The quest to taste every fruit on Earth

Something on a shingle, the cheesiest theme park, and more.
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Gastro Obscura

In 2015, Pablo Salvatierra’s search for a psoriasis cure led him to a new life goal: tasting every kind of fruit on Earth. Over the past four years, he’s visited 15 countries and tasted nearly 300 different fruits. He’s enjoyed giant fruits that taste like white chocolate, tiny fruits that resemble pearls, fruits with skin like snakes, and unique bonds between people and their environment in each place.

Finding Potato Paradise

There’s a global network of monuments and museums that celebrate the tater. You can spend the night in a spud-shaped cabin in Idaho, and pay your respects at the grave of the man who popularized potatoes in Europe. Or go back to the source, and admire a glorious rainbow of colors created by the 1,300 varieties grown at a Peruvian agricultural museum. Here are 10 spots to engage in tuber tourism.

A Pub Owner's Undertaking

In the 19th and 20th centuries, publicans in rural Ireland often ran multiple businesses from the same premises to compensate for low foot traffic. Country pubs doubled as groceries, butchers, hardware stores, carpenters, and of course, undertakers. As strange as that may seem, having cold storage and room to hold a wake proved undeniably useful.

Age-Old Island Gardens

In and around Amiens in the French Picardy region, a stretch of floating farmland poses an unusual challenge to local farmers and gardeners. Les Hortillonnages d’Amiens are an age-old, 300-hectare area of marshland where vegetables and flowers grow on gardens connected by 40 miles of canal. Without roads, the only way to navigate the vast area is by flat-bottomed boat.

The Cheesiest Theme Park

Up until a few decades ago, many people in Korea had never heard of cheese, let alone tasted it or made it. Now a 32-acre cheese-themed fun park in the small county of Imsil is an expression of the country’s love affair with the food. The Imsil Cheese Theme Park is a cheese heaven where you can learn about, make, and eat the delightful form of dairy.

S.O.S. for Breakfast

Shit on a Shingle might not sound dinner-appropriate, but it’s definitely breakfast-appropriate. The unofficial term—abbreviated as “S.O.S.”—became popular slang among American soldiers during World War II. It refers to “cream chipped beef on toast,” a dish that’s been featured in Army cookbooks for over 100 years.

Special Sumo Stew

In sumo wrestling, the heavier competitor has an advantage—there are no separate weight classes. Wrestlers, therefore, will eat and eat and eat in a highly regimented fashion to get as large as they can. At the heart of this process is a stew called chanko, sometimes known as chanko-nabe. (‘Nabe’ means pot.) Chanko has come to symbolize the sport and dominate wrestlers’ lives—even after they retire.

Atlas Obscura Courses

Next week! Food, Foraging & Mythology

Over four weeks, forager Lori McCarthy and herbalist Felicity Roberts will dig into the meaning of autumn festivals through the sacred foods that accompany them. We’ll cover ciders, cheese-making, pasta-making, canning, cooking over fire, foraging, charcuterie, and so much more, as well as each item’s history and surrounding folklore. Throughout, students will have ample opportunity to experiment, explore, and reflect during mini-assignments between sessions.

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