Author: Eric Grundhauser / Source: Atlas Obscura
Sure, you can buy a Wonka Bar at any candy store. You can drink a sugary Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction in Orlando. And you can find a recipe for Lembas Bread on about a million Lord of the Rings fan sites. But none of these initially fictional foods could ever live up to how we imagined they would taste when we first saw or read about them.
Fictional dishes invite us to open our mental palates to the possibility of new flavors and experiences. And because they are the product of imagination, they often also carry an emotional weight that real food, no matter how exotic, can rarely bring.Recently, we asked Atlas Obscura readers to tell us which fictional food had sparked their imaginations more than any other. The results were delicious. You told us about your love for make-believe foods from books, television shows, films, and more. Most importantly, you got super specific about what you think these foods must taste like, including an alien dish that reminds one of you of “raw horse meat or sashimi with a kind of hot spice.”
We’ve collected our favorite responses below. Next time you encounter a mouth-watering food that doesn’t exist, try and decide for yourself what incredible, impossible flavors it might actually have.
Literature
What might it taste like?
“It sounds like the best aspects of beef, pork, and turkey but very tender and juicy. It’s fictional but relatable. There’s no doubt that it’s the center of a festive feast.” — Mary Gow, Brooklyn, New York
What might it taste like?
“I think that all the items would have a slight wood aftertaste. I figured that each box would have a slightly different flavor depending on how ‘ripe’ it was. There was also a dinner tree in the book too. I am guessing even though it was described to have meat and milk that it must all taste like vegetarian alternatives like tofu, or almond milk.” — Dianne Guindon, Santa Cruz, California
What might it taste like?
“Sweet, exotic, and downright delightful. As described in the book, it would certainly hold its own among popular soft drinks today. If it’s good enough for the Queen, it’s good enough for me! Incredible taste, physics-defying properties, a name that sounds like a sneeze, and amusing after effects, definitely an experience worth having!” — Leah, Canada
What might it taste like?
“As a biologist and lab manager, I’m pretty sure everything described in the books tastes like chicken (except the pseudo-chicken in a can) but no one knows, as there aren’t any chickens in the Belt.” — Johnny O Farnen, Bellevue, Nebraska
What might it taste like?
“‘Like summertime.’ Sweet, light, a floral honey flavor. The description makes it sound like some of my favorite beers, but more rapturous and intoxicating!” — Nick Yonge, Vancouver, Canada
What might it taste like?
“A cataclysm of citrus with an effervescent apocalypse. Anything that would make you simultaneously evolve and devolve seems like an interesting way to not die.” — Ian Maxwell, Denver, Colorado USA
What might it taste like?
“It says it can taste like steak, chicken or oysters… They are genial playmates for children and then will jump into your frying pan and become dinner. I’ve always remembered the shmoo.” — Roseann Milano, Tucson, Arizona
What might it taste like?
“A small sponge cake with a ganache, a smooth interior that tastes like chocolate and pepper. So, a spicy chocolate taste. I love sweets and I adore the world of Harry Potter. I immediately envisioned chocolate, and the ‘cauldron’ makes me think spicy. I imagine a delectable treat.” — Cherie, Jacksonville, Florida
What might it taste like?
“Not quite sweet, not quite savory, but very pleasant. It reminds me of adventure, and the feeling one gets of coming home after an adventure.” — kimwim, Meriden, Connecticut
What might…
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