Foods David Plotz Has Tried

Iceland's fermented, dried shark smells like urine and can taste like strong cheese.

Icelanders make a very, very good dog.

Iceland's thick, chewy "hot spring bread" is just like regular rye bread, with one big difference.

Grown in the volcanic soil around Mt. Vesuvius, these tomatoes are one of only a couple varieties used in authentic Neapolitan pizza.

Produced since 1847, these classic New England candies almost disappeared in 2018.

Popular in colonial New England, this “apple molasses” is now made by only a handful of commercial producers.

Some Bretons claim that their signature treat is the fattiest pastry in the world.

A pharmaceutical company developed this beverage as drinkable IV solution.

In this tangy treat, no part of the citrus is left behind.

Pressed from frozen grapes, this prized wine was a sweet accident.

A 2,500-year-old Persian dessert evolved into this Indian summertime favorite.

These pink cookies are destined to be dunked in champagne.

This New Year's luck-bringer has a controversial contemporary taste.

A sweet and sticky accident from Derbyshire, England.

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

Follow your nose through Taipei for this crispy, warm street snack.

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

Historians debate whether this dish actually originated with Italian sex workers.

The Detroit favorite is one of the oldest sodas in the United States.

This curry celebrates Japan's maritime history.

These delicious strands of juice-coated nuts look like colorful candlesticks.

Real maraschinos were born more than a century ago in an Italian distillery.

Most sushi fans have never tried this rare rhizome.

In small towns across the state, an Easter tradition becomes a competitive sport.