tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39979617315697633392011-10-03T11:37:30.563-04:00Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-3663193217672464302011-09-24T08:48:00.000-04:002011-10-03T11:37:30.599-04:00

Countries don't spring up all assembled into a unified culture, and cuisines and habits vary according to ancient tribal borders. Some cuisines find their way across the nation, like hamburgers, I suppose, but others are ubiquitous in some places and endangered in others. We found this out the hard way when we discovered the tomato-topped tostada (that I wrote about earlier) in Cartagena, Spain.

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-55560339744724595272011-08-09T03:28:00.002-04:002011-08-09T03:29:48.702-04:00

One of the virtues of eating in restaurants, whether home or away, is that you can have something that you'd never make for yourself. When the local dish is complicated, or it has to be made in large quantities, or needs a pan you don't have, or it contains a lot of something that you don't normally have around the house, you should be sure to look for it when you're traveling. In Spain, paella

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-91319305122033795942011-07-16T12:00:00.001-04:002011-07-16T12:02:25.708-04:00

Let's assume that you've arrived in a very new place, and there's a time change. Everyone knows that you need to adjust your sleeping habits. But it's important to reset your meal clock as well, and not just to the new time zone. You have to adjust to the rhythms of the culture. If you don't, well, you'll be swimming upstream for your entire visit. Spain's a great example, a place where eating

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-63671309083546065322011-06-24T13:04:00.000-04:002011-06-24T13:05:10.803-04:00

Well, I really couldn't find a way to translate the term croque monsieur from French to Portuguese. But I'd like to make the case that the sandwich itself, while delicious, has lost something in the translation as well. The sandwich known in Portugal as Francesinha (or "little frenchie" or "little French girl") originated in Porto, in Portugal's north. It's said that a French/Belgian immigrant

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-61133792610984204582011-06-13T07:06:00.000-04:002011-06-13T07:12:49.722-04:00

The Saint Anthony festival is the midsummer celebration in Portugal. Like most other midsummer celebrations (such as Midsommer in Scandinavia and St. John's Eve in Greece), midsummer happens before or on the actual arrival of summer. For some reason that eludes me, midsummer celebrations often involve jumping over a roaring bonfire. In Portugal, and especially in the Alfama section of Lisbon,

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-57591756364456882522011-06-10T05:23:00.000-04:002011-06-10T05:24:37.419-04:00

There's an undercover cost to meals and snacks in Portugal. It's called the couvert, or "cover". This sort of thing works differently in different countries. In some places, there's a cover charge that generally just pays for table service. In those places, it's not optional. In Portugal, it is optional, but you have to pay attention. Portuguese menus have a section called "couvert". In that

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-83173129772298892812011-06-01T02:29:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:21:04.719-04:00

Galicia comprises the northwestern corner of Spain. It's visited for its plentiful seafood and its pristine beaches. It's also the home of Santiago de Compostela, the third most important pilgrimage site in Christianity, behind Rome and Jerusalem. The Cathedral's stone carvings pay homage to many a Bible character, including one woman, most likely Queen Esther. She has a front-row spot on the

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-49837635863875359552011-05-23T09:53:00.000-04:002011-06-24T13:12:43.670-04:00

In Noia, Galicia, Spain, there's a stand that makes nothing but churros. There's always a large bowl of the most-recent batch of sizzling dough. Churros y chocolate might actually be less healthy than a big bowl of Count Chocula. This breakfast favorite is constructed from a paste of flour and sugar that is deep-fried in oil. So far, it's just junk food, right? Then it's served with what you'd

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-58483043045927963182011-05-20T05:38:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:10:00.582-04:00

The northwestern corner of Spain is known as the Costa de Morte, or Death Coast, in the region of Galicia. This rocky shore of the Atlantic has swallowed up many fishing vessels over the centuries. It's appropriate we do some swallowing in return. Galicia's many treasures include octopus, which is tenderized and cooked, then seasoned with olive oil, salt and paprika. It's called pulpo a fiera,

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-24966499433447602152011-05-06T11:13:00.000-04:002011-06-01T02:41:18.260-04:00

Our return to the UK wasn’t predicated upon the royal calendar, just on the arrival of the merry month of May. After a restless overnight flight, your body simply doesn’t know what meal makes sense. For me, that’s a great time for sausages, which work any time of day. What struck me about this pub dish was the presentation. First, the notion of making the dish attractive – for the poster child

