Food and travel, one of life’s great experience intersections. Although we enjoy our share of refined cuisine and elaborate meals at restaurants, it’s often our street food quests — raw on-the-ground journeys that convey authenticity — that yield some of life’s most revealing moments and enlighten us in unexpected ways. … [Read more...]
Country and regional food round-ups
Country food guides, regional cuisine guides and broad and deep food overviews from our around the world travels.
Haitian Food: From Pwason to Pikliz
Before recently traveling to Haiti, I had little concept of Haitian food. Sure, I had a sense of what it could be: island-informed, African-influenced, of Caribbean character, maybe even a hint of French. As with the country's language, Haitian food has a sense of the Crèole, that is a blend of influences. Mixed roots and spices, basic yet zippy, simple and grounded … [Read more...]
Ethiopian Food (An Overview of Ethiopian Cuisine)
When we headed to Ethiopia recently, I went packing with high expectations of the food. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ethiopian food fresh out of university. In Washington, D.C., just new to world cuisine, I clearly recall my first pull of a round stretchy pancake-like injera bread, beautifully colored mounds of what looked to me like … [Read more...]
From Kebabs to Khoresht: Eating Your Way Through Iran
"Eat an onion from each new place you visit to adjust your body to the local cuisine." -- Words of wisdom from one of our guides on the subtle appreciation of eating one’s way through Iran. Traditional Iranian cuisine combines the savory of fresh herbs and spices like saffron, merges it with the sweet of pomegranate, barberry and cinnamon and tops it all off with a … [Read more...]
From Tlayudas to Tamales (Eating Our Way Around Oaxaca)
If Mexican cuisine ranks as one of the world’s great cuisines (it was the first cuisine to receive UNESCO culinary heritage status), it’s certainly aided in part by what goes on in the kitchens of Oaxaca. Oaxacan food: roasted, subtle, rich, layered. Moles, chocolate, tiny avocados that taste faintly like licorice, giant balls of quesillo cheese ribbons, … [Read more...]
Japanese Food: From Tempura to Takoyaki
Japanese food, where clean eating meets culinary artistry. Where raw fish and pickled vegetables sit astride seaweed strands and tempura sculptures. Japan, the place where you can eat blowfish sashimi, octopus balls and cow rectum one evening, then follow it all up the next day with a 15-course meal that might qualify as one of the truly greatest eating experiences … [Read more...]
Berlin Food: Favorite Neighborhood Meals Under €10
We share some of our favorite Berlin restaurants and dishes that fall into the category of high value. The goal isn’t just to eat well and inexpensively, but to use Berlin food exploration as a compass to get out and enjoy the city's fabulous neighborhoods along the way. … [Read more...]
Crete Food: An Overview
You smell the stink, but you hear the scent! -- Viki, one of our guides on the Greek island of Crete, captures the philosophical essence of Cretan cuisine. While I appreciate that the traditional Cretan diet is known as being one of the healthiest in the world, every time I look at our food photos from Crete I think back to our experience: “Damn. That was just … [Read more...]
Bangladeshi Food: An Overview
Bangladeshi food in a home is the best – it’s cooked with the care and love of a woman’s hands. In restaurants, food is cooked by men for quantity. -- A Bangladeshi friend captures the crux of Bangladeshi food. Although you may not have realized it, it’s quite possible you’ve eaten Bangaldeshi food. … [Read more...]
Bali Food: From Satay to Sambal
Ah, Bali food. Our relationship with Balinese cuisine got off to a rocky start, but a Balinese cooking class in Ubud, night markets in Sanur and simple restaurants called warungs conspired to change our minds and inform our palates. The result: an overview of the components of Balinese cooking, common Balinese dishes and where to find them when you visit Bali. … [Read more...]