Let your taste buds travel and take a trip down the spice route

A meal at Byblos, the Toronto restaurant that specializes in the cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean, always takes me to faraway places. However, my taste buds have never travelled as far as they did during their recent Spice Dinner – a collaboration between Byblos' Executive Chef Stuart Cameron and Chef and Spice Expert Lior Lev Sercarz.

Sercarz is the owner of La Boite Spices in New York City, author of the newly published The Spice Companion (Clarkson Potter) and a spice blender for some of the world's top chefs. The following two recipes were part of the Byblos multi-course spice dinner. I took Chef Sercarz' advice and adapted them to my taste and home cooking methods.

Baked hummus with meat and Hawaij spice

Although you can buy hummus everywhere now you can't beat fresh homemade hummus that has never seen a refrigerator. Served warm topped with spiced meat makes it even better. Serve with challah or pita.

2 cups cooked chickpeas (freshly cooked or drained canned chick peas)1/2 cup raw tahini1 clove garlic, grated or minced1/4 cup lemon juice1 tsp kosher salt1/3 cup ice water or more1/4 tsp ground cumin

jalapeno and cilantro schug:1 jalapeno, cut into chunks (remove ribs and seeds if you want it milder)1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut into pieces1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems2 tbsp lime juice1/2 tsp kosher salt1/4 tsp each ground turmeric, cumin and black pepper1/4 cup extra virgin olive oilpinch citric acid

garlic sauce:1/3 cup mayonnaise1 tbsp lemon juice1 clove garlic, grated or pressed

spiced meat:1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1/2 small onion, chopped1/2 lb sirloin steak, hand chopped into small piecesreserved chick peas1/2 tsp each smoked paprika, ground cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper1/4 tsp ground allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg1/2 cup chicken stock

Reserve a few tbsp cooked chick peas for the meat. Place remaining cooked chick peas in a food processor and pulse on/of until finely chopped. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, 1/3 cup water and cumin. Puree 4 to 5 minutes or longer until very smooth and creamy. Add additional ice water until hummus is the consistency you like. Season to taste with more lemon juice and/or salt.

Spread hummus in a shallow bowl ovenproof dish, leaving a shallow indentation for the meat. Reserve. (Cover but do not refrigerate.)

Place jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt, turmeric, cumin, pepper and citric acid in a blender and chop finely. Add oil slowly while the machine running. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned. Add meat and brown well. Add chick peas, all the spices and cook one to two minutes, stirring. Add chicken stock and simmer a minute or two until mixture comes together and liquid evaporates. Season to taste. Spoon on hummus.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for approximately 5 to 7 minutes until warm. Drizzle with garlic sauce, dot with some schug and top with a few cilantro leaves.

Makes 6 servings.

Tah dig with apricots and figs with tangier spice 

Persian rice is the best rice imaginable. Everyone who makes it has a slightly different touch. The sign of an accomplished cook is the tah dig – or crispy crust – that forms on the bottom of the pot. It may take a few tries to achieve it but all the trials will taste delicious so don't worry.

2 cups basmati rice2 tbsp butter1 small onion, chopped1/4 cup dried apricots, diced1/4 cup dried figs, diced1/4 tsp ground cumin5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed1 tsp grated lemon peel

liquid:1/2 tsp saffron threads (or 1/2 tsp tumeric)1/2 cup boiling water1/3 cup butter – divided1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

topping:1/4 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios1/4 cup pomegranate seeds2 tbsp dried rose petals if available1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Soak rice in a bowl of cold water for one to two hours.

Heat butter in a medium skillet and cook onions, without browning, until fragrant and tender about 5 minutes. Add apricots, figs, cumin, cardamom pods and lemon peel. Cook a few minutes longer. Cool.

Bring 4 quarts water to the boil in a large pot. Add 2 tbsp salt. Drain rice well and add rice to water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes until rice turns opaque but is only parboiled. Drain rice and rinse with cold water. Drain again and combine with apricot and fig mixture. (This can be done ahead.)

Crush saffron slightly in a small bowl and add boiling water. Add 3 tbsp butter and salt. Reserve.

Melt remaining butter in a heavy 4L Dutch oven. When butter begins to sizzle and brown slightly add rice letting it mound to a peak in the centre. With the handle of a wooden spoon make 6 deep (right to the bottom) holes through the rice. Drizzle saffron mixture into the holes. Wrap the lid of the pot with a tea towel (be sure the ends do not hang down!) and cover pot. Cook on medium heat 30 to 40 minutes. After 30 minutes check to see if a crispy layer is forming on the bottom and if not, turn heat up and cook 10 minutes longer.

To serve, fluff the rice (not the crust) and then invert onto a large shallow serving plate. Hopefully everything will come out with the crispy tah dip on top. Or, spoon rice onto the serving dish and lift out the crispy rice in pieces and scatter on top. Sprinkle with pistachios, pomegranate seeds, rose petals and cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

While in Toronto, Chef Sercarz also taught a class at Byblos on how to make spice blends and here are a few of his tips:

Make blends based on flavours that inspire you.

