Ant-infused cheese becomes global hit

A cheese from São Paulo’s countryside is making international headlines for its unusual ingredient — toasted leafcutter ants.

Created by Camila Almeida of Estância Silvânia farm, Taiada Silvânia combines raw A2 milk from pasture-raised GIR cows with toasted içá ants, a delicacy long eaten by Brazil’s indigenous communities. Developed in 2021 to attract food tourists, the cheese quickly gained worldwide attention and has since won multiple awards, including a bronze medal at the Mondial du Fromage in France.

Described as sweet and firm with hints of almond, chestnut and fennel, as well as a distinctive crunch, the cheese sells for around 200 Brazilian reais ($38) per kilo. Almeida says the ants are added only during the forming stage, a delicate process that helped turn her daring idea into an international success.

Jeweller’s diamond prosthetic eye goes viral

After losing sight in his right eye, Alabama jeweller Slater Jones decided to make his prosthetic one-of-a-kind by embedding a two-carat diamond into it. Created by eye-prosthetics expert John Lim, the custom eye reflects Jones’s identity as a jewellery designer and sparkles brilliantly when it catches the light.

Jones calls it a piece of art that brought “new light” into his life. The diamond eye has since gone viral, drawing admiration for its creativity and concern over the risks of wearing such a costly gem.

Dubai brewed the world’s priciest coffee

A Dubai coffee shop, Roasters, has set a new Guinness World Record for serving the world’s most expensive cup of coffee, priced at 2,500 dirhams ($680).

The record-breaking brew was made using rare Panamanian Geisha beans from Hacienda La Esmeralda and served in a handcrafted Edo Kiriko crystal glass. The experience also included tiramisu and chocolate ice cream infused with the same beans.

Roasters had earlier purchased an entire 20-kg lot of Geisha coffee for $604,000 at the 2025 “Best of Panama” auction. The event, held at the café’s flagship location in Downtown Dubai, showcased the city’s growing reputation for luxury coffee culture.

Old public toilet turned into quirky hotel

A century-old underground public toilet in Oxford has been transformed into a boutique hotel, called The Netty. Built in 1895 and closed in 2008, the former gentlemen’s restroom sat unused for over a decade before being redesigned into one of the city’s quirkiest stays.

Hotel manager Ana Pinheiro says the aim was to create a personalised space full of surprising details. The Netty offers two suites starting at £170 ($227) per night, with no reception or restaurant, but a helpline and a welcome cocktail for guests.

Once a Victorian-era toilet, The Netty now stands out as one of Oxford’s most unusual accommodation options.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 22nd, 2025