Traveling with pre-existing food allergies can be daunting. It is like playing Russian roulette three times a day with meals. Living on the edge is part of the excitement of travel. Food experimentation however, is not a luxury you can afford if having a reaction on the road can be potentially dangerous. The good news...

One of the great things about travel is how even ordinary errands can become cultural adventures. For example, the simple act of going grocery shopping. Ben Groundwater, who writes "The Backpacker" column for The Sydney Morning Herald , waxed poetic in this article: Culture shop: the joy of supermarkets . Groundwater recounts his memories of...

Until I visited Colombia, I thought that my favorite hot chocolate was from Mexico. The dose of cinnamon (and sometimes, chile) has caused me to squirrel away a box of Ibarra or Abuelita for those moments when I crave it. But then, in Bogotá, I found something that was even better. Chocolate Santafereño is, at...

The Mexican city of Puebla has more than one way to satisfy a sweet tooth. The next time your travels take you through the colonial town, don’t think the treats end with the chocolate in mole poblano. The best place to get an eyeful of delicious options is to head straight to Puebla's Calle de...

Rice wine is a fairly popular staple of Asia. Its popularity, over history, has spread its way West and become a common enough spirit there. Rice wine doesn’t share the same fermentation process as fruit based wines, but rather undergoes a brewing method quite similar to beer. As with the brewing of beers, first the...

If you’re yearning for a weeklong wine harvest festival, pack your bags for Mendoza, Argentina. Here, in the foothills of the Andes, the first week of March is the annual Vendimia Festival , which lures wine lovers from around the world. Held since 1936, the festival celebrates winemaking in the heart of Argentina’s wine country....

I’m all for staying healthy while traveling, but I still want to try new things and enjoy myself. One of the keys to enjoying my food is finding a local version of fried dough. I’ve long been a fan of beignets in New Orleans, where the unwritten rule is that you cannot breathe in or...

The most popular staple of all Korean cuisine is, undoubtedly, Kimchi. Korean cuisine is famous for its many banchan, or side dishes, that come in endless variety. You never quite know what different assortment will accompany a meal. However Kimchi is utterly indispensible from the Korean table and often eaten with every meal of the...

One of the things I’m always searching for on my travels is a restaurant that makes the region’s traditional food so well that it’s a daily stop for locals. There are always plenty of eateries that cater to tourists, so it seems like a special discovery when I run across a place that both tourist...

Food in the Philippines provides great variety. One can find the same standard American style fast food chains found all over the world. There is also a good presence of Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian restaurants to choose from. Depending on where you go in the country, this variety is either more or less plentiful....

Has a place ever changed your tastes, literally? One of the best parts of travel, in my opinion, is the culinary tourism. Before I go somewhere I usually make a list of the most celebrated dishes or drinks for that particular area. In addition to this, I usually tack on those things that appeal specifically...

A lot of travelers are romanced by the kind of retreat from civilization found in the pages of Henry David Thoreau and Carl G. Jung. Taking a break from our regular lives and living simply in nature is not only personally rewarding, it may be a little more essential to our well being than many...

I must admit, both on the road and in my personal life, I have no tolerance for picky eaters. I have nothing but sympathy for people with food allergies, as I regard the condition as the most cruelly unfair punishment on this Earth, and I respect the lifestyle decisions made by vegetarians and vegans. However,...

The people of the north of France are said to be the friendliest and most welcoming in the country. The area also boasts a distinctly different culinary tradition, characterized largely by a sort of hearty “comfort food”. Here are a few budget-friendly dishes one should be sure to try when visiting this region. Tartiflette :...

One thing you might notice rather quickly after arriving in Korea is the bounty of ginseng available seemingly everywhere. Dried ginseng leaves have found their way into many popular teas across North America and experienced quite a boom. In this form the effects of ginseng are considerably milder, and it is certainly a much watered-down...

While markets often get the prize for variety and amazing local color, grocery stores also allow great insight into a culture. Not the supermarkets we see back home, but small, neighborhood grocery shops. The necessities on store shelves can serve as a cultural study, souvenir source, or simply a place where you can restock your...

Damascus, Syria Yes, it is the last in my five-part series on the senses, and this post will address the fact that we vagabonders smell. We do sometimes have an odor about us, especially after a long day in the tropical or desert heat, but what often stands out more are the other things we...

Whether you're an historian, literary enthusiast, or beach-seeking vacationer, Greece seems to seduce many people. The country is a long sought after destination for many travelers, including the traveling epicurean. Here are some sensations from the Mediterranean palate that are not to be missed if you find yourself traveling in the area. Ouzo : This...

Western manners don't teach us how to respond to non-Western hospitality. I'm talking about generosity that's over-and-above what we're used to. The sort of generosity where saying please or thank you is shunned as unnecessary, or even taken as slightly offensive. India is famous for its hospitality, and lately I've been feeling confused about how...

It would appear that I have inadvertently started a series that might be titled, " things experienced on the way to or from Afar launch parties. " Conveniently, they seem to be held on Wednesday evenings which coincides nicely with having a midnight Thursday column deadline. Tonight's event was held at the Cantina Bar in...