allirab's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Podstakannik
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Podstakannik

These old-school metal tea-glass holders are a fixture on Russian trains.
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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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Nimbu Mirchi
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Nimbu Mirchi

These dangling decorations of lemon and chili peppers are meant to ward off a goddess of misfortune.
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Sharkskin Wasabi Grater
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Sharkskin Wasabi Grater

Traditional sushi chefs produce optimal condiments with this ancient tool.
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Necco Wafers
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Sweets

Necco Wafers

Produced since 1847, these classic New England candies almost disappeared in 2018.
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Soor Plooms
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Sweets

Soor Plooms

Sour green sweets commemorate a victorious Scottish skirmish of 1337.
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Kvass
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Drinks

Kvass

You can find authentic versions of this sour Slavic brew at street stalls and monasteries.
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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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Bovril
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Ingredients & Condiments

Bovril

This "Fluid of Beef" fed an army and makes a hearty tea.
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Scrapple
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Prepared Foods

Scrapple

Pennsylvania's pork loaf embodies Amish resourcefulness.
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Sarde in Saor
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Prepared Foods

Sarde in Saor

Venetians celebrate the end of a 16th-century plague with sweet and sour sardines.
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Irn-Bru
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Drinks

Irn-Bru

A citrusy cream soda with a hint of rust outsells Coca-Cola in Scotland.
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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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Taiyaki
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Sweets

Taiyaki

This pancake pays tribute to one of Japan's favorite fish.
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Pig's Blood Cake
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Prepared Foods

Pig's Blood Cake

Beneath a blanket of peanut flour and cilantro, this Taiwanese street pop hides a savory surprise.
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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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Narutomaki
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Meats & Animal Products

Narutomaki

It's a whirlpool, it's an emoji, it's a fishcake!
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Clambake
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Clambake

An ancient cooking method still produces delicious, beachside feasts.
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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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Pork Roll
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Meats & Animal Products

Pork Roll

Don't call the crown jewel of New Jersey "Canadian bacon."
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Birch Beer
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Drinks

Birch Beer

This cousin of root beer has a long history and a surprisingly minty taste.
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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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Cel-Ray
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Drinks

Cel-Ray

Quench your thirst with the refreshing taste of celery soda.
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