Foods JLowdown Wants to Try

The ocean-scented brew pays homage to an old Scottish style.

When life gives you burnt rice, make tea.

The mellow-buzz brew that once fueled Native Americans is making a comeback.

Every mug of Nepalese millet beer is basically bottomless.

This ceremonial Mayan brew has evolved into a sweet, smoky spirit in the Chiapas highlands.

Neither tea nor hot chocolate, this Caribbean cocoa drink is in a league of its own.

Teething babies and royalty were fans of this British city's signature sherry.

The South American bean that looks like cotton candy and tastes like ice cream.

In Kochi, Japan, river laver gets deep-fried into an earthy, crunchy treat.

These adorable buns hide savory and sweet surprises.

Soviet cafeterias whipped up this chocolate “potato” to use leftovers.

These Mexican bugs taste like cinnamon and alleviate arthritis pain.

Elderly villagers hunt the digger wasps that stud these Japanese rice crackers.

The briny, refreshing ice cream acts as a cooling chaser to spicy meals.

This cocktail is a New York City summertime staple, albeit an illegal one.

In medieval Germany, drinkers followed a star to local lager.

Oaxaca's favorite morning beverage is an ancient blend of cacao, corn flour, and water.

On the slopes of Kilimanjaro, brewers make beer from bananas and finger millet.

Benedictine monks in Oregon brew and serve this dark, heady beer.

In northern Scandinavia, cups of coffee get enhanced with cheese.

Invented in Scotland in the late 1800s, this syrupy “instant coffee” is now a beloved baking ingredient.

Sicilian nuns once hung these sugary "fruits" from tree branches.

Residents of this Greek island distill mastic sap, the "tears of Chios," into a piney-sweet liqueur.

A decadent blend of coffee, whipped egg, and butter have made this wartime invention a modern-day favorite.