Diana Hubbell's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

Diana Hubbell

I'm a James Beard Award-winning journalist covering food, culture, and travel. I'm the Associate Editor, Places at Atlas Obscura, although you'll also find my bylines in The Guardian, The Washington Post, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, VICE, and Playboy, among others. I'm currently based in Brooklyn, but have also called Bangkok and Berlin home.

http://dianahubbell.com

2021
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How Iceberg Won the Lettuce Wars

The wedge salad's dominance endures.

August 21, 2023

The Wild History of Not Eating Meat

Alicia Kennedy's debut book tackles punk restaurants, underground vegan zines, and Silicon Valley.

August 15, 2023

moveable feasts

Eat Like Vikings and Other Ancient Seafarers

Options included lutefisk, porridge, and a surprisingly tasty salsa.

Debunking the Myth of the National Dish

Anya von Bremzen breaks down true origins of pizza, ramen, and other iconic foods in her new book.

Gastro Obscura's Favorite Stories About LGBTQ+ Trailblazers

From the author of 'The Gay Cookbook' to the founder of an early 20th-century teahouse and haven for queer women.

Meet the West African Baker Reshaping French Pastry

Amadou Ly is working wonders in laminated dough.

Meet the Chef Reviving Royal Cambodian Recipes

Inspired by a trailblazing princess, Chef Nak's cookbook is a celebration of Khmer history.

first draft foods

Meet Baked Alaska's Prototype, 'Alaska, Florida'

This parlor trick of a dessert has a long, complicated lineage.

first draft foods

Red Velvet Cake's Journey to The Juneteenth Table

Make the dessert that first inspired the popular crimson slice.

The Evolution of American Military Food

What would George Washington's spruce beer-chugging troops have thought about today's cheesecake rations?

Feeding Armies Throughout History

From Sparta to the Mongol Empire, soldiers needed fuel for the fight.

scientists at work

How to Feed an Army

Go behind the scenes at the Massachusetts military lab engineering the fuel of the future.

Food Innovations That Came from War

Thank Uncle Sam for Cheetos, air fryers, and other modern mainstays.

Remembering When Horse Diving Was an Actual Thing

For 50 years, this bizarre act was one of Atlantic City's biggest attractions.

Remembering the Golden Age of Airline Food

Why were in-flight meals so much better in the past?

This Norwegian Water Spirit Just Wants to Teach You How to Fiddle

But make sure you bring the fossegrim the proper offering—or else.

Make the Jellied Delicacy Served Aboard the Titanic

For their last meal, first-class passengers dined on 11 courses, including Chartreuse jelly and peaches.

The Cult Roots of Health Food in America

How the Source Family, a radical 1970s utopian commune, still impacts what we eat today.

Meet the Women Behind the Heritage Food Revival

From Ukrainian pelmeni to Appalachian fried fish, these innovators are drawing on generations of culinary wisdom.

The Feminist History Behind the Ladies' Entrance

There's a story behind these hidden pub snugs and saloon doors.

Remembering When Cocktails Were Just Soup

Canned beef bouillon on the rocks, anyone?

February 23, 2023

chinese new year

A Sweet Spin on Lunar New Year Treats

Asian-American chefs and pâtissiers are reimagining traditional confections and snacks.

January 31, 2023

How a Groundbreaking Pastry Chef Bakes Outside the Lines

A conversation with Natasha Pickowicz on cross-cultural inspiration and her upcoming cookbook.

January 17, 2023

Saving the Hogs of Ossabaw Island

An eccentric heiress, a daring mission, and the fight for North America’s most unusual pig.

January 10, 2023