Foods Samir S. Patel Has Tried

Grown only on the volcanic soil of Hawaiʻi’s Big Island, this coffee is known for its subtle, rich flavor and hordes of unscrupulous imitators.

A fragrant, difficult-to-harvest delicacy from the Scottish moorlands.

The caffeinated wine is made by British monks and loved by Scottish criminals.

Vendors fill these crispy pancakes with as many meats, sweets, or vegetables as their imaginations allow.

These ornately decorated spice cookies developed alongside a Russian city's gun industry.

Soft young cones make a sweet jam believed to have health benefits in Russia and Georgia.

These pink cookies are destined to be dunked in champagne.

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

Sour green sweets commemorate a victorious Scottish skirmish of 1337.

A very non-vegan dish inspired this vegan chocolate.

This hand-pulled cotton candy treat from Iran looks like threads of unspun silk.

This pineapple soft serve has a cult following at Disney theme parks.

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

Don’t worry: This sweet, creamy Mormon potluck staple isn’t actually made of frogs.

Candy makers recently resurrected this crispy Chicago confection from the graveyard of vintage sweets.

This brandy-spiked recipe reveals the reclusive poet was actually a well-known baker.

The Carnival cake comes with a hidden baby Jesus inside.

Economists use this cheesy bread as a metric for cost of living between Georgian cities.

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

These Polish pre-Lent doughnuts have taken on a life (and an eating contest) of their own in the United States.

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

Smashing this pink candy pig with a tiny hammer is a Christmas tradition in Saratoga Springs.

A bloody good candy bar.

The plant's fruit, leaves, and bark offer a spice rack of flavors.