In January 2017, 20-year-old Birna Brjánsdóttir disappeared after a night out in Reykjavík. The last confirmed footage shows her walking alone down Laugavegur, eating a falafel pita. Within days, Iceland launched the largest search in its modern history.

This episode of True Crime Culinary recounts the facts of Birna’s case and follows an unexpected thread: how falafel — a dish that began as fasting food in Egypt — became a common late-night meal in Iceland.

From fava beans to chickpeas, from religious kitchens to street food, this is a story about how food travels, adapts, and becomes ordinary in places far from where it began.

1. 📚 References

   • Falafel (Wikipedia). Overview of the dish’s ingredients, origins, variations, and cultural context. Wikipedia
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falafel

   • Falafel: A Humble Vegetarian Staple in Middle Eastern Cuisine — Munchery. Article on falafel’s cultural role, classic preparation, and serving ideas. munchery.com
     https://www.munchery.com/blog/falafel-a-humble-staple-in-middle-eastern-cuisine/

   • The History of Falafel (CultureMap). Notes on falafel’s likely origins, the fava bean → chickpea shift, and global spread. The Culture Map
     https://theculturemap.com/history-of-falafel-and-best-countries-to-taste-it/

   • Murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir (Wikipedia). Factual timeline of the disappearance, search, and conviction. Wikipedia
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Birna_Brj%C3%A1nsd%C3%B3ttir

   • The Murder That Devastated An Entire Country — True Crime Edition. Context and narrative details of Birna’s case. True Crime Edition
     https://www.truecrimeedition.com/post/birna-brjansdottir