Anne Ewbank's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Gastro Obscura
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secret lives of museums

Why Museums Display Ancient Pastries and Beef Older Than Christ

People love food, even when it's behind a glass case.
September 13, 2019
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teeth

Found: The Earliest Direct Evidence of Milk Consumption

Lactose intolerance was no match for a prehistoric desire for dairy.
September 10, 2019
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food scare

When the Cure for Poisonous Cider Was Hours of Bathtime

Doctors sent "Devonshire colic" patients to soak in the town of Bath.
August 19, 2019
Gastro Obscura
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breakfast

Around the World in 380 Breakfasts

A cookbook devoted to morning meals showcases chocolate-fish porridge, ice-cream brioche, and more.
August 16, 2019
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pie

How Alaska Became Home to Humongous Rhubarb

The leafy green grows to monstrous size under the midnight sun.
July 30, 2019
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contests

The Centuries-Old Society Dedicated to Growing the 'Forgotten Fruit'

To the tune of a ukelele orchestra, growers face off over gooseberries.
July 22, 2019
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farming

The World’s Only Traditional Māori Garden Was Made From Memories

Once gardens, then a garbage dump, then back to gardens.
July 11, 2019
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heirloom

Around the World in 125 Melons

It took nine years to grow and photograph all the melons in this book.
July 8, 2019
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chocolate

America's Early Female College Students Held Illicit Fudge Parties

"Vassar chocolates" became emblems of women's education.
June 28, 2019
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food crime

The Coast Guard Just Busted a Garlic-Smuggling Operation in the Caribbean

Nations around the world are fighting the fragrant crime.
June 26, 2019
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computers

Why a Computer History Museum Owns a Legendary Teapot

For computer-graphics researchers, it's both a tool and a meme.
June 19, 2019
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extinct eats

When the Māori First Settled New Zealand, They Hunted Flightless, 500-Pound Birds

The magnificent moa is no more.
June 14, 2019
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cookbooks

The Glamorous Australian Guide to Eating Invasive Species

An edgy new cookbook has recipes for camel, cane toad, and feral cat.
May 22, 2019
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eat like a...

Being an Ottoman Janissary Meant War, Mutiny, and Baklava

To overthrow the sultan, janissaries first threw over their cooking pots.
May 21, 2019
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caffeine

The Coolest Coffee Maker of the 19th Century Was a Tabletop Train

Only the very wealthy could afford these delicate contraptions.
May 15, 2019
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sauce

When Wine and Sauce Labels Were Glorious Works of Art

The wealthy once labeled their ketchup, soy sauce, and champagne with style.
May 1, 2019
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scandal

The Thorny Tale of America's Favorite Botanist and His Spineless Cacti

Luther Burbank dreamed of deserts filled with cow food.
April 24, 2019
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easter

How Easter Egg Trees Almost Became an American Tradition

Like the Christmas tree, they were probably a German import.
April 17, 2019
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cowboys

The Company Building Chuck Wagons for Races and Cowboy Cookoffs

A South Dakota shop still builds the iconic wagons.
April 15, 2019
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cooking

Before the Easy-Bake Oven, Toy Stoves Were Beautiful and Deadly

They burned real fuel and caused real damage.
April 10, 2019
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food festivals

Edible Book Festivals Are for Pun and Food Lovers

It's been widely celebrated for almost 20 years.
March 20, 2019
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mardi gras

The Haunting History of 'Frozen Charlotte' Dolls

They were baked into cakes and dropped into baths.
March 4, 2019
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mayan

Archaeologists, Mayanists, and Hershey’s Collaborated to Reveal This Ancient Vessel’s Secrets

Both the inside and outside spelled out chocolate.
February 21, 2019
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grapes

These Physicists Finally Figured Out Why Microwaved Grapes Ignite

They're raisin hell.
February 20, 2019