The most expensive grapes in the world sold for $26.00 EACH in 2008.
In 2008, Ruby Roman grapes from Japan set a record by selling for $26 per grape (or around $4,000 per bunch). These ultra-premium grapes are grown in Ishikawa Prefecture and are known for their enormous size (each grape must weigh at least 20 grams) and perfect sweetness. Some Ruby Roman grapes are so large and flawless that they’re even given their own "ID cards" to verify authenticity!
There is a watermelon ripeness app for your cellphone that uses the phones microphone to determine the ripeness of a watermelon.
There are actually multiple apps that claim to use your phone's microphone to check watermelon ripeness—though their accuracy is debated. "Knock Test" Science: The method mimics an old farmers’ trick—ripe watermelons vibrate at ~80–150 Hz due to their juicy, air-filled structure.
A study found that if your waitress/waiter is overweight, you are four times more likely to order dessert from them.
The Study (Cornell, 2013): Researchers observed diners in 60 U.S. restaurants and found that customers were four times more likely to order dessert when their server had a higher BMI compared to a lower-BMI server. They also ordered 17% more alcoholic drinks!
There are 5 original shapes of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets- they are the Ball, Bone, Bell, Boot and Bow.
McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets originally came in four official shapes when they debuted in 1979, but later expanded to five for consistency in cooking and dipping. The Bow-tie was added later for symmetry.
Advertisement
California produces 99.9% of all artichokes grown in the U.S.
~99.9% of U.S. artichokes are grown in California, primarily in Monterey County (home of Castroville, the "Artichoke Center of the World"). The state harvests 4,000+ acres annually, yielding 60+ million pounds of artichokes! Baby artichokes aren’t young artichokes—they’re just small ones that grow lower on the plant.
There is a type of honey harvested in Nepal that causes hallucinations.
There’s a rare honey from Nepal called "Mad Honey" (or Deli Bal in Turkish) that can cause hallucinations—and even dangerous side effects if consumed in excess. Why It’s Psychedelic: Made by bees that pollinate rhododendron flowers, which contain grayanotoxin, a natural neurotoxin. In small doses, it can cause euphoria, lightheadedness, or vivid hallucinations. In large amounts, it may lead to nausea, seizures, or temporary heart issues (though fatalities are extremely rare).
Only the male hop plant can be used to make beer.
There are two types of hop plants: male and female. Male and female hop plants both produce cones, however only the FEMALE cones are suitable for beer production. Some hop farms go to great lengths to eliminate male plants to prevent accidental pollination. The most famous hops (like Cascade, Citra, and Saaz) come from female plants!
Piranha soup is popular in the Pantanal region of Brazil and is believed to be an aphrodisiac.
Piranha soup (Sopa de Piranha) is indeed a traditional dish in Brazil's Pantanal region, the world's largest tropical wetland, where these feisty fish are abundant. Many in the Pantanal swear it’s a powerful aphrodisiac, though science hasn’t confirmed this (it’s likely more myth than fact).
Advertisement
The world’s rarest cheese, Pule, is made from REINDEER milk.
The world’s rarest cheese, Pule, is actually made from donkey milk—specifically, the milk of Balkan donkeys from Serbia. It’s incredibly rare and expensive (costing up to $1,300 per pound) because donkeys produce very little milk, and it takes about 25 liters to make just 1 kilogram of cheese!
Studies have shown that having a messy kitchen causes people to eat less.
A Cornell study (2016) found that people in cluttered, chaotic kitchens ate twice as many cookies compared to those in tidy kitchens. Stress from messiness triggered lower self-control, leading to more indulgent snacking. Another study linked cluttered environments to emotional eating, as chaos can heighten anxiety. Fun Twist: The same researchers found that smelling a clean citrus scent (like lemon) reduced cookie binges even in messy spaces!
Squid are aged in bourbon-filled wooden tanks for 18 months to form the foundation of Worcestershire sauce.
The real foundation of Worcestershire sauce is actually fermented anchovies (not squid), which are aged in wooden barrels with vinegar, molasses, tamarind, garlic, and spices. The process takes up to 18 months, allowing the flavors to meld into the tangy, umami-rich sauce we know today. Worcestershire sauce was supposedly invented by accident in the 1830s when a British chemist tried to recreate a fish sauce from India—but the forgotten barrels fermented into something unexpectedly delicious!
Bird's Nest Soup is made from the solidified saliva of the swiftlet bird.
Bird's Nest Soup is indeed made from the solidified saliva of swiftlet birds, which build their nests using sticky strands of their saliva. These nests are harvested, cleaned, and then simmered to create a gelatinous, nutrient-rich soup prized in Chinese cuisine for its supposed health benefits and luxurious status. Bird nest soup is an exquisite delicacy featured in many Asian cuisines, and are sometimes referred to as the "Caviar of the East." It costs over $100.00 per bowl!
