Ian Sanwald's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Leaderboard Highlights
Ian Sanwald's activity rankings
1st
Places visited in Michigan
1st
Places edited in Sandown, England
1st
Places visited in Battle Creek, Michigan
2nd
Places edited in Indianapolis, Indiana
4th
Places visited in Ann Arbor, Michigan
4th
Places visited in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Biltong
Gastro Obscura
Story
Meats & Animal Products

Biltong

This spiced jerky is a beloved snack in South Africa.
Gastro Obscura
Smiley Fritz
Gastro Obscura
Story
Meats & Animal Products

Smiley Fritz

The meat that literally puts a smile on Australians' faces.
Gastro Obscura
Kibbeh Nayyeh
Gastro Obscura
Story
Meats & Animal Products

Kibbeh Nayyeh

This raw meat meze from Lebanon is as fresh as it gets.
Gastro Obscura
Drunken Cheese
Gastro Obscura
Story
Meats & Animal Products

Drunken Cheese

The aging process of this formaggio begins in a barrel of wine.
Gastro Obscura
Heather Honey
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Heather Honey

A fragrant, difficult-to-harvest delicacy from the Scottish moorlands.
Gastro Obscura
Black Garlic
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Black Garlic

These inky cloves have aged like a fine wine.
Gastro Obscura
Chocolate Daisy
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Chocolate Daisy

This wildflower releases a cocoa fragrance each morning.
Gastro Obscura
Calçot
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Calçot

The Catalan green onion has its own festival.
Gastro Obscura
Durian
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Durian

The fruit so pungent it's banned from trains, hotels, and public places.
Gastro Obscura
Buddha's Hand
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Buddha's Hand

Smells like lavender, tastes like lemon rind, looks like a gnarled claw fresh from your nightmares. 
Gastro Obscura
Stinging Nettles
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Stinging Nettles

Boil away this plant's poisonous hairs, and you're left with a tasty, spinach-like leaf.
Gastro Obscura
Bitter Melon
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Bitter Melon

This nightmarish-looking fruit has serious healing potential.
Gastro Obscura
Cotton Candy Grapes
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Cotton Candy Grapes

A crossbred table grape variety that tastes an awful lot like spun sugar.
Gastro Obscura
Taro Stems
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Taro Stems

These absorbent stalks make perfect flavor sponges in Vietnamese cuisine.
Gastro Obscura
Blenheim Apricot
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Blenheim Apricot

Snap judgments may spell trouble for what was once the king of California apricots.
Gastro Obscura
Salt Cellars
Gastro Obscura
Story

Salt Cellars

These embellished containers didn’t just sit pretty on the table; they determined social standing.
Gastro Obscura
Clambake
Gastro Obscura
Story

Clambake

An ancient cooking method still produces delicious, beachside feasts.
Gastro Obscura
Peyote
Gastro Obscura
Story

Peyote

Mexican and American Indians have a long history with this powerful cactus.
Gastro Obscura
Chicken of the Woods
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Chicken of the Woods

This mushroom tastes just like chicken.
Gastro Obscura
Superman Ice Cream
Gastro Obscura
Story
Sweets

Superman Ice Cream

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a classic Midwestern treat!
Gastro Obscura
Dutch Baby
Gastro Obscura
Story
Prepared Foods

Dutch Baby

Fluffy, crispy, and large enough to share, it's no ordinary pancake.
Gastro Obscura
Boiled Green Peanuts
Gastro Obscura
Story
Prepared Foods

Boiled Green Peanuts

Roadside vendors in the Deep South soften fresh goobers with bubbling brine.
Gastro Obscura
Bakeapple
Gastro Obscura
Story
Fruits & Vegetables

Bakeapple

Almost every Newfoundlander has a secret spot for foraging this honey-sweet berry.
Gastro Obscura
Kentucky Beer Cheese
Gastro Obscura
Story
Ingredients & Condiments

Kentucky Beer Cheese

A match made in heaven (and also Kentucky).
Gastro Obscura