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Gastro Obscura

Read 2154 Gastro Stories

The Chinese Bagel That Helped to Win a War

General Qi Jiguang's 500-year-old military tactic still makes a good breakfast.

Lizzie Philip, Atlas Obscura

February 7, 2019

Farmers Are Making Bespoke Milk for Coffee Art

High fat, protein-rich dairy produces better foam and tastier coffee.

Rohini Chaki, Atlas Obscura

February 6, 2019

The Handy Playing Cards That Taught 17th-Century Cooks to Carve Meat Like a Pro

The decks suggested proper technique, and were a path to class mobility.

Jessica Leigh Hester, Atlas Obscura

February 6, 2019

For Thousands of Years, People Have Been Obsessed With Fat-Tailed Sheep

Writers and artists found them entrancing.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

February 5, 2019

When the U.S. Interned Italians in Montana, They Rioted Over Olive Oil

For the "enemy aliens" held at Fort Missoula, suet was an insult.

Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura

February 1, 2019

During WWII, Bletchley Park Was Home to Codebreaking and Tea Shenanigans

Staff at "Station X" threw their teacups into lakes and stuffed them into hedges.

Allan Richarz, Atlas Obscura

January 31, 2019

In Medieval Baghdad, Rulers Held Elite Cook-Offs

The "Iron Chef of medieval times" could have serious consequences.

Anne Ewbank, Atlas Obscura

January 30, 2019

Why So Many Bars Are Named After Cocks

Londoners once loved an ale whose key ingredient was a rooster.

Kathleen Crowther, Atlas Obscura

January 29, 2019

This Artist Makes Mesmerizing Collages From Produce You Can't Find in Supermarkets

Celebrating the diversity of tomatoes, corn, and other crops.

Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura

January 29, 2019

Why China and America Fight Over Chicken Feet

International squabbles have stopped a once-mighty chicken foot trade.

Kristi Allen, Atlas Obscura

January 28, 2019

How a Group of Daring Bootleggers Created NASCAR

Moonshine money fueled the sport's rise.

Tove Danovich, Atlas Obscura

January 23, 2019

Inside a Brazilian Chapel Made Out of Wine

During a drought, church-builders mixed their mortar with the local vintage.

Danielle Bauter, Atlas Obscura

January 22, 2019

Charming Crochet Versions of Fish, Fries, and Other Foods

Kate Jenkins’s delicacies often look better than the real thing.

Rohini Chaki, Atlas Obscura

January 21, 2019

Tea Was Once So Valuable It Was Kept in Locking Caddies

At least until the British Empire turned its attention to India.

Noor Al-Samarrai, Atlas Obscura

January 18, 2019

Found: Really, Really Old Quinoa

These 3,000-year-old charred seeds are the oldest of their kind ever found in Ontario.

Matthew Taub, Atlas Obscura

January 18, 2019

The Fat Men's Clubs That Revelled in Excess

In 19th-century America, cultural anxieties led to groups where fat was fun.

Rohini Chaki, Atlas Obscura

January 17, 2019

How Singapore's World-Famous Street Food Could Disappear

Hawkers are retiring without successors, taking classic dishes with them.

Michelle Lai, Atlas Obscura

January 16, 2019

For Sale: A Rather Unappetizing Coin Celebrating Berlin's Iconic Currywurst

The sausages are worth saluting, but look better in person.

Jessica Leigh Hester, Atlas Obscura

January 16, 2019