Originally from Mexico, vanilla was imported to Europe and the colonies where it turned out to be only a beautiful orchid. Today world’s second most expensive spice (after saffron), its saga expanded globally thanks to a 12-year old slave from Réunion Island in 1848, and the paradisiac island still produces one of the best in the world…
Oman is a nation of seafarers and desert dwellers where influences from far away countries mix to the Bedouin hospitality, and the land and the sea prepared with the best spices brought back from centuries of trading are the signature of the local cuisine. Today, with many influences from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, it can be tough to identify the authentic Omani cuisine: here is a short guide to help you make the most of your culinary discoveries in the sultanate.
How did poor people pay their hospital bills back in the 14th century? With what they had, and most unlikely with money… Here in Strasbourg in one of the leading hospitals of the time, patients used to settle their bills with their homemade wines! Keep traveling!
Andrés makes his way through the narrow streets of Madrid’s old town that he knows like the back of his hand. He points out to some interesting details on the façades of different buildings as we are making our way to one of his secret spots to taste some of the best food in town paired with some of the best Spanish wines. “Did you know this is Madrid’s oldest building?” he asks when he briefly explains its history before we pop into a 19th century tavern on a historical nearby square. Andrés is taking us out tonight, and we are starting the traditional way with a vermouth on tap and delicias de bacalao. The fried cod cooked to perfection and still crispy is enhanced by the sweet madroño jam made from the fruits of the tree of Madrid: the strawberry tree (go figure, this has absolutely nothing to do with strawberries!).
Franschhoek, or the “French corner” has a fascinating history. Because of the wars of religions in 17th century France, a small number of French Protestant refugees settled in South Africa establishing a successful farming and wine making industry still recognised today as one of world’s best. Get off the beaten path and discover not only the famous wines of Franschhoek but also its stunning outdoors!
During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church was the only official church in Europe, radiating on the continent. The Renaissance brings reforms, discoveries and renewal. The new technology of printing makes the Bible accessible to the common man, and the protest grows against the seemingly unlimited power of the church and its great wealth. Keep travelling
Do you know how to recognise a real paella from the ones that are sold to most tourists throughout Barcelona? Do you know that most of the olive oil in the world is produced in Spain and bottled in other countries to be sold as such? That there are 28 different protected Spanish cheeses recognized over the world? That gazpacho is traditionally a cold soup made by farmers with left over vegetables? That the delicious crema Catalana has a world-famous French twin sister? Join us for this tasty experience in the booming El Born district of Barcelona!
With world-renowned Thai gastronomy often in the spotlight, Cambodian cuisine tends to be overlooked. If Cambodian restaurants are not that common abroad, traveling through this country opened our taste buds to the specificities of its cuisine that deserves more attention. Keep reading
With Thailand ranking high up in the list of world’s best cuisines, neighbouring Laos remains in its shadow. Because of the thaification that has been going on since 1933, you may find out in this article that your favourite Thai dish may very well be a Laotian one! And more importantly, that Lao food deserves more credits… Keep reading
The Kampot pepper is famous in the best kitchens all around the world. Farmed since the 13th century in Cambodia, it is during the protectorate that the French realized the potential of the Kampot area, giving a subtle taste to the pepper that lingers on one’s tongue. The hills of Kampot along the Cambodian coast Keep reading!
I’m savouring what must be the best pad Thais I have ever had: bitterness, saltiness, sweetness, sourness and spiciness are perfectly balanced. My taste buds are in awe as I dig into the nicely presented green curry. I look at Oay with a big smile of satisfaction as I slowly raise my head. Having fantastic food in Thailand is the norm, but what is all the more surprising is that I cooked these myself. My pride enhances my senses! Keep traveling!
