China - Shan Yao

The Chinese are always looking for a natural cure for all the evils of life, and they find one every year. It was tiger balm from the start, but then a green, camphorous liquid could cure everything from bruises to bug bites to arthritic joints. But modern medicine has its limits, and when medicine can't find a sure, you just have to find a superfood. Last year, is was purple yams, which banished bad diabetes and brought your rising blood pressure to a screeching halt. This year, Shan Yao the Chinese yam does all of these things and will extend your life by at least 10.65234 percent.

I love the taste and texture. Slippery, silky-soft grains slide off your tongue when cooked, and a raw refreshing, crispy crunch conjures the texture of a golden Asian pear minus all the juice. Shan yao can be savory when stir-fried with vegetables or swallowed in a steaming soup, but my favorite version is the one pictured; sweet and drizzled with blueberry on one side and chocolate on the other. And after eating more than half that toppling tower by myself, I guess I’ll have many more normal-blood-pressure-diabetes-free years to eat the other half.