Mark Hay's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Gastro Obscura
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arctic

Inside Greenland's Misunderstood Winter Delicacy

Kiviaq, a mainstay on many "weird foods" lists, is an incredible feat of fermentation and cultural touchstone.
March 7, 2023
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blood food

The Strange Endurance of Consuming Human Blood for Our Health

From draining slain gladiators to modern-day "sangs," people have long looked to blood as a panacea.
October 31, 2022
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warriors

The Mystery of the Puffer Fish Helmets of Kiribati

This ceremonial headwear was a cultural touchstone before it became a colonial curiosity.
April 26, 2022
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herbs

How the Rage for Sage Threatens Native American Traditions and Recipes

In Southern California, the popularity of white sage threatens its survival.
April 1, 2022
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relics of the 1920s

When the Government Banned PBR, Pabst Made Cheese Instead

Selling dairy products helped the brewery survive Prohibition.
April 7, 2020
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food crime

In 1930s New York, the Mayor Took on the Mafia by Banning Artichokes

Gangs and mafiosos have a long history with food crime.
January 17, 2020
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spirits week

Scottish Singles Used to Spend Halloween Picking Kale

The leafy green once foretold the future.
October 23, 2019
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marketing

How Peru’s Inca Kola Triumphed Over Coke

Appeals to patriotism helped it become the country’s signature flavor.
August 13, 2019
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jello

Before Jell-O, Colorful Gelatin Desserts Were Haute Cuisine

Celebrity chefs served molded jelly dishes to monarchs and royalty.
April 22, 2019
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genocide

The Hidden History of the Nutmeg Island That Was Traded for Manhattan

Dutch colonists committed genocide to secure a spice monopoly. But there's more to the story.
February 28, 2019
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dictators

How Survivors of Stalinism Created a New Korean-Fusion Cuisine

When the Koryo Saram were forcibly relocated, they forged new identities.
September 10, 2018
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caffeine

In Istanbul, Drinking Coffee in Public Was Once Punishable by Death

Rulers throughout Europe and the Middle East once tried to ban the black brew.
May 22, 2018
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marketing

Why Eating Insects Is an American Tradition

Both Native Americans and colonists enjoyed fried cicadas, grasshopper flour, and insect fruitcakes.
April 2, 2018
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roads

How Alaska’s Roadkill Gets a Second Life as Dinner

A unique system turns moose killed in collisions into meals.
January 16, 2018
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curry

The Conqueror Who Longed for Melons

Many Indian dishes can be traced back, indirectly, to a 16th-century, food-obsessed ruler named Babur.
November 15, 2017