johnsongeographic's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Rakija
Gastro Obscura
Story
Drinks

Rakija

The fiery fruit brandy of the Balkans.
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Biltong
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Meats & Animal Products

Biltong

This spiced jerky is a beloved snack in South Africa.
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Coco de Mer
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Fruits & Vegetables

Coco de Mer

A delicious fruit with a suggestively-shaped seed.
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Benne Wafers
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Sweets

Benne Wafers

A crispy cookie from South Carolina, first introduced during the slave trade.
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Marula
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Fruits & Vegetables

Marula

The intoxicating South African fruit is beloved by humans and elephants.
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Maslenitsa
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Maslenitsa

Russian Mardi Gras features blinis, fistfights, and burning effigies.
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Turkish Coffee
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Drinks

Turkish Coffee

Locals joke that you should be able to “float a horseshoe” on the thick brew.
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Sgushyonka
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Sweets

Sgushyonka

This gooey, sweet treat was a Soviet staple.
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Boiled Green Peanuts
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Prepared Foods

Boiled Green Peanuts

Roadside vendors in the Deep South soften fresh goobers with bubbling brine.
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Timanoix
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Meats & Animal Products

Timanoix

Monks and nuns elevate this soft cheese with a wash of walnut liqueur.
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Irn-Bru
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Drinks

Irn-Bru

A citrusy cream soda with a hint of rust outsells Coca-Cola in Scotland.
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Big-Bottomed Ants
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Meats & Animal Products

Big-Bottomed Ants

Catch these fiercely guarded queens for a crunchy, caviar-flavored snack.
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Spaghettieis
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Sweets

Spaghettieis

This German sundae masquerades as an Italian dinner.
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Cincinnati Chili
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Prepared Foods

Cincinnati Chili

Spiced meat sauce meets spaghetti, shredded cheese, and beans in a Midwest cult favorite.
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Jell-O Salad
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Prepared Foods

Jell-O Salad

Meat covered in gelatinous goo was once a classic American comfort food.
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Cheerwine
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Drinks

Cheerwine

A World War I sugar shortage led an inventor to make a very cherry soda that looks like wine.
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Palm Wine
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Drinks

Palm Wine

It takes only two hours for palm sap to become palm wine.
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Buckfast
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Drinks

Buckfast

The caffeinated wine is made by British monks and loved by Scottish criminals.
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Yule Log Cake
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Sweets

Yule Log Cake

These holiday cakes link Christmas to the Norse god of lightning.
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Pawpaw
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Fruits & Vegetables

Pawpaw

The oldest fruit native to North America is probably the least known.
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Chitlins
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Prepared Foods

Chitlins

These entrails identified safe venues for Black musicians during the Jim Crow era.
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Bunny Chow
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Prepared Foods

Bunny Chow

This curry-on-the-go hails from South Africa.
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Ackee
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Fruits & Vegetables

Ackee

Jamaica's national fruit is poisonous and resembles scrambled eggs.
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The Fluffernutter
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Prepared Foods

The Fluffernutter

A completely delicious, nearly nutrient-free sandwich beloved by generations of New Englanders.
Gastro Obscura