Name the blend so it tells a story.

Keep it simple and start with just a few ingredients.

Weigh each ingredient and keep notes.

Do not refrigerate or freeze blends.

Use dried herbs so the blends will keep well.

Use a coffee grinder to grind spices.

Source: Let your taste buds travel and take a trip down the spice route

10 reasons to go grocery shopping when you travel

Grocery shopping in a foreign country gets you off the beaten track, gives an insight into local culture and engages your senses.

​There's a moment near the beginning of almost every trip when you hang briefly between wanting to fall madly in love with the place you have arrived at and not knowing exactly why you came.

That's the moment to head out for groceries. Find a market, bodega, bakery or food shop of some kind. Any kind.

Food is the one factor that crosses all cultural lines: We all gotta eat. And drink. Here's why spending time shopping for food should always be part of your travel plans.

1. You get an understanding of the food:

Walking the aisles of a market connects you to the food of your destination. You can see at a glance what is fresh and what is canned. Low prices and abundant quantities reflect goods that are produced locally. Conversely, high prices and small quantities show you what is likely imported from distant lands, either as special treats for residents, or perhaps to cater to visitors like yourself.

2. It connects you to the people:

It's fun to compare distant markets with what you have at home.

Besides ogling the food, walking through markets lets you rub shoulders (often literally) with locals.

Imagine yourself back home at the store, kids in tow, filling your basket before you dash home to prepare dinner. Look around you in the market: It's the same everywhere you travel. That's a connection you can't get very many places during your travels.

Read more:* Travel tips: How to haggle overseas without feeling guilty* Sneezing while browsing India's markets* Beware of buying batik in Indonesia: How I fell for the most obvious travel scam

3. It elevates the senses:

To fully experience a place, all your senses need to be engaged. Food markets fit the bill perfectly with aromas of food both raw and cooked, the colours of the produce and the sounds of people chatting with neighbours or haggling over prices.

4. It's a fun way to learn bits of a new language:

It doesn't have to be about food, you might find some cheap souvenirs too.

What the heck is inside a package of frozen aardappels? Either the picture on the package will tell you, you can ask a clerk or you can buy them and find out.

In any case, you will have learned the Dutch word for potatoes - and it's far more likely to stick with you than if you learned it from a language program.

5. It's fun to compare distant markets with what you have at home:

This can be especially fun when you travel in the States. Did you know for example, that the Wal-Mart in Honolulu shares a three-story building with Sam's Club and that they have a water sports section that is larger than the average sporting goods store elsewhere?

6. It saves you money on meals:

From the practical point of view, the fewer times you eat in restaurants, the more money you will save. Even if your accommodations don't offer the opportunity to cook, picking up basics such as bread, fruit and cheese for picnics can keep your trip within budget.

Walking through markets lets you rub shoulders (often literally) with locals.

7. The beer and wine are cheaper:

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On a recent trip to Europe, I enjoyed an excellent bottle of wine in Milan, purchased for 4 euros in a grocery store at the Milano Central train station. Then there were beers purchased from corner markets in Athens, Frankfurt, Murano and Santorini - all for half the price I would have paid at a restaurant or from the room service menu at my hotels.

And I would have missed the experience of shopping for them.

8. There are cheap souvenirs:

Whether it's a tin of sardines from Slovenia or a package of cookies from a Caribbean market, there are things in food markets that are better souvenirs than you will find at the touristy shops. 

9. It usually gets you off the tourist track:

Without sounding trite, leaving the touristy areas behind in favour of the kind of neighbourhood where you can find groceries is exhilarating, no matter what city you are in. Destinations come to life once you get a few blocks away from the tourist hot spots.

10. It gives you a sense of accomplishment:

Not only did you navigate the neighbourhood to find the market, but you found suitable sustenance. You are now officially a hunter-gatherer traveller.

Travel Pulse

Source: 10 reasons to go grocery shopping when you travel

From history to food to holiday travel: Memorial Day by the numbers

Americans kick off summer on Memorial Day, often traveling to see relatives, participate in parades, and eat a whole lot of hot dogs.

Here's a look at Memorial Day by the numbers, according to WalletHub.

HISTORY

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to the Civil War. Its birthplace is disputed, as 25 American cities claim this title, according to WalletHub. The first state to officially recognize Memorial Day was New York in 1873.

PARADE

The National Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C. will be watched by an anticipated 1.5 million television viewers on Monday. More than 1,000 active duty service members participate in the parade, as well as more than 30 high school marching bands.

TRAVEL

AAA's annual Memorial Day travel forecast predicts 2017 will be the busiest since 2005. More than 39 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home, with 34.6 million of those travelers hitting the roads.

ACTIVITIES

One popular way to spend the weekend is taking advantage of deals in stores, which more than 40 percent of Americans said they are "likely" to do. WalletHub said shoppers can expect anywhere from 20 percent to 90 percent off of home goods and spring clothing. The personal finance site also put together a round-up of the best deals available from major retailers.

