The stunning death candy of Sweden's upper class

Win a pink pineapple, admire turnip jack-o’-lanterns, and more.
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Gastro Obscura

Candy at a Funeral

Among the 19th-century Swedish upper class, families distributed ornately-decorated candy at important events. There was confectionery at weddings, baptisms, and anniversaries. But there was funeral confectionery, too, and the sweets—shrouded in images of skulls, graves, and skeletons—did little to sugar-coat the sad occasion.

The Root of All Evil

Jack-o’-lanterns originated in Ireland, where for centuries people have carved turnips and other root vegetables to ward off evil spirits. When Irish immigrants arrived in the United States in the 19th century, they discovered the pumpkin, which resulted in the jolly American jack-o’-lantern that dominates Halloween imagery today.

Tiny Replicas of Beloved Dive Bars

Santa Barbara doesn’t have many dive bars. But those that do exist in this idyllic beachside town have one thing in common: Chances are, they’ve been shrunken down into a lifelike, diorama-sized watering hole, complete with tiny features like barstools, beer taps, wine bottles, and weird art clinging to the grit of the walls.

Fiery Punch for Good Fortune

Queimada is a punch from Galicia, Spain, and the ritual surrounding it is known as conxuro da queimada (“the spell of queimada”). It draws from the cultures of Celtic Druids, the Moors, and Spanish colonies in South America. On Halloween, which is derived from the Celtic holiday of Samhain, the punch is set aflame. One sip banishes evil spirits, two clear the mind of hate, and three fills the soul with passion.

The Worst Freelance Gig in History

When a loved one died in parts of England, Scotland, or Wales in the 18th and 19th centuries, the family grieved, placed bread on the chest of the deceased, and called for a man to sit in front of the body. The family of the deceased watched as this man—the village’s local professional sin eater—absorbed the sins of the departed’s soul.

Southern Slugburgers

If the thought of slugs crawling out from your hamburger puts you off, fear not. A slugburger is simply meat (usually beef or pork) combined with a starchy filler and fried to a crisp. Top the patty with mustard and onion, slide it inside a hamburger bun, and you’ve got yourself a slice of Depression-era ingenuity.

Drinks in the Lost Caves

This drinking hole is part of the extensive cave system cut into the soft sandstone upon which Nottingham is built.⁠ Head down a dark alley to the staircase, then follow the series of rock-cut steps that lead into the cavernous void beneath the city.⁠ Here, 26 feet below the 200-year-old building that houses the venerable George Hotel, is a most unlikely gin palace.⁠

Gastro Obscura Giveaway

Win A Pink Pineapple

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