Anne Ewbank's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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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
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valentine's day

Why a Museum Owns a Chocolate Company's Embroidery Collection

The Whitman Sampler Collection is pretty sweet.
February 15, 2019
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agriculture

America's Pistachio Industry Came From a Single Seed

A "plant explorer" helped establish the crop in California.
February 11, 2019
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sheep

For Thousands of Years, People Have Been Obsessed With Fat-Tailed Sheep

Writers and artists found them entrancing.
February 5, 2019
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cookbook

In Medieval Baghdad, Rulers Held Elite Cook-Offs

The "Iron Chef of medieval times" could have serious consequences.
January 30, 2019
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haggis

The Myth and Mystery of Scotland's Wild Haggis

The creature is said to be the source of the iconic Scottish dish.
January 15, 2019
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fame

How £100 Bought an Obscure British Actor 224 Years of Cake and Fame

Thespians, writers, and princes all dined on Baddeley cake.
January 4, 2019
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new year nibbles

Ring in the New Year With a Good Luck Pig

Whether roast pork or marzipan, a pig is a symbol of good fortune.
December 31, 2018
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toast

Toasting Your Friends Once Involved Actual Toast

As in crispy bread.
December 26, 2018
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chili peppers

When the Christmas Plant Was a Pepper, Not a Poinsettia

Chilis were once holiday must-haves.
December 20, 2018
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gingerbread

Why Hungarians Make the World's Most Beautiful Gingerbread

Christmas, Easter, and weddings all call for the spicy dough.
December 19, 2018
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distillery

Five Siblings Run the U.S.'s Only Baijiu Distillery in Their Mom's Backyard

Only in Portland.
December 17, 2018
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immigration

Why a Minnesota Pastor Wrote an Obituary for a Lutefisk Dinner

RIP Faith Lutheran Scandinavian Dinner, 1947-2017.
December 6, 2018
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food art

The Historians Cooking Up Mythical Beasts

Making a cokentryce calls for needle, thread, and a lot of meat.
November 27, 2018