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-82759904418021889092010-12-24T11:17:00.001-05:002011-06-01T02:42:09.057-04:00

A survey done by hotels.com revealed that U.S. travelers are not that adventurous when it comes to eating local cuisine while they're traveling. The survey found that almost two-thirds of travelers make it a point to try the local cuisine when traveling. Only six percent surveyed said they would not stray off the beaten path, and would only eat cuisine that they were familiar with. Of those

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-78429040339044002182010-10-30T19:42:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:20:12.909-04:00

I had occasion to be in Lebanon about a month ago, and hoped to gorge myself on eastern Med cuisine, which is delivered in fine form in Beirut. Alas, I was sick for the entire duration of my visit, and my meals were infrequent and small. At least, I was able to enjoy one of the best elements of Lebanese cuisine, the mezze plate. This is an assortment of small bites, and the hot version boasts an

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-33437764070317193092010-09-27T08:01:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:08:22.795-04:00

Britain has just become the fattest country in Europe. I don't have any scientific data to support this connection, but it's an understandable consequence of the fabulous scone. Here is the "fruit" version, meaning that there are raisins inside, as opposed to the plain version at left. The right time for a scone is apparently any time that you are not eating a meal: after breakfast or instead

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-39921066729585089772010-08-30T04:00:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:03:59.640-04:00

It just doesn't seem right to leave Ireland without a nod to the national brew, Guinness. This ruby-colored beverage has been around since the mid-18th century, and is the best-selling alcoholic drink in Ireland, where alcoholic drinks aren't an unusual sight. For the record, in this region, Guinness (or any beer) is always served in a glass etched with the name of the brew. This probably means

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-89086224979032689662010-08-25T05:23:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:12:08.113-04:00

The Isle of Man is a hub of kipper production, producing thousands in the village of Peel. The Manx word for the dish is skeddan jiarg, which translates to "red herring" (of course, that's irrelevant, isn't it?) Kippers are generally eaten in the morning, or at tea, though you could make a meal out of them, and I did, as shown below. They're served with bread, and when they make up a whole

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-77523808721923491452010-08-12T11:05:00.003-04:002011-06-01T03:06:30.933-04:00

Here's a great idea for cities that want to promote their restaurants. Belfast held its second Taste and Music Fest, a smorgasbord of food and sounds. Here's how it worked. The festival went on for five days in a city park, just a large field, really, with a soundstage set up at one end and plastic tables and chairs covering the grass. Along one side were more than a dozen booths from local

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-5773671977068686132010-08-12T10:39:00.001-04:002011-06-01T03:04:46.524-04:00

I don't drink much. Because of that, it isn't hard to get me tipsy. And I don't know all that much about booze, or wine, or beer. But I'm sure that for many foodies, it's important to explore not only the cuisine, but the accompanying beverages that the culture has on offer. For one thing, we're sometimes on vacation when we travel, and drinking adds to the festivities. When we're traveling on

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-84643209524393314412010-08-05T03:45:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:02:05.612-04:00

One of the adventures available to the self-catering traveler is to buy seafood right from the fisherman. We were in Jura, and happened upon a fishing boat as he was unloading his catch. I'd thought that he'd caught langoustines, but he told me that they were actually a crustacean called squat lobsters. The fisherman was yanking them in half, tossing the recognizable head and claws back into

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-16825775027563397712010-08-01T13:19:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:01:55.899-04:00

It's always fun to see a regional dish interpreted by a local chef. So I enjoyed seeing "bubble and squeak" (a stew traditionally made of Sunday roast leftovers) in Shetland, made with lamb instead of beef, and fish and chips made with haggis instead of haddock. International foods are widely interpreted into Scottish Gaelic as well. In Oban, we visited an Italian restaurant with an all-seafood

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-29025439654757028822010-06-28T04:45:00.002-04:002011-06-01T03:01:43.374-04:00

When you travel, you're often surprised by the look of familiar food. In western Scotland, you often find diver scallops on the menu. They're tender and sometimes surprisingly large. But the most striking attribute for me is the "wee orange bit" (as described by my server), which as near as I can tell, is the muscle that connects the animal to its shell. At home, that muscle is a tough membrane

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-65941531550302662462010-06-28T03:22:00.000-04:002011-06-01T03:01:33.988-04:00

