The freshly painted bright pink, green, yellow, and orange houses, lined up along the hilly cobble-stoned street contrast greatly with the deep blue South African sky. Signal Hill towers Bo-Kaap while the unmistakable shape of Table Mountain sets the background of this post-card perfect scenery. A filming crew Keep travelling!
Greek food is one of the most characteristic gastronomies of the Mediterranean diet. Based on olive oil, nuts, vegetables, and fish, its traditional recipes are not only healthy but also simply delicious – and with the proper teacher, not that hard to prepare. Let’s pierce its secrets in the heart of Athens. Keep cooking!
Take an exclusive tour of the Santa Lucia AVA (American Viticultural Area) vineyards, get up close and personal with the winemakers and experience their tasting rooms! Keep traveling!
Gastronomy in Reunion finds its inspiration mostly in Indian cuisine and around the top 5 spices used on the island that are onion, garlic, tomato, curcuma and ginger giving dishes an extra kick without pain! Add a pinch of Madagascar and a hint of Africa and you get a picture of the local dishes. Keep tasting!
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!
Article updated on May 15, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
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 savoring!
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!
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 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 tasting!
Beyond the ever present pupusas, El Salvador offers excellent seafood. With its 307 kilometres of coast on the Pacific, restaurants with Keep savoring!
Article updated on May 23, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
The Tokyo station is a crazy maze! Japanese people walk around like ants, workers in Keep savouring!
“Almond, Granny Smith, avocado, and a slight trace of pepper lingers in the throat”, says Mr. Thibault after smelling and Keep travelling
Article updated on May 26, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau
About 5 centimetres (2 inches) in length, 2 centimetres in width (a bit less than an inch), and roughly the same in heigth for just a few grams and 40 to 50 calories… They do not sound like much but sushi have conquered the world to the extent that many identify them with the whole of Japanese gastronomy (as you know by now if you have checked out our Japan food series, this is far from the truth!). Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 23, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Kaiseki-ryori is an art type, a true haute cuisine experience (comparable to Michelin-star restaurants) and the crème de la crème of Japanese gastronomy, serving and presentation. Kaiseki is a must for Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 22, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Tsunahachi in Shinjuku has been serving one of the finest tempura (天ぷら) in Tokyo for almost a century. In a country where excellence is the rule, that does mean something! Let’s explore the world of tempura in Japan! Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 25, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
It is dark outside when we arrive in front of the sliding doors of a tiny restaurant in the centre of Takayama in the Japanese Alps. Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 25, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Yakitori (やきとり) have become famous outside of Japan, and are often proposed in sushi restaurants all over the world. But in Japan, excelling is the norm, and Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 15, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau
Before visiting Japan, we had a hate & hate relationship with ramen (ラーメン) noodles! Associated to cheap student food, their instant version is the best-seller of Japanese convenience stores with 5.7 billion packages of instant ramen noodles sold in 2019 worldwide. Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 12, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns. More than a place to sleep, they convey a lifestyle and tradition that is a must to experience for any traveller to Japan. In this article, read about a typical ryokan experience and learn about the etiquette to make your stay a success!
Article updated on May 15, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau
While Asian noodles are often associated with cheap ramen, a wide variety of them can be savored in Japan. They come in three kinds: ramen (ラーメン) of course, but also Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 14, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau
Street food is not that common in Japan, and tends to disappear fast: yatai (屋台 – literally “food cart”) or food stalls popping up in the evening Keep savouring!
Article updated on May 11, 2020
Text & photos: Claire Lessiau
Literally, okonomi means “how you like it” and yaki, “fried”, otherwise known as the Japanese savory pancake: a delicious and cheap food served with no frills, around a hot griddle with toppings ranging from meat to vegetables or seafood.
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!
