Welcome to Open Tab , a weekly column covering the news, gossip, and stories that have stayed open in my tabs all week. Last time we covered Italy’s looming food shortage .

Well, it’s over. Last Ditch, the bar in Greenfield Massachusetts that became the center of a tornado of scrutiny, ridicule, discourse, and, erm, media coverage a few weeks ago is now closed as it searches for new co-owners, or to sell the bar to new owners . If your memory needs a refresh, the tl;dr is that the bar relaxed its COVID-conscious mask restrictions, and it tore the local community apart.

The Boston Globe covered the drama, and the story quickly went viral. But despite—or perhaps because of—its newfound infamy, the bar couldn’t attract enough clientele to stay open. Could new owners resurrect the beleaguered business?

Also in the discourse this week: Washington D.C. residents will be voting on a foie gras ban which has prominent chefs coming out as firmly pro-foie, despite public backlash.…