Overgeneralizations? The fact is that the majority of citizens in the overfed, overabundant U.S. society are FAT. So it seems safe to say that food is an unhealthy priority for far too many, no matter how "gourmet" they claim their diet is. Most Americans eat too much. Period. Perhaps a shift in focus from food would benefit this society. We'd certainly have less instances of heart disease and diabetes. Try putting the fork down for a change.

There's no denying that too many Americans are too fat. But this is to necessarily related to a gourmet-type loving of food. <BR><BR>Some of the worst sources of overeating are the fast-food "oversizing" places that just add junk food calories. Another culprit is a sedentary lifestyle, sitting around watching TV, snacking, and driving everywhere, never walking or exercising.<BR><BR>Many of the people who eat too much aren't paying much attention to their food, quite the opposite, they eat out of habit, without thinking about what they're eating, nor paying attention to the fact that they're eating even though they aren't hungry. Perhaps if they did pay attention to their food, they'd eat less of it.<BR><BR>Anyway, just trying to say that liking food and eating too much of it are separate issues. Some of the thinnest, healthiest people I know are the very ones who think about food the most!

That's just what the skinny folks tell you so fat asses like you won't feel too bad. Skinny people do not obsess about food. They're too busy having great sex lives. :)

several of you responders missed the point entirely. its not quantity but quality and the social aspect that makes a good dinning experience. anyone can go to joe's buffet and pig ouot untill they vomit or spend dthe next day belching and farting from the gastric distress of gross overeating. many of us had the point that food and drink can be part of the whole travel and social experience not the reaason for doing it. not everyone who enjoys food is obese or even overweight. that excuse soounds loike an anorectic's lament because of personal problems. and slim who do you thing your kidding with your last comment only in your dreams

I do love good food - whether it's a baguette with rustic ham or a plate of linguini with clam sauce or beef Wellington. I also enjoy junk food like Twinkies and Mickey D's french fries. I do not confuse the two, nor do I get my knickers in a twist over others' food preferences. Having no food allergies nor medical conditions that dictate my diet is just pure genetic dumb luck (thanks Mom and Dad for the swim in a your gene pool).<BR><BR>Half the fun of eating good food that I don't make is figuring out what's in it - cumin? is that tarragon I taste? how did they get those mustard seeds to stick to the tuna?. Cooking is an art form like any other - I'm equally fascinated by how paint can look like gold or how *anyone* can make such beautiful sounds out of such a silly-looking instrument as an oboe.<BR><BR>Before every trip, I make extensive lists of restaurants - then eat at maybe 1/10 of them. The Loons' usual method of picking a restaurant 1) right there 2) variety (fish, meat, casseroley things) 3) dessert menu ("look, floatin' islands!") 4) right there. So far, no bad meals - weird ones, but never bad.<BR><BR>One of the Loons is a shopaholic - wherever we go, she wants to know where the interesting stores are (she rates museums not only on the collection, but how good the gift shops are); another member finds cats everywhere (high point of the Marrakech souks was finding a basket of kittens); me, I force everyone to look at architecture "geez, Elvira, ANOTHER Mansard roof??"<BR><BR>So casting aspersions (what else can you do with an aspersion anyway?) about how people evolve a trip itinerary is not in the cards. Whatever floats your (gravy) boat...

I think that a lot of mentioned having a balance is the thing. I agree. I enjoy imbibing in the local cuisine but don't obsess on it. The only place that I really earmarked to eat on my last trip was to have dinner in the house in Shigasaura where Dracula was born. Coincidentally, it turned out to be the best dinner we had in Romania.

Food is wonderful. I've stopped in Paris only to get a crepe with Nutella from a street vendor.

I love to eat lots on vacation. I diet a good 2 mos. before going to Europe so I can stuff myself with pasta and cheeses. I am thin, and if I gain anything while abroad it's back to my normal weight. This strategy works well, got lucky last visit and didn't gain anything! Guess it was all the walking....

