Nancy Bortz's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Nancy Bortz's activity rankings
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Places visited in Qaqortoq, Greenland
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Places visited in Longyearbyen, Norway
1st
Places visited in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
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Places visited in Jefferson City, Missouri
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Places visited in Civitavecchia, Italy
Montreal Steak Spice
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Ingredients & Condiments

Montreal Steak Spice

Pastrami fans will find the taste of this Canadian spice blend very familiar.
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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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Henderson's Relish
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Ingredients & Condiments

Henderson's Relish

Sheffield’s secret sauce has a cult following.
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Red-Eye Gravy
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Ingredients & Condiments

Red-Eye Gravy

Once described as a “divine elixir,” this Southern sauce typically gets its spunk from coffee.
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Horlicks Malted Milk
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Ingredients & Condiments

Horlicks Malted Milk

This powder proved essential to Arctic exploration, war, and the ice cream parlor.
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Durian
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Fruits & Vegetables

Durian

The fruit so pungent it's banned from trains, hotels, and public places.
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Maine Wild Blueberries
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Fruits & Vegetables

Maine Wild Blueberries

The sweet, tiny wild berries are only available for two months each year.
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Buddha's Hand
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Fruits & Vegetables

Buddha's Hand

Smells like lavender, tastes like lemon rind, looks like a gnarled claw fresh from your nightmares. 
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African Horned Cucumber
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Fruits & Vegetables

African Horned Cucumber

The spiky, fruit cup-flavored orb made an appearance on “Star Trek.”
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Cotton Candy Grapes
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Fruits & Vegetables

Cotton Candy Grapes

A crossbred table grape variety that tastes an awful lot like spun sugar.
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Licorice Root
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Fruits & Vegetables

Licorice Root

The washed and dried root of the licorice plant was once a popular natural “candy.”
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Cherimoya
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Fruits & Vegetables

Cherimoya

Growing this sweet, tropical fruit sometimes requires careful hand-pollination with a paint brush.
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Butter Molds
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Butter Molds

These intricate stamps are relics from a time when dairy farmers beautifully branded their products.
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Papal Gelatin Molds
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Papal Gelatin Molds

The competing papal and Napoleonic seals on the cookware tell the story of the battle between an emperor and a pope.
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Salt Cellars
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Salt Cellars

These embellished containers didn’t just sit pretty on the table; they determined social standing.
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Celery Vase
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Celery Vase

Remembering a time when designated celery vases were prized centerpieces.
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Butter Cows
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Butter Cows

These dairy-based sculptures have been state fair traditions for more than a century.
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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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The Zombie
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Drinks

The Zombie

Donn Beach only wrote the recipe for his famously potent cocktail in secret code.
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Grasshopper
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Drinks

Grasshopper

This bright green cocktail doubles as dessert.
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Orbitz
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Drinks

Orbitz

This drink hasn't been produced since the late nineties, but still has a cult following.
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Berliner Weisse
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Drinks

Berliner Weisse

Pink or green syrup turns a historic German ale into a tart, sweet delight.
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Palm Springs Date Shakes
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Drinks

Palm Springs Date Shakes

The prosperous Southern California date industry produces delicious milkshakes.
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Egg Cream
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Drinks

Egg Cream

A fizzy, chocolate drink that harkens back to the days of Brooklyn soda fountains.
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