Another popular way to spend the weekend is to put on your running shoes. More than 200 running races are held each Memorial Day around the country, according to WalletHub.

FOOD

Memorial Day is one of the most popular holidays for cooking outdoors, second only to the Fourth of July. According to WalletHub, 75 percent of Americans plan to cook out this weekend.

The holiday is not only the unofficial start of summer, it's the start of hot dog season. Americans consume a grand total of 2 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. That's 818 hot dogs per second.

Graphic and information by WalletHub.

Source: From history to food to holiday travel: Memorial Day by the numbers

Central Otago is a food lover's paradise

Armando's Kitchen has delicious cinnamon scrolls in an idyllic setting.

There is no shortage of great foodie spots that hit every budget in Central Otago.

But one of my favorites has to be right smack in the centre of Old Cromwell – Armando's Kitchen.

The menu is delightful and the space is lovely. It's the kind of spot where you could  spend hours in the sun on the porch overlooking the lake. But don't miss out on the cinnamon scrolls.

Freeway Orchard in new Cromwell offers a great selection of fresh vegetables, but the real fruit icecream is exceptional.

READ MORE: * An awe-inspiring glacial experience on Fox Glacier* Rafting on the Landsborough is a must-do experience* Road tripping around Banks Peninsula

It would be a crime to visit Cromwell and not stock up on local fruits and vegetables. You can't drive through Central Otago without stopping at one of the many orchards and fruit stalls, though my pick will always be the iconic Freeway Orchard in new Cromwell.

If you only get one thing, make sure it's the real fruit icecream  made in front of you.

Oliver's restaurant in Clyde has affordable fine dining, beautiful meals in a lovely restored historic building.

I can't talk about dining in Central Otago and leave out the shining star – Oliver's in Clyde.

If you've never turned down the road into Clyde, you don't know what you're missing. It's the perfect place for a weekend escape in Central Otago at any time of year.

Don't miss out on a dinner at Oliver's. Affordable fine dining, the meals will blow your mind and the lovingly restored historical space will make you smile.

Alexandra is a picture-postcard stop, and a great place to pop into for coffee and cake is the Courthouse, in the town's original courthouse.

While it's impossible for me to choose a favourite cafe, one of my go-to spots in Alexandra  is the Courthouse Cafe.

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Tucked away in Alexandra's original courthouse, this quaint cafe is generally bursting with loyal customers, most of whom, I think, are coming for the amazing cakes and cabinet food.

Another great way to experience of the amazing foodie options in Central Otago is to dine in at one of the cellar doors of the many vineyards in the area.

Spend a pleasant autumn day hopping between vineyards around Bannockburn, and enjoy a leisurely lunch at Carrick Wines.

I love to hide away for the day at the wineries in Bannockburn, and Carrick is one of my favourites for a long weekend lunch, especially on a fine day.

 - Stuff

Source: Central Otago is a food lover's paradise

Anthony Bourdain Thinks This Airport Has the Best Food

The world's favorite traveler and its premiere evangelist for the life altering power of a good bowl of spicy noodles, Anthony Bourdain, has been a busy man recently. He has made the rounds doing interviews promoting his new critically acclaimed documentary, The Last Magnificent, about chef Jeremiah Tower, as well as gearing up for the upcoming season premiere of his CNN show Parts Unknown, which returns to television Sunday, April 30. To that end, he took some time to chat with Nell McShane Wulfhart of the New York Times recently to share some of his travel tips. But in addition to the items he never heads on the road without he also dropped some airport food recommendations. "Probably Changi Airport in Singapore has the best food," he told the Times. "It has a hawker center for the employees that's open to the public." The areas Bourdain was talking about are known as the staff canteens. His love of hawker stalls at Asian markets should be well known at this point as he has repeatedly cited them as a primary inspiration for his New York food market (which has recently hit another snag, losing its CEO).

As CNN reported last year, the canteens at the Singapore airport have been open to the public for decades, but tucked away above a parking lot and "at the end of a dingy corridor" they didn't necessarily get that much traffic. As senior vice president of communications for the airport explained to CNN, the airport didn't think travelers would be interested in eating there. The airport was wrong though and now apparently people who live nearby travel to the airport just to eat there (there's one trend we probably don't have to worry about invading the United States). But with the public Bourdain seal of approval coupled with the fact that they serve dishes of airport food court-defying quality for less than five bucks, the popularity of this section of the airport will almost certainly explode even more.

As far as airport food Bourdain also gave honorable mention to Tokyo, which "has a sushi bar right near the gates serving flights to the states that's extraordinarily good for an airport sushi place." Good for airport sushi doesn't always mean much, but coming from a guy with the sorts of firm sushi opinions that Bourdain has, it definitely carries some weight.

If you're not travelling to Singapore or Tokyo anytime soon and want to see if there's anything good at the airport you'll be landing at, check out our extensive airport dining survival guide.

