Do you try new foods when traveling?
May 30th, 2023, 01:21 PM
#101
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Food is one of the most exciting things about every trip! One of my favorite things to do is check out the local supermarkets and farmers markets. But... I just wish I had a stomach of steel as I like to try everything... but not everything agrees with me. I've had some very unpleasant travel experiences, so have to be very mindful about what I'm eating and how the food is prepared!
Jun 8th, 2023, 01:29 PM
#102
Trying new and different foods is one of my favorite things about travel - it's part of the adventure. One related thing is that I like to try a Chinese restaurant in other countries. It is interesting in how they differ from place to place.
Jun 10th, 2023, 07:04 PM
#104
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I always look for the dishes or ingredients unique to the region I'm visiting. For instance, if you're in Japan, you've got to try sushi from a real sushi chef, or in Italy, a hand-tossed pizza in Naples is a must. Even street food markets, which are increasingly popular around the world, are fantastic places to sample a variety of local foods in one place.
Trying new foods also makes for some unforgettable memories, both good and not so good,
Trying new foods also makes for some unforgettable memories, both good and not so good,
Jun 11th, 2023, 09:16 AM
#105
>> I always look for the dishes or ingredients unique to the region I'm visiting. For instance, if you're in Japan, you've got to try sushi from a real sushi chef
Ok. To find dishes or ingredients unique to a region in Japan you would do well to have a kaiseki dinner at a traditional ryokan. There are several (at least a dozen) small dishes that are served. The idea being that the okami-san went to the market to get the fresh local ingredients that she needs for the number of guests she has that night.
You'll get the local beef, a seafood dish in the regional style, even rice from the region. Several veggie dishes, pickled and fresh, with local ingredients (like wild mountain greens).
It is a bit pointless to ask what every one of the veggies are. They are going to give you the Japanese name and even if they had a menu in English it is likely going to include stuff that you never heard of.
Ok. To find dishes or ingredients unique to a region in Japan you would do well to have a kaiseki dinner at a traditional ryokan. There are several (at least a dozen) small dishes that are served. The idea being that the okami-san went to the market to get the fresh local ingredients that she needs for the number of guests she has that night.
You'll get the local beef, a seafood dish in the regional style, even rice from the region. Several veggie dishes, pickled and fresh, with local ingredients (like wild mountain greens).
It is a bit pointless to ask what every one of the veggies are. They are going to give you the Japanese name and even if they had a menu in English it is likely going to include stuff that you never heard of.
Jun 11th, 2023, 09:39 PM
#108
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One thing that was memorable in Corsica was the cheese they served for breakfast at the hotel in Piana.
It wasn't Corsican cheese. In fact it was some mass market brand. One of them was Kiri but I forget the other brand, so I'm not even sure what brand it was.
Kiri is some kind of processed cheese but it spreads on baguette like soft butter. So was the other one, which probably wasn't even some expensive camembert or brie.
I couldn't get enough of it, even though I'm trying to limit my salt intake.
It's got me Googling best French cheeses for bread and stuff.
French snacks have so much more salt than the American counterparts. Some of the packages have a grading system for nutrition and the best is maybe B. They have these crepes filled with cheese. Those taste great but are graded E, the lowest.
I know, I should just avoid processed and packaged food but at least you have an idea of the nutrition. Not sure what your'e getting if you get say a bruschetta or focaccia somewhere. Place I stayed in Bonifacio sold pizza by the slice and it looked good but had to be loaded with salt.
A lot of dishes just say fromage du Corse or some say brocciu, which seems to be popular but unfortunately, limiting salt means limiting cheese consumption too.
It wasn't Corsican cheese. In fact it was some mass market brand. One of them was Kiri but I forget the other brand, so I'm not even sure what brand it was.
Kiri is some kind of processed cheese but it spreads on baguette like soft butter. So was the other one, which probably wasn't even some expensive camembert or brie.
I couldn't get enough of it, even though I'm trying to limit my salt intake.
It's got me Googling best French cheeses for bread and stuff.
