colinm's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Lussekatter
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Sweets

Lussekatter

These saffron buns are eaten on Lucia Day in Sweden.
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Bonito Flakes
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Meats & Animal Products

Bonito Flakes

Some fish can dance.
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Matcha Chasen
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Matcha Chasen

To make the perfect matcha, start with the perfect whisk.
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Nattō
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Prepared Foods

Nattō

These pungent fermented soybeans are coated in probiotic slime.
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Omurice
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Prepared Foods

Omurice

Japanese cooks riff on American diner food with this rice-and-ketchup omelet.
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Okonomiyaki
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Prepared Foods

Okonomiyaki

A wartime rice scarcity made this versatile pancake a Japanese staple.
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Pocari Sweat
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Drinks

Pocari Sweat

A pharmaceutical company developed this beverage as drinkable IV solution.
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Ramune
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Drinks

Ramune

The Japanese soda still comes in a marble-stoppered bottle from the 19th century.
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Takoyaki
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Prepared Foods

Takoyaki

Osaka's most famous dish is an octopus-stuffed fried dough ball.
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Real Wasabi
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Ingredients & Condiments

Real Wasabi

Most sushi fans have never tried this rare rhizome.
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Japanese Tea Ceremony
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Japanese Tea Ceremony

A ritual that showcases the beauty of the present moment.
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Okinawa Black Sugar
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Ingredients & Condiments

Okinawa Black Sugar

It's darker, saltier, and healthier than white sugar.
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Buddha's Hand
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Fruits & Vegetables

Buddha's Hand

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

Wagashi

These Japanese sweets demonstrate the ephemeral beauty of the seasons.
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Taiyaki
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Sweets

Taiyaki

This pancake pays tribute to one of Japan's favorite fish.
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Pineapple Bun
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Sweets

Pineapple Bun

This sweet treat is so beloved in Hong Kong, it inspired an animated movie.
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Pineapple Bun With BBQ Pork
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Prepared Foods

Pineapple Bun With BBQ Pork

Two Chinese bakery specialties, combined into one.
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Snakefruit
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Fruits & Vegetables

Snakefruit

Beneath its serpent-like skin lies pineapple-flavored flesh.
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Durian
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Fruits & Vegetables

Durian

The fruit so pungent it's banned from trains, hotels, and public places.
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Son-in-Law Eggs
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Prepared Foods

Son-in-Law Eggs

In Thai lore, these fried hard-boiled eggs are a delicious warning for a misbehaving husband.
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Butterfly Pea Flower
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Ingredients & Condiments

Butterfly Pea Flower

With a squeeze of lemon, this plant can turn any drink into a color-changing mood ring.
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Pandan Leaf Extract
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Ingredients & Condiments

Pandan Leaf Extract

This plant adds a hint of vanilla and a wash of brilliant green to any dish.
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Vietnamese Egg Coffee
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Drinks

Vietnamese Egg Coffee

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