Source: Anthony Bourdain Thinks This Airport Has the Best Food

From history to food to holiday travel: Memorial Day weekend by the numbers

This weekend, Americans will travel to see relatives, participate in parades, and kick off summer fun with a whole lot of hot dogs.

Here's a look at Memorial Day weekend by the numbers, according to WalletHub.

HISTORY

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to the Civil War. Its birthplace is disputed, as 25 American cities claim this title, according to WalletHub. The first state to officially recognize Memorial Day was New York in 1873.

PARADE

The National Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C. will be watched by an anticipated 1.5 million television viewers on Monday. More than 1,000 active duty service members participate in the parade, as well as more than 30 high school marching bands.

TRAVEL

AAA's annual Memorial Day travel forecast predicts 2017 will be the busiest since 2005. More than 39 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home, with 34.6 million of those travelers hitting the roads.

ACTIVITIES

One popular way to spend the weekend is taking advantage of deals in stores, which more than 40 percent of Americans said they are "likely" to do. WalletHub said shoppers can expect anywhere from 20 percent to 90 percent off of home goods and spring clothing. The personal finance site also put together a round-up of the best deals available from major retailers.

Another popular way to spend the weekend is to put on your running shoes. More than 200 running races are held each Memorial Day around the country, according to WalletHub.

FOOD

Memorial Day is one of the most popular holidays for cooking outdoors, second only to the Fourth of July. According to WalletHub, 75 percent of Americans plan to cook out this weekend.

The holiday is not only the unofficial start of summer, it's the start of hot dog season. Americans consume a grand total of 2 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. That's 818 hot dogs per second.

Graphic and information by WalletHub.

Source: From history to food to holiday travel: Memorial Day weekend by the numbers

Premiere for the new SAS food and drinks concept – “New Nordic by SAS”

SAS is now launching "New Nordic by SAS" – a food concept whose inspiration comes from our passengers and the Nordic food philosophy where local, seasonal ingredients are key. With the focus on function, quality, taste and design, every SAS passenger will now be offered a selection of taste experiences based on fresh, local ingredients and pure flavors in new pared down packaging designed for life onboard. The concept will launch on 28 May on SAS domestic, Scandinavian and European flights.

Innovation has been a driving force for SAS in all 70 years the company has been airborne. SAS is now launching a new food and drinks concept on all its domestic, Scandinavian and European flights. The concept has been developed by SAS food and drinks managers in consultation with flyers and cabin crew as part of a major update of the SAS food and drinks range that focuses on natural ingredients and local suppliers.

"We know that food and drinks are an important part of the travel experience and are therefore delighted to be able to launch an entirely new concept where have dedicated tremendous attention to detail to ensure the packaging, quality of the food and experience itself are very much in line with the concept. We have reviewed everything from the packaging to how we serve the food to give our passengers an even better and more personal overall experience," Stephanie Smitt Lindberg, VP Product and Development, SAS, says.

The new design is unique to the industry and inspired by the takeaway culture. Lunch and dinner come prepacked in a cube that makes the contents very easy to eat while continuing to work, read or watch a movie.

The new menu includes Norwegian fjord salmon, Swedish lamb and Danish veal plus locally grown vegetables from Skags Gård farm. Accompaniments such as filled muffins will also be served along with main meals. The food and drinks are now available onboard Scandinavian and European flights and are included in the ticket price.

"We are on the constant look out for local producers that we can build a close relationship with and develop our menus together to ensure we serve ingredients that are in season, whether this be stone-baked bread from II Fornaio, asparagus grown at Stenhuse Gård Farm, handmade chocolates from Hedh Escalante or potatoes from Tollby Gård Farm," Peter Lawrance, Head Chef and Menu Planner, SAS, says.

The new food and drinks concept is part of the SAS New Experience where SAS is also upgrading all its short and medium haul flights with new cabins and high speed WiFi.

The previous snacks and drinks range consisted of premium products from local Scandinavian suppliers. Favorite products from major international brands will continue to feature in the range, but the majority of products are from some of the largest brands in Scandinavia.

Source: Premiere for the new SAS food and drinks concept – "New Nordic by SAS"

The entertainment and the food excellent: Norwegian Epic Cruise Review by me travel

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Source: The entertainment and the food excellent: Norwegian Epic Cruise Review by me travel

Tour Italy in Luxury with Supercars and Comfort Food

  View Gallery — 10   Photos

Those with an affinity for equally exquisite cars and cuisine can have their appetites sated with bespoke travel specialist Zicasso's new 10-day getaway,  Prestige & Passion of Italy: Celebrating 350 Years of Italian Racing Tradition. The experience unfolds within the country's Emilia-Romagna region, where la dolce vita is defined by fine dining, and alternates between Bologna, Modena, and Maranello. Already an epicurean epicenter, the area is also known as "Motor Valley," since it is home to some of the world's most storied marques and their collective 350 years of innovative engineering.

Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Bologna. 