French snacks have so much more salt than the American counterparts. Some of the packages have a grading system for nutrition and the best is maybe B. They have these crepes filled with cheese. Those taste great but are graded E, the lowest.
I know, I should just avoid processed and packaged food but at least you have an idea of the nutrition. Not sure what your'e getting if you get say a bruschetta or focaccia somewhere. Place I stayed in Bonifacio sold pizza by the slice and it looked good but had to be loaded with salt.
A lot of dishes just say fromage du Corse or some say brocciu, which seems to be popular but unfortunately, limiting salt means limiting cheese consumption too.
Jun 23rd, 2023, 09:14 PM
#110
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Or do you seek out comfort food?
Or at least go for familiar things like beef or chicken as opposed to things like goose liver or blood sausage?
Or does your culinary tastes not change at all?
One thing I've noticed over the decades of travel is that burgers are now everywhere. Used to be that you had to go to fast-food chains or you might find the occasional restaurant offering an American style fare.
Not only are there more places that offer burgers, there are regular restaurants which offer it as a main course along with more traditional dishes.
And often, these places specializing in burgers have high ratings -- TA, Google, etc. Often the ratings are reflecting value as burgers can be 10-15 Euro versus say a steak being 25 Euro or more, way more.
That's not to say burgers don't have any merit as a meal, just that the much higher popularity and availability may reflect travelers seeking the comfortable and the familiar rather than risk the unknown. Or they may have dined a lot of the local cuisine but wanted to take a break and have a simpler meal.
Also seeing that there's more internationalization or globalization of a lot of menus. They all offer beef, chicken and fish of some kind, usually prepared with accompaniments which are similar to what you'd find in most industrialized countries.
I was looking at restaurants in Stockholm in Google Maps and only a few in central Stockholm offered the infamous pickled herring. Otherwise a lot of Japanese and Asian fusion restaurants, a large number of Mexican fast food or fast casual chains (I remember tacos seeming to be popular in Oslo as well so maybe it's a Scandinavian thing). Of course a lot of burger places.
About the only thing that stood out was one or two places offered moose dishes and deer (or maybe it was reindeer) dishes.
I guess tourism as it exists today, a lot of people may try the local cuisine but a lot of them go for foods that are sold everywhere in the world. That's not to underplay the fact that a lot of locals like this internationalized food too. It's not just tourists packing into McDonalds and Starbucks stores in Europe. I would assume that's the case for other internationalized foods.
A lot of it isn't an accident. I heard that the Thais had a strategy to spread their cuisine all over the world but they wanted to make sure a lot of the signature dishes all looked and tasted the same, would be prepared in similar ways. If there weren't such deliberate strategies, well business people who invest in and run restaurants would simply copy what they see working in other places.
Or at least go for familiar things like beef or chicken as opposed to things like goose liver or blood sausage?
Or does your culinary tastes not change at all?
One thing I've noticed over the decades of travel is that burgers are now everywhere. Used to be that you had to go to fast-food chains or you might find the occasional restaurant offering an American style fare.
Not only are there more places that offer burgers, there are regular restaurants which offer it as a main course along with more traditional dishes.
And often, these places specializing in burgers have high ratings -- TA, Google, etc. Often the ratings are reflecting value as burgers can be 10-15 Euro versus say a steak being 25 Euro or more, way more.
That's not to say burgers don't have any merit as a meal, just that the much higher popularity and availability may reflect travelers seeking the comfortable and the familiar rather than risk the unknown. Or they may have dined a lot of the local cuisine but wanted to take a break and have a simpler meal.
Also seeing that there's more internationalization or globalization of a lot of menus. They all offer beef, chicken and fish of some kind, usually prepared with accompaniments which are similar to what you'd find in most industrialized countries.
I was looking at restaurants in Stockholm in Google Maps and only a few in central Stockholm offered the infamous pickled herring. Otherwise a lot of Japanese and Asian fusion restaurants, a large number of Mexican fast food or fast casual chains (I remember tacos seeming to be popular in Oslo as well so maybe it's a Scandinavian thing). Of course a lot of burger places.
