iaco's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Needhams
Gastro Obscura
Story
Sweets

Needhams

A candy made with chocolate, coconut and ... mashed potatoes?
Gastro Obscura
Eisbock
Gastro Obscura
Story
Drinks

Eisbock

Brewers freeze their beer to make this high-octane, sweet style.
Gastro Obscura
Texas Kolaches
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Sweets

Texas Kolaches

This tasty Czech pastry is now a Texan tradition.
Gastro Obscura
Carbonnade à la Flamande
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Prepared Foods

Carbonnade à la Flamande

Belgium's stew of beef and abbey-style ale is essentially bourguignon for beer lovers.
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Żubrówka
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Story
Drinks

Żubrówka

The same grass that feeds massive European bison adds notes of vanilla and lavender to this unique Polish vodka.
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Clear Toy Candy
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Story
Sweets

Clear Toy Candy

A Victorian favorite is hanging on in Pennsylvania.
Gastro Obscura
Steam Beer
Gastro Obscura
Story
Drinks

Steam Beer

The unique style born out of the California Gold Rush blends the crispness of a lager with the flavor of an ale.
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Jucy Lucy
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Story
Prepared Foods

Jucy Lucy

This beef patty oozes cheese from within.
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Beaujolais Nouveau
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Story
Drinks

Beaujolais Nouveau

When the clock strikes midnight on the third Thursday of November, fans gather to celebrate the release of this fresh, fruity wine.
Gastro Obscura
Rauchbier
Gastro Obscura
Story
Drinks

Rauchbier

Only a few breweries still make smoky beer in this classic German style.
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The Boston Stabber
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Story

The Boston Stabber

This praised oyster shucker is as elegant as it is dangerous.
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Real Wasabi
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Real Wasabi

Most sushi fans have never tried this rare rhizome.
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Sharkskin Wasabi Grater
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Story

Sharkskin Wasabi Grater

Traditional sushi chefs produce optimal condiments with this ancient tool.
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Samichlaus
Gastro Obscura
Story
Drinks

Samichlaus

This lager, once considered the strongest beer in the world, is brewed only on Saint Nicholas's Day.
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Syracuse Salt Potatoes
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Prepared Foods

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

Even a local sports team pays homage to these white-crusted, savory spuds.
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Salzburger Nockerl
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Story
Sweets

Salzburger Nockerl

This dessert pays tribute to the snow-covered mountains surrounding Salzburg.
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Sfogliatella
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Story
Sweets

Sfogliatella

This layered pastry from Italy's Amalfi Coast may have origins in a 17th-century convent.
Gastro Obscura
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
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Story
Prepared Foods

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Historians debate whether this dish actually originated with Italian sex workers.
Gastro Obscura
Święconka
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Story

Święconka

This Polish Easter tradition artfully assembles symbolic foods, from bread to lamb-shaped butter.
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Mozartkugel
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Story
Sweets

Mozartkugel

Like the famed composer himself, this Mozart-homage bonbon originated in Salzburg, Austria.
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Peppermint Pig
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Story
Sweets

Peppermint Pig

Smashing this pink candy pig with a tiny hammer is a Christmas tradition in Saratoga Springs.
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Cornish Pasty
Gastro Obscura
Story
Prepared Foods

Cornish Pasty

In the 19th century, tin miners ate these handheld pies and left their crusts to appease mischievous, mine-dwelling spirits.
Gastro Obscura
Pączki
Gastro Obscura
Story
Sweets

Pączki

These Polish pre-Lent doughnuts have taken on a life (and an eating contest) of their own in the United States.
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Jam Roly-Poly
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Story
Sweets

Jam Roly-Poly

Once steamed in shirt sleeves and pant legs, this sweet roll took on the nickname “dead man's leg.”
Gastro Obscura