The dual-purpose pilgrimage includes two cooking classes, a day discovering the beauty of balsamic and Parmesan cheese, a primer on prosciutto, and visits to the factories of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati, and Pagani. But participants will not be limited to simply viewing the vehicles. The package features five test drives, including the opportunity to try a Ducati motorcycle (with an instructor), as well as cruise country roads and take to the track behind the wheel of the other exotic automakers' machines (save Pagani).

Priced from $4,129 per person based on double occupancy, Zicasso's automotive and epicurean odyssey can be further fine-tuned to taste, and includes accommodations for nine nights, all classes and guided tours, and a majority of meals. (zicasso.com)

Source: Tour Italy in Luxury with Supercars and Comfort Food

The art of writing a food or travel review: those who can

 Vincent's at Barton reviewed

In a world where virtually anyone can be published online, there's a veritable tsunami of trash being made public out there, and the wave is building. There's also a growing number of websites and apps, including those focusing on food and travel, which make it easy for all and sundry to get their view on this that and the other out there.

Don't get me wrong. This can indeed be a good thing. It's very informative and often helpful when planning trips and outings. I often refer to review sites to get an idea of the restaurant or accommodation I'm considering to verify my choices or to perhaps warn me of the dire misery I might otherwise be stepping into. It keeps some establishments on their toes, knowing that if they provide really crap service or food, they might be called out on it publically. Of course, there's an insidious side to it as well, as good people and good businesses can be targeted unfairly by nasty people with a gripe and an iphone, but that's a whole other story.

What's really disheartening, though, is the number of 'reviews' published, which are in fact pure rubbish. Copious amounts of crap. People red with rage about small, inconsequential things, those with ridiculous expectations and those with over-inflated egos, and those with no bloody manners.  I mean, hotels which only put one mint on your pillow instead of two, bananas in fruit bowls that don't curve enough, countries where locals dare to speak in foreign languages, beaches with too much sand!! It doesn't bear thinking about.

And way, way too many who think they know what they're talking about when they are actually clueless. Of course, there's always a range of opinions, but how can some rate a restaurant as excellent when others compare eating there to ingesting the soggy base layer of a street hopper bin? I must admit, as soon as I read the words 'tasty food' in a restaurant review, I'm out of there. What does that even mean, Mr I'm Pretending To Be a Reviewer? No, people, that is not enlightening or compelling. I expect a bit more in the reviews I read.

As the proliferation of 'reviews' by the uninformed, angry and illiterate rises, or otherwise the sycophantic, shallow panderings of those seeking favours and a multitude of 'likes', it helps to have a stalwart of trusted reviewers or review sites to turn to. Ones that provide honest, informed and discerning opinion, especially when it's washed down with a measure of good humour and an excellent command of the English language. Surely a few Insta-brightened travel pics and a few superlatives in hashtags is not always enough?

Here are the ones on the top of my list:

Take Jay Rayner, @JayRayner1, who writes for The Guardian, for example. His reviews make my heart sing and my mouth laugh out loud (literally, and I am pedantic about use of that word). The descriptions pull you right into the restaurant with him, and sometimes into the quagmires of his despair. Take this one, for example, critiquing the much-lauded and Michelin-starred Parisienne Le Cinq, following what he describes as "by far the worst restaurant experience I have endured in my 18 years in this job". Oh, just read it. It's delicious.

As he's based in England, I usually don't benefit directly from his opinions in relation to likely dining haunts, but at least I'm kept heartily entertained. However, he's currently in Oz so I will be keeping an eye out for his movements.

Closer to home, I'm also a fan of John Lethlean @JohnLethlean. Reviews served cold with latherings of insight, pith and humour. He's not afraid to tell it like it is, good or bad, to help us diners spend our dining dollars wisely. He can place you at the table too with just a few deft words. In a recent review of WA establishment, after a painstaking description of a salad, a small sentence followed: 'Jesus wept.' it read. Ahh, so little, so much.

Time Out's a great publication for keeping up with what's on point in the world of food and stuff to do, notably in Sydney where it all started, but also in other places across the world including Dubai, Singapore, Berlin and Chicago. I particularly love their well-written and edgy restaurant reviews which have put me on to a couple of pearlers of restaurants in Sydney. Great way to keep up with hip and happening.

Lonely Planet provides masses of up-to-date in different formats, including their traditional guidebooks and now in magazines and various formats online. Their website is a wealth of travel information, and it's really easy to use, listing experiences, activities, food, maps and more. Wish I'd taken a look there before I took off to Tahiti recently as I might have done a couple of things a bit differently.

Naturally reviews or information sites don't always have to have a sting to be worthwhile, but without the honesty in there where necessary, how can we have the confidence to have faith in those that sing praises?

It's hugely regrettable that many reviewers, travellers and bloggers are fast-becoming the ubiquitous mouthpieces for anyone who'll throw them a few crumbs (#couscousforcomment) or a bit of insta-fame. I want some depth, some insight, some truth in the reviews and articles I read, not just some insipid platitudes and a cursory oversight.

