Stargazy Pie, an English pastry dish with fish heads sticking out of it
When it comes to unusual and unappetizing-looking holiday dishes, there are few treats out there that can compete with the Stargazy Pie, a pie with fish heads protruding through its […]
“It’s fart time!”
As far as pastries go, these probably win for having the least tasty-sounding English translation. The reason? The French-Canadian Pet de Soeur literally mean “nun’s fart”. Québécois often bake the […]
January 2: Berchtoldstag
In some areas of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Berchtold Day, or locally Berchtoldstag, is celebrated on this day, January 2. The name of the Alemannic tradition does not refer to a […]
Celebrate the New Year with a Good Luck Pig!
Around the world, lucky foods for the new year range from collard greens (representing green cash) to long noodles (representing a lengthy lifespan), or lentils (representing money and luck). However, […]
Why do Japanese slurp Toshikoshi Soba 年越し蕎麦 on New Year’s Eve 大晦日?
Toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦), delicious buckwheat noodles, is one of Japan’s unique New Year’s customs. The history of this curious tradition dates back around 800 years, to the Kamakura period, and […]
Twelve Grapes: a New Year’s Eve tradition of scarfing down 12 grapes for good luck
When clocks strike midnight on New Year’s Eve many revelers are engaged to pop champagne, set off fireworks, or kiss their partner. Others, instead, in Spain and parts of Latin […]
Greece’s New Year tradition: Vasilopita and the Golden Coin
We are in Greece where, on New Year’s Day, a centuries-old tradition is observed in almost every household, that of Vasilopita (meaning St. Basil’s Cake), a sweet-tasting lucky treat. Across […]
Moose Milk: the Winter Cocktail of the Canadian military
On chilly nights during World War II, there was a potent elixir known as Moose Milk that filled the stomachs (and soothed the souls) of Canadian soldiers. This rich cocktail […]
Rakfisk: Norway’s notorious fermented trout is a tangy Christmas tradition.
The Rakfisk dates back to the ancient Scandinavian culturem when peoples needed to store food over a considerable period of time. The first record of rakfisk probably dates back to […]
The oldest candy store in the world is in England, and has been selling traditional sweets since 1827…
The oldest sweet shop in England, as its name not by chance suggests, is the oldest sweet shop in England. Of course, It’s a right claim, but also modest, as […]
Carrageen Moss Pudding – a sweet, silky Irish pudding with a seaweed as secret ingredient ~
Ever seen “carrageenan” at the end of an incomprehensible list of ingredients on the back of your ice cream tub (or your toothpaste tube, too)? Probably you didn’t know that […]
Why one Australian Island celebrates thanksgiving
Norfolk Island is tiny, both in size and population. It is an Australian territory hundreds of miles from the mainland, that hosts fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. It has nice blue […]
Marlborough pie: a luxurious 19th-Century Thanksgiving Pie
Apparently, four kinds of pie were traditional for Thanksgiving: mince, cranberry, pumpkin, and a kind called Marlborough, a glorification of everyday apple, is said. The single-crust pie of stewed apples […]
Russian Napoleon Cake, the traditional dessert that commemorates the country’s sweet taste of victory over the French emperor in 1812.
In Russia, where Christmas was banned in 1928 during Bolshevik rule and not reinstated until 1991, New Year’s Eve has long been the biggest celebration of the year, with decorative […]
Senate bean soup: since time immemorial on the menu in the U.S. Senate ~
Bean soup has been served in the Senate dining room since time immemorial. However, its origins are as murky as what’s in the bowl. Apparently, around 1904, a bean soup […]
Election Cake: an American almost forgotten tradition
In the first known cookbook written in the United States, Amelia Simmons’s 1796 American Cookery, you’ll find some recipes that seem familiar like the pumpkin pie or the roast turkey, […]
Nekobiyaka: the world’s only black cat cafe
The Japanese castle town of Himeji is home to the only known black cat café in the world, Nekobiyaka, where you can enjoy a refreshing drink in the company of […]
Bolo Lêvedo: Portugal’s volcanic archipelago is home to addictively sweet and chewy muffins…
The beautiful island group of the Azores are one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. Composed of nine very isolated volcanic islands, are situated in the North Atlantic Ocean […]
Møsbrømlefse: the sweet, cheese-filled Norwegian flatbread that keeps Nordlanders nourished during the cold winter
Once a month, in a 130-year-old building in Oslo, Northern Norwegians congregate. Despite the structure itself used to be a health resort, the community isn’t here for steam baths, but […]
Brunost: the norwegians “brown cheese” that tastes like caramel.
Norway’s national diet harks back to its days as a poor country, expecially with preserving fish and meats in salt, lots of potatoes and simple sauces, in a heritage still […]
Hongeo: South Korea’s stinkiest food that smells like a public restroom
Hongeo is a bizarre South Korean dish with a “pungent” aroma that most people describe as a mix of dirty public toilet and wet laundry left untended for days. Made […]
Edivo Vina Winery: dive for a drink at Croatia’s first and only underwater winery!
If you love wine and wandering around French vineyards or visiting California Wine Country isn’t adventurous enough for you, a trip to Croatia’s Pelješac peninsula might need to be your […]
Salmon ATM – frozen in Norway, vended in Singapore!
Recently, in January 2019, a new ATM was unveiled in Singapore’s Wisteria shopping mall. Nothing strange, apparently. However, instead of cash, this machine dispenses 200-gram fillets of frozen salmon from […]
Pfunds Molkerei: in Germany, the world’s most beautiful dairy shop!
Imagine walking into one of most adorned room at Versailles…to buy a piece of cheese. Maybe it sound unlikely, but that’s the feeling you get when you step into the […]
Doodle Soup: a Bradford, Tennessee, favorite for decades~
Try to imagine a truck rolls through Bradford, Tennessee, pulling a sign declaring “God, Family, Doodle Soup.” Well. Probably you never heard of doodle soup. And the reason is simple: […]
Smearcase: a cheesecake named after 19th-century cottage cheese still served in a few Baltimore bakeries.
A dairy wagon in Virginia City, Nevada, made the news when it tipped over in 1878. The Territorial Enterprise published an article called “Whey Goin?” in which a pun-crazed reporter […]
George Crum: the man who invented the potato chip
The almighty potato chip, a culinary marvel in the world of junk food still today, has long been the number one American (and not only) snack food, enjoyed by millions […]
Kek Lapis Sarawak: the Malaysia’s most complex dessert
Kek Lapis Sarawak is a traditional Malaysian cake famous both for its intricate kaleidoscopic appearance and the grueling process required to make it. Kek translates as “cake” and Lapis means […]
Musk Sticks: the classic Australian candy looks like pink toothpaste and smells like old ladies at the bus stop.
While many Australians and New Zealanders love this vintage candy for nostalgic reasons, others detest its shocking perfume flavor. In fact, the so called Musk Sticks have been likened to […]