Eating a nice dinner is probably the highlight of my day whether I'm traveling or in my home city. I owned a restaurant of my own for years and love to eat different entres in nice restaurants with a good bottle of wine. Now lunch, I could care less, usually I just eat off street vendors but I insist on a nice dinner each evening. Especially in Europe after a full day of sight seeing and miles of walking, it's my way of relaxing. Tom

Some highlights of my travels:<BR><BR>Shopping at the outdoor market in Gordes, Provence, then going to l'Abbaye de S&eacute;nanque and having a picnic of baguettes, pat&eacute;, goat's cheese and olives, while sitting among the lavender fields.<BR><BR>Sicilian specialty rigatoni alla Norma (tomato and eggplant sauce) in a trattoria in Agrigento, Sicily with the Greek temples in view, and having the owner recite the recipe.<BR><BR>Porchetta sandwich from a cart in Piazza Navona in Rome while enjoying the booths set up for Xmas, the local shoppers and kids and the fountains.<BR><BR>Dinner of giant muscles and trofie al pesto in Vernazza, Italy overlooking the trails of the Cinque Terre, enjoying a glass of the locally produce wine.<BR><BR>Eating at the stalls in Marrakech with locals and tourists. The best eggplant, chicken skewers, salad and bread for $3 a person.<BR><BR>Sharing dinner with a family on a farm in southern Italy and having the owner explain how he makes his own olive oil and wine.<BR><BR>The best food experiences for me bring me a better understanding of the place I am visiting. How much more enjoyable it is to visit an outdoor market while buying, rather than just snapping photos; or enjoying a beautiful vista while savoring the local specialties. Even if you can get Italian, or French or Moroccan food in your city, I guarantee it will taste different in the place where it was "born".<BR><BR>Especially in Italy, where every region is like a different country with its own specialties, I can't think of a better way to get at the heart of the people, then through their food. <BR><BR>Yes, food is that important to me.

Some highlights of my travels:<BR><BR>Shopping at the outdoor market in Gordes, Provence, then going to l'Abbaye de S&eacute;nanque and having a picnic of baguettes, pat&eacute;, goat's cheese and olives, while sitting among the lavender fields.<BR><BR>Sicilian specialty rigatoni alla Norma (tomato and eggplant sauce) in a trattoria in Agrigento, Sicily with the Greek temples in view, and having the owner recite the recipe.<BR><BR>Porchetta sandwich from a cart in Piazza Navona in Rome while enjoying the booths set up for Xmas, the local shoppers and kids and the fountains.<BR><BR>Dinner of giant muscles and trofie al pesto in Vernazza, Italy overlooking the trails of the Cinque Terre, enjoying a glass of the locally produce wine.<BR><BR>Eating at the stalls in Marrakech with locals and tourists. The best eggplant, chicken skewers, salad and bread for $3 a person.<BR><BR>Sharing dinner with a family on a farm in southern Italy and having the owner explain how he makes his own olive oil and wine.<BR><BR>The best food experiences for me bring me a better understanding of the place I am visiting. How much more enjoyable it is to visit an outdoor market while buying, rather than just snapping photos; or enjoying a beautiful vista while savoring the local specialties. Even if you can get Italian, or French or Moroccan food in your city, I guarantee it will taste different in the place where it was "born".<BR><BR>Especially in Italy, where every region is like a different country with its own specialties, I can't think of a better way to get at the heart of the people, then through their food. <BR><BR>Yes, food is that important to me.

why did that post twice when I only sent it once?

We never have the simple luxury of time for prolonged dining/conversing for several hours nightly at home...I love to cook (gourmet/fine ingredients/simmering, sauteing,etc) - but the pleasure of vacation is time...

Getting back to the original theme of the post...yes, I am looking forward to the meals I will get in Europe.<BR><BR>Eating is a wonderful way to get insight into a culture. <BR><BR>Meals in Europe are a critical part of the culture and the ethos of life. I am a museum and history freak but to ignore food as a part of the cultural experience is to miss out on how Europeans view and experience life. Especially in France and Italy, the evening meal is a time to relax and enjoy company and enjoy life. I am looking forward to the fresh ingredients and the different flavors and the slow relaxed pace. Meals, especially in restaurants where the locals eat are great ways to get into the culture the way you can't just by looking at a building. If you are just running around trying to see sights, you are not experiencing the European mindset, which is more relaxed.<BR><BR>I am slim and I enjoy food. And I consider fine meals in Europe to be an important part of my cultural experience