There is much more to reviewing than the putting down of opinions or even facts. It must be done with honesty and fairness, and without aggression or personal attack. But reviewing also comes with a responsibility, to those who may be adversely affected, so consideration of consequences is essential.

One of the reasons I like Jay Rayner is that he takes this responsibility seriously, given his coverage. Perhaps all professional reviewers do. Taken from a recent interview he said: 'I am never casual about what I do. I think very carefully about it. Regularly, if it's a small, independent restaurant which is failing, I don't write about it and pay the bill myself.' This level of responsibility is often lacking in public review sites where the reviewer can hide anonymously.

To those out there who know their stuff, do the research, and are actual telling it like it is – in an intelligent and amusing fashion – kudos to you! May you continue to write and be read.

Disclaimer: There is none! I just like the above reviewers and sites.

Who's your favourite reviewer? And where do you go for your travel lowdown? What do I need to add to my list?

Source: The art of writing a food or travel review: those who can

The Latest: LA airport police says man was looking for food

HONOLULU — The Latest on a disturbance on a flight between Los Angeles and Honolulu (all times local):

9:38 a.m.

Los Angeles Airport police say a 25-year-old man with a Turkish passport who was arrested after walking through a door leading onto an airfield ramp provided an address in Santa Monica when questioned by authorities.

Airport police spokesman Rob Pedregon said Saturday that Anil Uskanli opened the door and walked up to a contractor early Friday to ask where he could get some food.

Airport police say Uskanli had been drinking but was not drunk. He was cited for misdemeanor trespassing and released.

Pedregon says such incidents are relatively common at the airport. He says Uskanli did not appear to have another motive for walking through the door since he stopped almost immediately to ask about food.

Federal authorities say Uskanli was later arrested in connection with a disturbance on a Hawaii-bound flight.

8:12 a.m.

The association of flight attendants says it is proud of the American Airlines crew that handled a disturbance on a Hawaii-bound flight Friday and allowed the plane to land safely.

Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, on Saturday said the attendants intervened to "defuse a high-risk situation."

Eyewitnesses have said a flight attendant used an airplane drink cart to prevent a man from reaching the front of the jet.

Ross says flight attendants are the last line of defense during air travel.

7:25 a.m.

American Airlines says its flight attendants played a key role in handling a disturbance on a Hawaii-bound flight to ensure the safety of those on board.

American Airlines spokeswoman Katie Cody said in a statement Saturday the incident highlighted the airline crew's professionalism.

Law enforcement officers were requested to meet Flight 31 when the plane landed in Honolulu on Friday.

Eyewitnesses say a flight attendant used an airplane drink cart to block a man from reaching the front of the jet.

He was then immobilized with duct tape in a seat until the plane landed, escorted by two fighter jets.

Source: The Latest: LA airport police says man was looking for food

Will Travel for Food: Fred Harvey museum at Bright Angel Lodge

This spring I traveled with friends to Williams, Arizona, a tiny rodeo-type town on Route 66 which bills itself as the Gateway to the Grand Canyon. On our arrival we parked at the historic Williams Depot, got our tickets for the Grand Canyon Railway — in existence since 1901 — and then headed down the tracks to where an old Wild West show had started. It's all rather hokey with bad jokes and the sheriff in the end shooting the bad guys but still, taken for what it was, fun. The western theme sure set the mood for a trip to the canyon which I had never seen before and, on our way home, the sight of gunmen riding horses across the sage and coming aboard as part of an old fashioned train robber (spoiler alert—it was the same sheriff and two dead desperados who had shot up the corral earlier in the day).

Boarding the vintage train (our car dated back to 1926, '27 or '28, depending on which guide was speaking) powered by a steam engine, our journey started in a landscape of Ponderosa pines, descended slightly from 7,000 feet as we passed through Northern Arizona's Colorado Plateau which at 5,000 feet is a mix of high desert and scrubby forests, rose to 12,600 feet at the highest point in state — San Francisco Peaks and then back down to 7,000 feet when nearing the canyon. A musician made his way through the train cars playing — not the western songs I expected — but modern melodies (oh come on, no Red River Valley?) as we spotted herds of caribou and elk in the distance.

The canyon itself with its amazing vistas was much more beautiful than any photograph, but of course being food centric, I was interested in taking a tour of the Fred Harvey museum at Bright Angel Lodge, one of the restaurant/lodge complexes overlooking the canyon's southern rim.

I was only vaguely aware of Fred Harvey, an Englishman who starting in 1853 built a string of restaurants and hotels along the Santa Fe Railroad and then Route 66 between Illinois to California. My friend Pete Racine, the late owner of the Grand Mere Inn in Stevensville, Michigan, had started his career working for the Fred Harvey company in the Chicago area where they had eateries along the toll road before going to work for Win Schuler's in Michigan and then opening up, with wife Nancy, his own restaurant. But I was surprised to learn that in 1883 Harvey created the Harvey Girls — young, single, well-mannered, and educated American women (oh and they also had to be white) dressed in rather staid uniforms who served food in his restaurants. Being a Harvey Girl was a big deal — The Harvey Girls starring Judy Garland (as the sweet Harvey girl) and vampy Angela Lansbury as a sequined bar queen) was made in 1946 and based on a book by the same name written in 1942. Their unifor ms and photos of the women through the years were on display in the one-room museum.