About the only thing that stood out was one or two places offered moose dishes and deer (or maybe it was reindeer) dishes.
I guess tourism as it exists today, a lot of people may try the local cuisine but a lot of them go for foods that are sold everywhere in the world. That's not to underplay the fact that a lot of locals like this internationalized food too. It's not just tourists packing into McDonalds and Starbucks stores in Europe. I would assume that's the case for other internationalized foods.
A lot of it isn't an accident. I heard that the Thais had a strategy to spread their cuisine all over the world but they wanted to make sure a lot of the signature dishes all looked and tasted the same, would be prepared in similar ways. If there weren't such deliberate strategies, well business people who invest in and run restaurants would simply copy what they see working in other places.
Jul 21st, 2023, 06:10 AM
#111
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Every time I go somewhere, I try as many different local dishes as possible. Trying the local food is one of the things I like the most about traveling. I think it's amazing how you get to eat something you previously didn't even know existed. I never order any familiar dishes when dining abroad. I don't want to waste a chance to try something unknown, over eating things I could easily prepare at home, such as burgers or fries. I think it's important to try the local dishes when you have that opportunity and in my opinion no trip would be complete without a visit to a local restaurant.
Dec 31st, 2023, 06:04 AM
#113
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Not trying out the local food in your travel destinations is like depriving yourself of the huge chunk these places have to offer 
I've recently stumbled across an article about Italian food customs and was literally amazed how they celebrate eating. I visited Italy once in 2006 and knew that they have a "thing" for their food, but didn't know that they are super crazy about it 
I've recently stumbled across an article about Italian food customs and was literally amazed how they celebrate eating. I visited Italy once in 2006 and knew that they have a "thing" for their food, but didn't know that they are super crazy about it
Jan 7th, 2024, 11:08 PM
#114
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I always taste new food when I travel if I get a chance, but only a little bit. Now that I’m older, I can tell how my body will feel just by looking at the food before I try it. After I sample a bit of the new food, I stick to my comfort foods. I am more open to try a variety of my usual food like a burger with different fillings in a new country. I was not always like this. I was adventurous when it comes to food when I was younger, always open to tasting exotic food in the countries I visited.
Jan 29th, 2024, 01:52 AM
#115
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I remember one time I was traveling through Southeast Asia, and I made it a point to try something different every day – from street-food stalls to little family-run eateries, the variety was incredible. It's not just about the taste but the stories behind the dishes, the people you meet while trying them, and the memories you make.
Jan 29th, 2024, 06:55 AM
#116
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Huge deal for me. Cuba was in part a disappointment because the food was just awful. The culture didn't work for me, but the food was a nail in the coffin. I travel to eat and experience new things, but Cuba felt like trying to avoid salt by the end of it!
Jan 30th, 2024, 11:09 AM
#117
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For those who might be considering traveling to the Amalfi Coast: note that the small town of Minori is a FANTASTIC place to base as regards food. There are 3 different delis that make outstanding sandwiches, a number of VG restaurants, a dedicated pasta-maker specialist plus ...(sound of trumpets)...the award-winning Sal de Riso pastry shop. We had assumed that Sal and his bro's twin cafe nearby were just for pastries, but in fact they are full-on restaurants offering a good range on the menu. Eg. citrus pizza!
*If you watched Stanley Tucci's CNN Italy series, then you might recall Stanley sharing a limoncello drink with Sal himself on the Minori pier at the very end of his introductory episode.
I am done. the stomach
*If you watched Stanley Tucci's CNN Italy series, then you might recall Stanley sharing a limoncello drink with Sal himself on the Minori pier at the very end of his introductory episode.
I am done. the stomach
Apr 9th, 2024, 05:57 PM
#120
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Food is an important way to know about local customs and one of the main activities of the tour.
I have tried fried insects in Yunnan, such as grasshoppers. It tastes like fried protein, not bad. There are some fried spiders and scorpions, but I dare not eat them.
I have tried fried insects in Yunnan, such as grasshoppers. It tastes like fried protein, not bad. There are some fried spiders and scorpions, but I dare not eat them.
