What one food or beverage do you associate with countries in Europe - your favorite that you just can't wait to savor once there?

Moi-

France- Pain au Chocolate
Italy - Cappaccino
Germany - Bratwurst
Holland - Beer
Belgium - Frites Speciaal
England - Take Out Chips
Spain - Tapas
Austria - Coffee Cake
Switzerland - Chcocolate
Greece - Baklava
Ireland - Stout
Czech Republic - Poppy Seed Cake

And yours?

Italy - espresso and gelato.

I have an espresso machine and make a cappuccino most mornings, but in the US I don't order espresso or cappuccino in restaurants for the most part because it will likely be crap. I've only tried the "gelato" places once or twice in the US - also crap.

When I go to Italy I love the hear the sound of the cups and spoons in the cafe and to look down at my perfectly prepared espresso.

For Belgium, it's hard for me to pick a favorite, but waffles may be it.

My favorite Spanish tapas is from the Basque country: A small brioche stuffed with cabrales cheese and an anchovy. But I think my favorite Spanish dish is cold almond soup.

In Germany, the beer.

England, the tea.

Switzerland, the rosti.

France, haricot verts.

Italy, chestnut pasta.

Greece, taramasalata.

Hmmm, I'd rather have my frites speciaal in Holland and my beer in Belgium.
Otherwise the only one I would say is steak and kidney pudding when in England, preferably washed down with a good local bitter.

Holland - Croquettes, Orangeboom

Bergamo, Italy - casoncelli

Barcelona - braised rabbit

Germany - zweibelkuchen, federweis

Athens - almond brittle

Scotland - crannochcan

France - escargots

Italy- Bologna: Lasagna Verde, Ciccioli sausage, any food from Emilia Romagna

Sicily- Trapani: Cassata, Pasta Reale

Hi all,

Bavaria - Radler Beer

Austria - Mohr im Hemd

In both the above, the coffee and cappuccino.


Paul

Now you've done it!!! My stomach's starting to growl!

OK here goes:

France - Escargot
Holland - Cheeses
Germany - Schnapps, Weinerschnitzel w/ pom frittes
Austria - Veal with Mushroom sauce,
Switzerland - Rosti, Spatzle, Fondue, Muesli
Spain - Paella, Tapas
Portugal - Caldo Verde, Sardines
Italy - Espresso, Olives

United States - Pulled Pork Sandwich

Switzerland - sallet (sp?) those little egg/cheese pie tartletts that they sell at the farmers market and bakeries.

Spain..lechazo (roast suckling lamb). Shellfish in a million different preparations. Jamon Iberico. Torta del Casar (cheese) I don't even want to get started!

In Italy, my newest craze is probably sfogliatelle from Naples but I have about a million other favorites from artichokes alla Romana to bread from Emilia Romagna..and smoked scamorza and provola in any form! And I really loved that pasta with pajata I had in Rome last time! Bollito misto.....What a marvelous food country!

France... maybe confit de canard and oysters and frisee with lardons

Greece..baklava

Holland..fresh herring

In France i also always head to Carrefour to buy a can of chestnut cream (or whatever they call this paste that looks like axel grease but which is oh so good.

Slovenia (Lake Bled specific) - Kremna rezina or kremšnita (which I believe translates as "Heart Attack On a Plate&quot. Delicious!

One?!?!? Impossible....
Spain:
- coffee
- cochinillo and lechazo
- anything seafood (sepia a la plancha!)
- the tomato rub they put in sandwiches
- French fries (I dont eat them at home)

France:
- choucroute (sp?)
- anything vegetable
- moules et frites (sp?)

Switzerland:
- Breads
- Cheeses
- Berner Platt
- Rabbit with polenta (Lugano)
- Pizza (I know, but I have had consistently amazing pizzas in CH)

Italy:
- coffee
- anything with fresh pasta

France--charentais melon, wine, oeufs en meurette
Belgium--beer
Italy--pizza with an over-easy fried egg on top
Scotland--smoked salmon
Ireland--beer
Switzerland--fondue (I know...hokey, hokey)

www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com

france - roquefort cheese
switzerland - raclett
germany - sauerbraten mit kloesse, nueremberger rostbratwurst, reibekuchen mit apfelmus and beer of course
netherlands - frikadellen and some of the best indonesian restaurants in the world
england - scoones with cream, cucumber sandwiches
greece - feta
denmark - smoregasbrod
spain - serrano ham
italy - mozzarella di buffala, all kinds of pesto and pasta
portugal - cherry
australia - king island brie and sweet horizon cheese
papua new guinea - roasted millipeds
mauritius - palmheart salad
nambia - braai
south africa - ostrich steak
austria - wiener schnitzel
belgium - pommes frittes
fiji - yams
french polynesia - baguett ;-)

div

Palenque:


Hard not to agree with many of choices, including yours...but here's one for the ages, which I discovered in pre-revolution Romania, and renewed my love for it in 2005 Romania...

"savarina"....a sinful pyramid-shaped cake soaked in sort of a rum-flavored sauce...

...even though they admittedly stole if fom France (le savarine) during their prententious
"Francophile period" in the early 20th century.

* * * *
Bob: I've read many of your posts over the years (fascinated by your detailed railway knowledge), and often wondered where the Palenque comes from. I think I know. Is it possible that you chose the handle for the small town of Palenque in Chiapas (Mexico)?? The National Park, the ruins of Palenque, etc? I was there three decades ago..fascinating region...I suppose it's not a great place for foreigners to be these days with the revolutionary factions shooting it up every now and then.

Just curious, old boy? (did not want to post this, but decided to when I sw you as an OP today!

stu t.

Stu - thanks for the comments - Palenque si comes from Palenque, Chiapas where i went three times in the early 70s - and fell in love with the place (and the local fungi - ah to be a youthful traveler again!) best wishes. Palenque was and probably still is a sleepy backwater with some astoudning jungles and of course the stunning Mayan ruins still part jungle covered. It was the start of Palenque Associates, a tour company i owned and started with a trip there for college students to 'stalk Mayan ruins and magic mushrooms' - ah how times have changed - incredible that i would ever do that type of trip again.

ah, mystery solved...we may have crossed paths back in the 70's...haven't been there since the late 70's..heady times, indeed...though I have been to the more common places in the country...MC, the "riviera", Cabo, etc. Even did some work in Matamoros and Monterrey in '73-74.

Keep on truckin' and keep on postin', Bob. Here's to your good health and happy travels!
stu

USA NE Lobster, Oysters
USA Mid Atlantic Crabs
USA SE Fried Chicken, BBQ pork
USA SW Tex Mex
USA mid W Beef
USA NW Pacific Salmon

England Chicken Tiki Masala, Bitters
Scotland Scotch Egg
Wales Pasties

Ireland Harp Lager

France Croissants, Cheese, Andouille, red wine

Spain Tapas, Rioja

Portugal Vinho Verde

Germany Wursts, Spaetzel, beer, bretzels

Austria Wienerschnitzel, schlag, Zander, knoedel, white wine

Holland Fresh herring

Belgium Chocolates, patate frites

Denmark Smorrebrod, Wienerbrod

Italy Gelato, pizza, limoncello

Czech Rep Wild Boar, beer, knoedle, bagels

Hungary Goulash

Poland stuffed cabbage