Some of menu items at the lodge's Historic Harvey House Café where we ate had been around for a long time. The Cobb salad I ordered dated back to 1940, Chili con Carne first appeared in 1937 and the Ponderosa Chicken Club was even older — 1938.

When I got home I, of course, Googled it all and discovered that Stephen Fried, author of Appetite for America: Fred Harvey and the Business of Civilizing the Wild West — One Meal at a Time, which was named one of the top ten books of the year by the Wall Street Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer, had started a website titled The Harvey Girl Cookbook Project. During his intensive research on Harvey, he'd come across hundreds of recipes that had been served in the restaurants, some dating back to the 1880's and decided to post them, asking others to post any they might have and also giving a history of Harvey, the girls and his empire.

The recipes are varied, some for foods that we probably wouldn't order even if they were still on the menu such as Bull Frogs Sauté Provencal which is basically skinned frogs, dissected (their words not mine) and sautéed with mushrooms and tomatoes, Dandelion Soup (chopped dandelion greens and flowers cooked in milk) and calf brains. There are also recipes for food items we don't see any more—Guinea Hen, Boneless Squab, Gansenmeir Stuffed Goose, Broiled Pig's Feet, Calf's Sweetbreads and Gooseberry Meringue Tart. Recipe styles include a lot of French terms — Epicurienne, Diable, Bonne Femme and Valencienne and older recipes are written in paragraph style like they did a century or more ago.

Perusing the recipes Fried collected is a fascinating lesson in culinary history and I chose a few from the more than 500 Fried collected to include here. For more, visit fredharveycookbook.tumblr.com

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Mix all ingredients, roll into small-sized balls, and bake on greased cookie sheet at 400 degrees for ten to fifteen minutes.

4 ounces fresh bread crumbs

Whip butter until foamy, add whole eggs, fresh bread crumbs, flour and finely chopped lean ham. Rub through sieve, mix thoroughly and with teaspoon form small dumplings. Poach in boiling consommé and add to soup.

4 8-ounce pieces of beefsteak

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in

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4 slices onion cut in half

1 large dill pickle, cut in fourths

With a meat cleaver, pound the steaks until they are flat. On each steak place a slice of bacon, an onion slice, and a pickle slice. Roll the steak around the onion and pickle and tie together with apiece of clean string. Spread the flour on a plate and roll the tied steak in it. In a heavy pan with a lid melt the butter or margarine and brown the floured beef rolls and remove them to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon flour to the butter or margarine still in the pan and mix together. Add the beef broth, made from beef bouillon, and stir this mixture over low heat until slightly thickened.

Then put the browned beef rolls back in the pan, cover, and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove string before serving. Be sure to serve this main dish nicely as Fred Harvey would have done

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces bitter chocolate

Melt chocolate in warm milk, beating with egg whip. Mix eggs, sugar, and salt, combine with chocolate milk and add vanilla extract. Fill custard molds and bake in moderate oven for about 30 min, until set. Let cool, unmold, and garnish with whipped cream.

Source: Will Travel for Food: Fred Harvey museum at Bright Angel Lodge

San Antonio’s 18th Annual Culinaria Wine and Food Festivals

The 18th annual Culinaria Wine and Food Festival kicks off in mid-May with "From Campfires to Tablecloths," a delectable dinner showcasing world renowned Texas beef at San Antonio's award-winning Kirby's Steakhouse.

The family-style candlelight dinner features prime "Cowboy Cut" ribeye, Blue Ribbon filet mignon, Angus ribeye, and a host of other mouthwatering Texas steaks prepared to perfection by several award winning chefs. Advance tickets for this one-of-a-kind dining experience are $125 per person.

Culinaria is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 with the goal of promoting the Alamo City as a premier wine and food destination. Culinaria is guided in its mission by an all-volunteer board that encourages community growth and enrichment.

"When it started, we really just wanted to celebrate San Antonio's great chefs and restaurants. There's a confluence of cultures here not found anywhere else, so it was in that spirit of celebration that it all began," said Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge, the nonprofit's founder and president/CEO.

The Culinaria Wine and Food Festival, set for May 18 through 21 at select venues, is only one of several wine and food events held throughout the year. The four-day spring event attracts thousands of wine and food lovers to venues in and around San Antonio. For tickets, go to their website.

One of the most popular epicurean adventures takes foodies to the Texas Hill Country's "Becker Vineyards Lavender Haus" luncheon on Friday, May 19. The annual event is the second gastronomic experience on Culinaria's festival list. Advance tickets for the all-inclusive luncheon are $75 each.

