Ike Allen's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Tambon Chong Sakae, Thailand

Solar Chicken

In Phetchaburi, Thailand, a roadside vendor cooks his fare with 1,000 mirrors and the power of the sun.
Breadfruit Salad
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Breadfruit Salad

This tropical fruit once sparked a famous mutiny and now serves as a starch alternative in potato salad.
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Snickers Salad
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Snickers Salad

Made of candy and Cool Whip, this “salad” is a mainstay at Midwestern potlucks.
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Bunny Chow
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Bunny Chow

This curry-on-the-go hails from South Africa.
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Canned Bread
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Canned Bread

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

The bitter herb served on Passover can be anything from horseradish to lettuce.
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Sourdough Starter
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Sourdough Starter

A century-old organism creates some of the world's best bread.
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Cuy
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Cuy

The guinea pig is both food and pet in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
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Chuños
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Chuños

A key step in the Andean technique of freeze-drying potatoes is stomping on them.
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Chopped Cheese
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Chopped Cheese

This staple sandwich of Brooklyn delis has become a symbol of gentrification.
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Kearny, New Jersey

Sky Mound

This huge work of functional public art replaced a landfill in New Jersey's Meadowlands.
Taco Rice
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Taco Rice

This Okinawan specialty resembles a Japanese take on Taco Bell.
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Gloucestershire, England

Severn Bore

This stretch of the River Severn where large waves flow against the current is the birthplace of river surfing.
Arlington, Virginia

Arlington Temple United Methodist Church

This church built atop a gas station promises to "equip you for the next stage in your life’s journey."
Huitlacoche
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Huitlacoche

The Mexican fungal delicacy that makes corn taste like a mushroom.
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Dutch Soused Herring
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Dutch Soused Herring

No one eats pickled herring like the Dutch.
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Jell-O Salad
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Jell-O Salad

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

Museo de Arte Popular

An airy Art Deco space devoted to the weird and wonderful folk art traditions of Mexico.
Mexico City, Mexico

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo House Studio Museum

The famous artist couple lived and worked here, in two different houses separated by a bridge.
New York, New York

St. Luke's Place Coal Hole Covers

These ornate manhole covers were used for a now-forgotten purpose.
Anchorage, Alaska

Neighborhood Airplane Hangars

A suburban street in Anchorage doubles as a runway, and each home has its own airplane hangar.
Lisbon, Portugal

Preserved Head of Diogo Alves

An early Portuguese serial killer's head is alarmingly well preserved in a jar at the University of Lisbon.
East Lansing, Michigan

Moist Towelette Museum

Housed in the university planetarium, the thousand-strong collection of tiny towelettes includes a used one from the hosts of Car Talk.
Los Angeles, California

Marciano Art Foundation

A long-vacant Scottish Rite temple in Hollywood has been converted into an art museum filled with Masonic relics.