For special occasions, Norwegians stack 18 rings of cake into a tower.

This “brown cheese” tastes like caramel.

This Christmas tree elixir kept Vikings and Captain Cook alive.

A sweet, warm cocktail to chase away the chill of Andean nights.

The decadent pastry almost outshines the Slovenian lake it's named for.

This rare, smoky chile grows only in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca.

A spirit that toasts a time when proofing your liquor meant setting it aflame.

In the mountains of the Philippines, nuns raise funds with a sweet spread made from purple yams.

The Rwandan condiment is so spicy, it's served with eyedroppers.

Northeast Indian markets sell this glittery, sour fruit in bags with salt chasers.

The ancestral soup of the Q’eqchi’ Maya packs heat and history.

Each batch begins with an apple tree overlooking Samuel Morse's grave.

This ceremonial Mayan brew has evolved into a sweet, smoky spirit in the Chiapas highlands.

Even a local sports team pays homage to these white-crusted, savory spuds.

The way to celebrate unmarried Danes’ 25th and 30th birthdays is to attack them with spices.

Fizzy, fruity, and still fermenting, this almost-wine is a celebrated part of Austria's harvest season.

Small Haitian distilleries are producing some of the purest rum in the world.

Portugal's volcanic archipelago is home to addictively sweet and chewy muffins.

At a subterranean Edinburgh bar, drinkers can assemble their cocktails via kitschy claw machine.

Japan's traditional temple cuisine features meals that are nutritionally and visually balanced.

These tricky pitchers turned pouring into a complex drinking game.

Outside chapels carved from cliffs and caves, elderly women sell sweet, beautiful breads rooted in Armenia’s Christian traditions.

The sweet potato donuts are an integral part of the Afro-Peruvian community.

Nothing says “happy holidays” quite like mulled wine and a flaming, rum-soaked sugar loaf.