Wondrous food to explore and enjoy

Gastro Obscura

Read 2013 Gastro Stories

The Glamorous Train Line That Justified a Brutal Occupation

Even the lunch menu had a nationalistic agenda.

December 18, 2017

How a Brewer and the Government Killed Colombia's Ancestral Drink

They conspired to replace chicha with clean, healthy beer.

December 18, 2017

Found: The Remains of an 18th-Century English Coffeehouse

Archaeologists think that calf's foot jelly was its signature dish.

December 18, 2017

colorful consumables

Watch a Dondurma Vendor Trick Customers Before Handing Them Treats

Turkish ice cream lends itself to delightful antics.

December 15, 2017

Since 1700, Wine Glasses Have Gotten 7 Times Bigger

And they probably make us drink more.

December 15, 2017

cloistered comestibles

Why Monks and Nuns Make So Many Beloved Foods

Tastes like heaven.

December 15, 2017

Building a Life-Sized Gingerbread House Takes Over 10,000 Cookie Bricks

To be ready by Christmas, you better start baking in August.

December 14, 2017

Vending Machines in the U.S. Once Dispensed More Than Chips and Cookies

Where did the pie and hot dogs go?

December 13, 2017

In 19th-Century Britain, The Hottest Status Symbol Was a Painting of Your Cow

The livestock looked surprisingly geometric.

December 13, 2017

founding fathers

How a Thirst for Portuguese Wine Fueled the American Revolution

Madeira taxes stoked tensions, then paid for the war.

December 13, 2017

Why Does Some Food Taste Better as Leftovers?

A tasty question for the ages.

December 13, 2017

New Jersey’s ‘Sopranos’ Strip Club to Be Shuttered for Alleged Mob Activity

This is what happens when you try to keep business in the family.

December 12, 2017

Found: A 3,100-Year-Old Tomb Full of Bronze Cauldrons and Other Food Vessels

Archaeologists believe they were spoils of war.

December 12, 2017

Researchers Built a 'Nose' to Find Rotting Food and Dead People

Say goodbye to the sniff test!

December 12, 2017

How a Victim’s Last Meal Can Identify a Killer

To solve crimes, two botanists identify half-digested potatoes, tomatoes, and lettuce under a microscope.

December 12, 2017

Feast Your Eyes on This 100-Year-Old Box of Chocolates

You can buy it too.

December 11, 2017

Recreating King Midas's 2,700-Year-Old Feast

A mysterious tomb contained a royal feast. Scientific analysis made it possible to taste once again.

December 11, 2017

A Secret Supper Club's Marvelous Musical Meal

The members-only Spring Street Social Society branches out into interactive theater.