The pub is to the UK what the diner is in America, a place for home-cooked food without pretension. But the UK pub scene is undergoing a bit of a transformation with the emergence of what they call "gastropubs." Now no pub appears to be so presumptuous as yet to call itself a gastropub, but we've already visited lots of places that go well beyond shepherd's pie and bangers and mash. There are

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-90984718337808104722010-06-13T06:39:00.000-04:002011-06-01T02:59:25.218-04:00

It's still too soon to draw conclusions about the whole of mainland Scotland, or for that matter, the whole of Inverness. But so far, lunch has been an absolute pleasure. Many places in town offer a 2-course lunch most days, and the sweet spot for price is from £5.95 (about $9.00) to £10 ($15 for two courses.) When we travel, it's common for us to have a big lunch: we're already out, it's often

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-20306723101226710552010-06-09T10:19:00.003-04:002011-06-01T03:01:03.486-04:00

It's Scotland, so haggis is on the list of experiences to have. For some time, I erroneously believed that haggis was just for tourists, but that is entirely untrue. Haggis is as common to cuisine in these parts as sausage is anywhere else. I've tried it twice now, and I think that both times it was in its very usual appearance. The first was in a "mixed grill" in Orkney, with egg, sausage, bacon

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-1809537997926097612010-05-23T05:26:00.000-04:002011-06-01T02:59:25.220-04:00

We've just arrived in the Shetland Islands well in the north of Scotland. It's our first stop in the UK, our first stop in Scotland, but Shetland cuisine has its own identity, so it made sense to stay as local as possible. Guidebooks helped me know what to look for when scouting out restaurants. The posted menu at Monty's Bistro in Lerwick made us hungry mid-morning, and we rushed inside as soon

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-68288375329380235102010-05-09T13:10:00.001-04:002011-06-01T03:00:05.786-04:00

Brilliant social observer Stephen Colbert coined the term "Truthiness" to describe concepts that have the ring of validity without the substance. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm not in Kansas anymore (actually, I've never been in Kansas) and my general guidelines about finding food don't necessarily apply overseas. Here's one example. I'm in Norway, which is a very expensive place to

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-41184492980744149662010-05-01T14:07:00.000-04:002011-06-01T02:59:54.572-04:00

When you're on a short vacation, you're most likely in a hotel, or staying with friends, and the one chore you don't have to do is cook for yourself. We're staying overseas for about five months, starting in Sweden, living in our own quarters, and eating every meal out isn't an option. Even I could get sick of travel food if I had to eat every meal out for that long a time. Cooking in my own

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-14348953793600585392010-04-30T16:03:00.000-04:002011-06-01T02:55:00.223-04:00

Here's a conundrum. Eating is one of the most-anticipated joys of travel for me (yes, I suppose you might say I look forward to it with relish.) So why is it that the best vacations begin with long journeys that afford the most unsatisfying eating? On long flights, I worry that there won't be enough to eat, so I stash some snacks in the carryon bag. We worry that the first meal won't happen soon

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-66687333841190407872010-04-13T07:42:00.001-04:002011-06-01T02:53:36.513-04:00

Let's say that you're planning a trip somewhere., You buy your guidebooks and read the two pages that describe the eating culture at your destination. You leaf through the restaurant recommendations. Sometimes there's a list of annual festivals, and one of them might happen at the place you are during the time you're there. But nobody knows what's going on better than the local newspaper, and

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-63653774423190619992010-03-24T17:23:00.000-04:002011-06-24T13:11:01.513-04:00

We're visiting family in the Philadelphia area. While I was touring the farmer's market in LA, I couldn't help but think about Reading Terminal Market in my home town. I hadn't done more than rush through for decades now. Today, on a foray to Center City (what downtown is called in Philadelphia), I slowed down to smell the pretzels. This downtown marketplace is right in the train station at

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-56262850711844323652010-03-02T09:01:00.002-05:002011-06-24T13:11:01.514-04:00

The Farmers Market and 3rd Street Tasting Tour takes you through the bustle of the old open-air market in LA. Mention this market to locals and they get sentimental. On our 3+ hour visit, we ate our way through the market while learning about Frank Sinatra's pizza parlor and the buried secret recipe for caviar cheese. We ate the equivalent of a large meal, albeit somewhat inside out, beginning

