Everyone loves food – after all we couldn’t live without it.
But some foods have had such an impact on people or places they’ve been given the ultimate accolade – a museum all about them.
So, whilst the British Museum in London takes you on a journey through the history of mankind and the Louvre in Paris allows you to revel in the greatest art, it’s food that is the focus of attention in various locations across the globe.
In Port Talbot, Wales a council house has been transformed into the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence, run by the orange-caped crusader Captain Beany – formerly Barry Kirk who used to work in the computer department of BP.
The world record holder for sitting naked in a bath of baked beans, Captain Beany is a prolific fundraiser for charity and has built up the museum to showcase the world’s largest collection of baked bean tins, adverts and bean themed merchandise.
Meanwhile, the Museum Kimchikan in Jongno-gu, South Korea pays tribute to the 1500 year history of the local delicacy – fermented cabbage.
Kimchi received a major boost when athletes at the 1986 Seoul Olympics developed a taste for this previously little known dish and it can now be found on menus across the globe.
Visitors to the museum need to book four days in advance and as well as taking part in cookery demonstrations can observe first hand through a microscope how bacteria are used to produce the unique taste.
To learn a great dill about cucumber history then take a trip to the Gurkenmuseum in Germany’s Speewald region.
This celebrates all things cucumber including the Sorbs who have inhabited the area for 1500 years and first discovered the secrets of cultivation and preserving. For pickle lovers the annual gherkin festival each August is something to relish.
If it’s potatoes you crave then look no further than the Idaho Potato Museum which charts how since pioneers planted the first crop 175 years ago the state has grown to become the biggest producer of spuds in the US.
You can even view the carefully preserved biggest crisp in the world. Now over 30 years old it’s as big as a Frisbee, weighs 5.4 oz. and contains 920 calories.
At SK Foods we pride ourselves in bringing the best of world tastes to your local store – though we’d advise you keep them in your fridge rather than a museum.
About Jane Beesley
Development & Innovations Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
