TheIronSpike's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Mortadella
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Meats & Animal Products

Mortadella

Baloney's predecessor is sweet, delicately spiced, and bigger than your head.
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Budae Jjigae
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Prepared Foods

Budae Jjigae

All is fare in the Korean War.
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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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San Marzano Tomatoes
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Fruits & Vegetables

San Marzano Tomatoes

Grown in the volcanic soil around Mt. Vesuvius, these tomatoes are one of only a couple varieties used in authentic Neapolitan pizza.
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Coffee Crisp
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Sweets

Coffee Crisp

This candy rarely ventures beyond Canada's borders.
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XO Sauce
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Ingredients & Condiments

XO Sauce

This savory seafood condiment is named after the finest cognacs.
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Rillettes
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Prepared Foods

Rillettes

Spread this fat-poached meat on a crusty French loaf.
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Pork Floss
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Ingredients & Condiments

Pork Floss

This cotton candy-like garnish is made of dried, candied meat.
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Senate Bean Soup
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Prepared Foods

Senate Bean Soup

A bland but storied soup is always on the menu in the U.S. Senate.
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Boston Baked Beans
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Sweets

Boston Baked Beans

In the 1920s, confectioners thought the public wanted candy that looked like legumes—and they were right.
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Bitter Melon
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Fruits & Vegetables

Bitter Melon

This nightmarish-looking fruit has serious healing potential.
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Beef Dripping
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Ingredients & Condiments

Beef Dripping

You can roast your potatoes in this rendered fat, or just spread it on bread and eat it cold.
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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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Shit on a Shingle
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Prepared Foods

Shit on a Shingle

This is what happens when soldiers pick a new name for meat on bread.
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Miracle Berries
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Fruits & Vegetables

Miracle Berries

When life gives you lemons, this tropical fruit makes 'em taste like lemonade.
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The Fluffernutter
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Prepared Foods

The Fluffernutter

A completely delicious, nearly nutrient-free sandwich beloved by generations of New Englanders.
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Cheerwine
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Drinks

Cheerwine

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

Pawpaw

The oldest fruit native to North America is probably the least known.
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Maggi Seasoning
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Ingredients & Condiments

Maggi Seasoning

This condiment proves that what the world considers delicious is (nearly) universal.
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Ackee
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Fruits & Vegetables

Ackee

Jamaica's national fruit is poisonous and resembles scrambled eggs.
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Orbitz
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Drinks

Orbitz

This drink hasn't been produced since the late nineties, but still has a cult following.
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Bonito Flakes
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Meats & Animal Products

Bonito Flakes

Some fish can dance.
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Umeboshi
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Fruits & Vegetables

Umeboshi

These salted, pickled plums are an ancient Japanese hangover cure.
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Shrub
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Drinks

Shrub

Before refrigeration, mixing fruit with sugar and vinegar extended its shelf life and made for a tasty drink.
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