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-11272914023174208642010-03-01T12:29:00.000-05:002011-06-24T13:11:01.514-04:00

It isn't hard to find a farmer's market in Southern California, and we strolled through one on Saturday morning. This market focused on organic foods, which meant that they were sort of expensive, considering the lack of middlemen in the distribution process. Some of the stands were covered with mosquito netting, proof, it appeared, of no insecticides in the growing process. Though we weren't in

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-16177298351102257002010-02-26T18:55:00.003-05:002011-06-01T02:44:27.066-04:00

What does a traveling foodie do for a restaurant when visiting a place that's just like home? Here I am in LA for the weekend. One solution to the quandary of new food experiences is to find an ethnic eatery that's at least new to you. Victims of odd flight schedules and time changes, we were starving when we finally got away from the airport in a rental car. We stopped at a Persian restaurant

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-87048885516879139552010-02-02T08:55:00.002-05:002011-06-01T02:44:27.066-04:00

This is the place for tips that make the travel eating experience what it should be. For example, the rule "if it grows together, it goes together" especially applies when you've changed latitudes. If you're in New England, eat a salad that contains apples and cranberries. When you're in the Mediterranean and all around you are hedges of rosemary, make sure that some of it lands on your plate.

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-27608661782219259332010-01-30T21:03:00.000-05:002011-06-01T02:47:28.567-04:00

The Saturday evening event was Duval Uncorked. Duval Street is the main walking-shopping-gallery-club-restaurant street in Key West, and this event opened it all up. Dozens of restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops welcomed Festival participants with small plates and endless wine. Don't be spooked; the gentleman above is a mannequin in the Banana Republic shop, not a decapitated local. There were

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-23101444041461930342010-01-30T16:03:00.000-05:002011-06-01T02:47:28.568-04:00

You might think that a coconut is round. You'd change your mind if you tried to bowl with one. The restaurant Blue Heaven sponsored a coconut bowling contest all afternoon. The idea is to roll a coconut down a dirt lane, to knock over a bunch of fake pineapples. I don't know how many frames were involved, but the winning score at the contest I saw was 17, so obviously it isn't so easy. The

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-83971664071928955532010-01-30T15:51:00.000-05:002011-06-01T02:47:28.569-04:00

Today's seminar (at the Grand Café on Duval Street) taught us about photographing food. The idea is that the photo should make your mouth water, even if it means covering dried-out meat with syrup to make it glow again, and securing delectables in just the right spot with silly-putty. Just because you want to eat your work doesn't mean you should go ahead and do it. Photographing food isn't all

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-43170335078825282452010-01-29T17:10:00.000-05:002011-06-01T03:02:53.103-04:00

This seminar took us through the preparation of a champagne brunch. Naturally, eggs benedict were a central part of the menu. We realized right away that we shouldn't have eaten lunch. A buffet was set out for us on the deck at the Shor Restaurant at the Hyatt, including eggs benedict (with a lesson on preparation), crab benedict (with a  shorter lesson) and yellowtail snapper panini with aioli

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-51996685180996144432010-01-29T16:56:00.000-05:002011-06-01T03:10:51.541-04:00

My better half made a wiser meal decision, still involving conch. His choice was a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich, accompanied by conch chowder. The chowder was spicy and thick, though a gust of seaside wind blew the last several tablespoons overboard before he could finish. He filled the gap by sneaking a few bites of my conch nibbles.

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-74463303329033188362010-01-29T16:52:00.000-05:002011-06-01T03:10:51.542-04:00

It's the first annual Key West Food & Wine Festival, and I arrived on the second day. I've already missed yesterday's events, but there's plenty to come. There's a $100 pass that gives you access to many of the events and most of the seminars over the four-day period. We wanted to get here in time for a 1:00 seminar on Friday. First, we went to lunch, at Dante's. Here's my operating philosophy

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3997961731569763339.post-9662484094370106562010-01-21T10:03:00.000-05:002011-06-01T02:48:30.453-04:00

Merging food and travel is a great pleasure, and I'd like to share some of my travel and eating philosophy. There's a limit to how much I should eat (I'm not sure there's a limit to how much I could eat), so I focus on local specialties whenever I can. Unless there's a food emergency, I never, ever visit an American chain I already know in another country, or even another city I'm exploring in

Foodie Two-Shoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13247589160795637948noreply@blogger.com1