Foods joanbugmurphy Has Tried

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

You eat the shell, too.

This cousin of root beer has a long history and a surprisingly minty taste.

The cornmeal patty that Rhode Islanders eat morning, noon, and night.

This cure-all-turned-soda once outsold Coca-Cola.

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

Pastrami fans will find the taste of this Canadian spice blend very familiar.

It's so much more than just mayonnaise and ketchup.

Where maple sap flows, all one needs to make taffy is snow.

This varietal of rice is so good that it's compared to ice cream.

A New England tradition of steaming bread in coffee tins gave rise to this niche snack.

Smells like lavender, tastes like lemon rind, looks like a gnarled claw fresh from your nightmares. 

Mornings in Amish country once called for pie-cake and coffee.

A ritual that showcases the beauty of the present moment.

The Carnival cake comes with a hidden baby Jesus inside.

The birthplace of coffee celebrates community with a sensory feast.

Ice cream made with fresh snow is a beloved Southern tradition.

Mexico's “mouse melon” is actually a tiny cucumber.

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a classic Midwestern treat!

Spiced meat sauce meets spaghetti, shredded cheese, and beans in a Midwest cult favorite.

In the 1970s, housewives stabbed their cakes and filled the holes with Jell-O.

In Alabama, smoked meat gets dressed up in white.

Baloney's predecessor is sweet, delicately spiced, and bigger than your head.

Roadside vendors in the Deep South soften fresh goobers with bubbling brine.