There are more than a thousand bakeries in Paris, and each Parisian has its own favourite. As a Parisian, my own favourite is Legay Choc and its crispy and fresh baguette, homemade to-die-for chouquettes and delicious viennoiseries. Keep reading
Think: the Netherlands. What are the first few images popping up into your mind? Wooden clogs, tulips, windmills? Maybe gay-weddings, bicycles, the Amsterdam canals, or brown coffee shops? What about the yellow gold? No, not Heineken, I’m talking: cheese! Keep reading
The stunning UNESCO World Heritage of the Mont Saint Michel, in France is not only famous for its beauty and medieval architecture, but also for its salt meadow lambs (agneaux de pré salés). Keep reading
The Bocas del Toro archipelago in Panama is world-renowned for its stunning beaches, islands, surfing and snorkelling spots. And there is one more reason to go to Bocas: the mountainous forests on the mainland by the harbour town of El Almirante are home to one of the best organic cacao producers in the world! Keep traveling
About 32°C and a bright sun, walking the streets of Panama City. I would kill for an ice-cream! But I must admit that the traditional Central American ice-creams sold in the streets, consisting of grated ice in a plastic cup topped off with a chemical colorant, or the industrial ones packed with sugar are really not tempting to me. That is precisely when I remember my discussion with Maria from Café Ruiz in Boquete and the fact that she supplies a high-end ice-cream store in Casco Viejo, the charming neighbourhood of the capital… Keep traveling
“Position your nose inside the cup and inhale. Just close your eyes and smell thoroughly.” My hands are wrapped around a warm coffee cup while I am distinguishing the elegant flavours. “Now move your nostril along the ridge of the cup and smell again. What do you smell now?”
I am trying to recognize the different scents: honey, a trace of jasmine, a hint of fruits, an orange aftertaste. This coffee is not just a regular coffee: I am tasting the best coffee of the world! Indeed, the Geisha coffee from the mountains of Boquete, Panama, has been acclaimed by worldwide independent tasters as the best, with its price reaching up to $350 for a pound of its unprocessed green beans.
“Pupusas are the specialty of El Salvador! We eat pupusas all day. There is even the National Pupusa Day every November where the biggest pupusa was cooked reaching a diameter of 4.5 meters! And if you ever fly from San Salvador, you will see that Salvadorans buy pupusas before the flight to bring them abroad!” With this enthusiastic answer of our Salvadoran friend to our local specialty question, we had to try as many pupusas as possible while traveling through El Salvador! Keep reading
Beyond the ever present pupusas, El Salvador offers excellent seafood. With its 307 kilometres of coast on the Pacific, restaurants with Read more
The Tokyo station is a crazy maze! Japanese people walk around like ants, workers in Keep reading
“Almond, Granny Smith, avocado, and a slight trace of pepper lingers in the throat”, says Mr. Thibault after smelling and Keep travelling
As we have demonstrated it by now in our Japan food series, it is not all about sushi’s! But a trip to Japan without trying a sushiya would be incomplete! Keep reading
A true dining experience (comparable with Michelin-star restaurants), haute cuisine and the crème de la crème of Japanese food, serving, atmosphere and presentation: kaiseki is a must for Keep reading
Tsunahachi in Shinjuku, Tokyo has been serving one of the finest tempura in the capital for almost a century. We had to try it! Keep reading
It is dark outside when we arrive in front of the sliding doors of a tiny restaurant in the centre of Takayama. Keep reading
Ozu, Shikoku, 9PM on a Saturday night. A green cotton fabric outside the door of a small shack and a Japanese paper lantern. We get in. Keep reading
We have a love & hate relationship with ramen noodles! Keep reading
Black bird singing in the dead of night… I hear the lyrics in my head merging with the sounds of the guitar I am strumming in the warm and homey lounge of the Nutapukaushipe lodge. I am surrounded by wood carved furniture and musical instruments. After travelling through Japan for five weeks and not playing a single chord, I just couldn’t resist the temptation of grabbing one of them, kindly invited by the owner of the place. Keep traveling!
While noodles are often associated with cheap ramens for students, we have discovered a wide variety of them in Japan. They come in three kinds: ramen of course, but also Keep reading
Street food is not that common in Japan: yatai or food stalls popping up in the evening Keep reading
Even if okonomiyaki can be found all over the country, it is one of Hiroshima’s specialties. So once there, around lunch time, we walk to Okonomi-mura. There, Keep reading
Traveling is all about new experiences, also when it comes to food.
So obviously, when the Korean Air hostess prompted us for our dinner choices, we went for one of the signature Korean dishes: the bibimbap, literally meaning “mixed rice”. Concerned, she warned us to not put too much of the chili pepper paste as Keep travelling!
The tenth time; it is the tenth time that I am spending my holidays in Sweden. Apart from one time in spring and one time in winter, which is one of my most memorable experiences where I would gather around the fire at night with the people I love after either a snowmobile or dog sledging tour, a hike across the lake with snow-shoes, cross-country skiing or ice-fishing to finish the day rolling in the snow after a hot sauna, the other times I have been were in summer. The Swedes themselves are off, enjoying the sun, bars and restaurants put their terraces out, nightlife is Keep reading
