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Gastro Obscura

Read 2154 Gastro Stories

The Downfall of Rose Water, Once America's Favorite Flavor

Until the 1840s, adding a dash of rose water to sweets was the norm.

Jaya Saxena, Atlas Obscura

October 18, 2017

Watch a Cookie Soar Into the Stratosphere

Terry the teacake took one giant leap for cookie-kind.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

October 17, 2017

The Nixon Dinners That Taught Americans to Stop Worrying and Love Peking Duck

The president's historic trip to China caused a Chinese food boom.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

October 16, 2017

The Tomato Pill Craze

How a war over cure-all pills convinced Americans to eat tomatoes.

Adee Braun, Atlas Obscura

October 16, 2017

The Renaissance Painter Who Made Fantastical Portraits From Food

Giuseppe Arcimboldo painted surreal art unlike any of his contemporaries.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

October 13, 2017

31 days of halloween

Why the Jelly Belly Factory Has a Shrine to Ronald Reagan

The Gipper loved his sweet, sweet beans.

Shelby Pope, Atlas Obscura

October 12, 2017

Scientists Have Figured Out What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Delicious

One of the key molecules smells like egg whites.

Kelsey Kennedy, Atlas Obscura

October 12, 2017

More Than 20 Years Later, Cornell's Great Pumpkin Mystery Remains Unsolved

Who put a gourd on top of this 173-foot bell tower?

Cara Giaimo, Atlas Obscura

October 11, 2017

Scientists Used Cheese to Discover a New Species of Cave Bug

A wine pairing was not suggested.

Eric Grundhauser, Atlas Obscura

October 10, 2017

Behold the 50-Year-Old Can of Soup Someone Donated to a Food Bank

It might not be edible, but it is fascinating.

Eric Grundhauser, Atlas Obscura

October 10, 2017

Found: The Cause of Durian’s Oh-So-Unique Smell

The fruit's genes work overtime to pump out sulphuric compounds.

Sarah Laskow, Atlas Obscura

October 10, 2017

artificial intelligence

Enjoy a Tall, Frosty Beverage Named by a Neural Network

"The Fine Stranger" sounds good. "Snot Beard," less so.

Natasha Frost, Atlas Obscura

October 9, 2017

The Notorious Oyster Pirates of Chesapeake Bay

They were the colorful villains in a conflict that lasted almost a century.

Kerry Wolfe, Atlas Obscura

September 28, 2017

Scientists Have a New Tool for Improving Food Security in West Africa

The white Guinea yam's genome could help researchers make a staple crop hardier.

Kelsey Kennedy, Atlas Obscura

September 25, 2017

The Secret Blue Ice Cloud in Every Champagne Bottle

Cheers to high-speed cameras.

Natasha Frost, Atlas Obscura

September 15, 2017

A Brief History of Napkins, From Soft Dough to Paper

They're currently under threat from paper towels.

Ernie Smith, Atlas Obscura

September 6, 2017

America's First Butter Sculptor Was an Artist and a Celebrity

Despite her success, Caroline Shawk Brooks never forgot her sweet, creamy roots.

Cara Giaimo, Atlas Obscura

September 5, 2017

Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Is From the Bronx—So What's With the Name?

Examining the phenomenon of the faux-foreign product.

Dan Nosowitz, Atlas Obscura

September 5, 2017