinner in Kollabær built on these themes with a locally prepared meal and conversation about Icelandic food culture, energy use, and historical connections to the land. The evening concluded with a short introduction to Njálssaga, one of the most significant works of medieval Icelandic literature. Set in the region surrounding Kollabær, the saga deals with honour, justice, kinship, and the tensions between law and revenge. It was a meaningful way to ground the day’s focus on food and place within the deeper narrative traditions of Iceland, where landscapes, lives, and stories have long been intertwined.

We thank Professors Anna Jordan and Cynthia Toms for including the visit to Kollabær in their itinerary. It was a pleasure to share an evening of food and conversation with both faculty and students. We look forward to continuing the dialogue and exploring future opportunities for collaboration.