I have been busy lately, so it's nice to see a food thread again.<BR><BR>I can understand that when traveling in France, one might not want to settle for a meal that is less than a full-on gustatory experience. After all, France and haute cuisine are nearly synonymous. But one has to have good foodie skills even in France, where mediocre and overpriced meals can be stumbled upon by the unsuspecting. Nothing like referring to the Gault-Milleau/Michelin bonne table recommendations, especially in uncharted territory, i.e., out of the city. And being discerning at the market. But that's good advice at home, too.<BR><BR>But high cuisine is also a tradition of China,Thailand, Spain, VietNam, Italy.....well...ok, everyone, do add names to this list. Honolulu, San Francisco, Seattle, are all wonderful foodie towns, where you find Asian influences and classically trained (as in Cordon-Bleue) chefs. New York too. But ultimately, wonderful food is anything peak of season, wherever. Liked the recent thread on the US forum about festivals. <BR><BR>After a lifetime of travel I am left with an appreciation for lovely ingredients and creative preparations. A totally unexpected but wonderful eating town, where food however came a distant second to the natural grandeur was, surpisingly, Anchorage. But we knew where to look. My foodie instincts are well-honed. <BR><BR>Nontheless what I wax most poetic about our trip to Alaska is Northwestern Glacier on an absolutely clear day. Now *that* is a feast for the senses. <BR><BR><BR>

I am one of those for whom food is very important, especially so when travelling. But rather than spending a lot on food, I try to seek out the best value places (not necessarily the least expensive, but a place where I can have a memorable meal at a moderate price). Researching restaurants is one of my favorite parts of trip planning. I like to look at several different sources -- guidebooks, trip reports, magazine articles, etc. -- and if there are restaurants that I notice are recommended favorably in more than one source, and are in my price range (I try to keep it under $30 per person for dinner when travelling), then I add it to the list of restaurants attached to my itinerary. I will often go online to see if the restaurant has a website with a menu so that I can peruse the dishes and prices in advance. If there are places I want to try but their dinner prices are too high, I'll try them for lunch instead.<BR><BR>While this sounds like a lot of time and trouble, it actually saves time and effort later. This way, instead of the "Where should we go for dinner?" "I don't know, where do YOU want to go?" conversation, I just pull out my list, complete with addresses and phone numbers and details about the menu, prices, etc., and say, "Here are three places nearby that I'd like to try for dinner tonight. Which one sounds good to you?" <BR><BR>For me, it's all part of getting the most out of what I'm spending on travel. Given that I'm probably going to spend about $45-50 a day on food & drink, I'd rather get the most for that money that I can (it's easy to spend twice that and eat badly).<BR><BR>I have never been able to view food just as fuel. To me, that's like saying, "Well, my eyes are going to be open anyway, so it doesn't really matter what I look at," or "I'm going to be hearing sounds all day anyway, so it might as well be a loud banging noise." The reason I care about food and look forward to wonderful meals rather than just eating whatever happens to be there whenever I get hungry is the same reason why I enjoy a rose garden more than a garbage dump -- it appeals to my senses.<BR><BR>I think taste and smell are underrated as senses. People often talk about how hearing a particular song will trigger a memory, and that happens to me sometimes -- but just as often, a particular scent (honeysuckle, pipe tobacco, rosemary, freshly-mown grass) or taste (caramel apples, manchego cheese, fresh pesto, morel mushrooms) reminds me of a place or a time or a person or a trip.

One of the things I love in Europe, regarding food, is just going into the grocery stores, large or small, and seeing all the different varieties and brands of food, like all the different mustards in stores in France. <BR><BR>While driving from Siena to La Spezia a few weeks ago, we stopped at one of the rest stops on the autostrada and were amazed at the selection of food compared to a similar kind of reststop in the U.S. There was, of course, a coffee bar, tons of great-looking sandwiches, and a entire section of "tavola calda"-type hot food. No Michelin stars, but what we had there was delicious. To go, we bought a bad of potato chips with herbs that were tastier than, I think, any potato chips I've ever had in the U.S. How lucky the Italians are, to have autostrada rest stops like this.

Elvira ought to be cursing her genes, not thanking her parents for them. What's to thank about being ugly, single, middle aged, having sagging jugs, brown teeth, smoker's bad breath and a personality that's a cross between a blast furnace and fingernails on a chalk board? Guess she can thank them for her misguided egomania.

Regarding Lisa's comments...<BR><BR>I have never been able to view food just as fuel. To me, that's like saying, "Well, my eyes are going to be open anyway, so it doesn't really matter what I look at," or "I'm going to be hearing sounds all day anyway, so it might as well be a loud banging noise." <BR><BR>I think that is the best summation of this topic I can think of.<BR><BR>Capo...your Autostrada rest stop comments made me think of the most delicious sandwich I had in a Paris train station (because it was the last place I expected it). Again, the Italians and French feel that, "Hey, since I have to eat, it may as well be good".

About this "food only as fuel" concept...I don't know, do you think anyone really sees food *only* as fuel?<BR><BR>I suspect we all see food as more than just fuel, it's just that some place a much higher priority on it than others.