Set in Becker's Lavender Haus Reception Hall, guests will notice the scent of lavender fields, wild flowers and peach orchards as they approach. Inside, Southerleigh's chef Jeff Balfour, Hotel Emma's John Brand and Boiler House's Jeff White will prepare delicious dishes paired with wines selected by guest winemakers.

The popular vintner's luncheon allows guests to tour the 10,000-square-foot winery owned by a San Antonio endocrinologist, Dr. Richard Becker, and Mrs. Bunny Becker. The late nineteenth century winery is a reproduction of a German stone barn. It's the hub of Becker wines, which have been poured at the White House and the revered James Beard House.

La Cantera Resort & Spa, a 550-acre oasis perched atop San Antonio's spectacular Hill Country, is the venue for the remaining five culinary events. Three events offer additional pairings of beer, spirits, Champagne, and even tequila. So get ready to dine in style back in town.

La Cantera, part of the Destination Hotels Luxury Collection, will indulge every desire. It boasts two 18-hole championship golf courses, nine restaurants and bars, four swimming pools, an Olympic-size spa and many amenities unequaled in the Lone Star State.

This is the perfect setting for "Bubbles and Pearls," a poolside event on Friday, May 19, featuring Texas Gulf delicacies paired with Champagne. A bevy of chefs will put their culinary artistry to work preparing fresh Atlantic Coast oysters, shrimp, mussels, and much more. Advance tickets are $75 each.

San Antonio wouldn't be worthy of the "world heritage" label without a "Tex-Mex and Tequila" event. Not only is it the next culinary fête, it's also a tribute to a cherished local cuisine and world-renowned Mexican beverage.

The Mexican-style food fiesta starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 20. Guests will indulge on nourishing nachos, tasty tacos, burritos, and anything served on a tortilla or covered with cheese. Advance tickets are $35 each.

Each year, the culmination of Culinaria's festival is the "Grand Tasting" held in La Cantera's opulent ballrooms. This year's event will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. Award-winning chefs both local and visiting will prepare exquisite creations paired with premium wines, spirits, and beer.

Chief among the chefs participating at the evening event is Laurent Rea, the newly appointed executive chef of Signature restaurant, anchored at La Cantera's foothills. Rea gained international experience in the kitchens of Italy, France, and Great Britain before arriving in Texas.

Inspired by famed chef Andrew Weissman, whose Le Rêve French restaurant put San Antonio on the culinary map, Signature restaurant elicits rave reviews. And Rea, with the help of newly appointed general manager Patrick Bean, will make sure they live up to the great expectations of their guests.

La Cantera's own chefs, Robert Carr and John Zaner, head a lineup of award-winning chefs poised to impress and indulge the most discerning palates expected at the annual Grand Tasting. A silent auction, music, and live entertainment are all on tap. Advance tickets are $100 each.

New this year at the Grand Tasting is the "VIP Chefs' Tables" option, a limited-seating, multiple-course dinner with designated chefs, such as the Food Network's Iron Chef Gauntlet chef Jason Dady. Advance tickets are $150 per person.

The "Southern Sunday Brunch" at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 21, may be a more attractive alternative for the laid-back individual. The setting is La Cantera's Primero Cantina, and Texas fruits, jams, jellies, breads, and the like are on the menu. Advance tickets are $40 each with beverages sold separately.

The four-day Culinaria festival comes to a tasty end with "Burgers, BBQ and Beer" at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 21. The backyard-like barbecue features all sorts of meats, offered on a bun or on the bone. The outdoor family event also offers children's activities, and children under 5 are admitted for free. Advance tickets for adults are $35 each, and tickets for kids 6 to 20 are $10 each.

There are festival tickets to fit every budget, including all-inclusive, à la carte, or weekend passes. Proceeds benefit scholarships funds for culinary students who attend the Culinary Institute of America's San Antonio campus and the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Culinaria's annual summer Restaurant Week will run from Aug. 12 through Aug. 26. For tickets to the May festival or future events visit Culinaria's website or go directly to the ticket sales page at Eventbrite. For any questions, call (210) 822-9555.

Source: San Antonio's 18th Annual Culinaria Wine and Food Festivals

Virtuoso teams with 'Airbnb of food'

When it comes to modern luxury, there are few buzzwords we hear more than "experiential." But with "culinary" and "local" quickly catching up or taking a close second, Virtuoso is teaming up with what has been described as "the Airbnb of food."

The luxury travel agent consortium earlier this month announced that it is partnering with the London-based immersive food experience operator VizEat, which works with some 22,000 hosts offering local culinary experiences in more than 110 countries.

"VizEat's innovative concept is a perfect fit with two trends Virtuoso has observed growing of late: culinary travel and the desire to enjoy authentic local experiences," Cece Drummond, Virtuoso's managing director of destinations and experiences, said in a press release. "VizEat provides the ability to bring destinations to life through food, allowing our advisers to design truly unique experiences that connect their clients to the local people and the culture on a different level."

VizEat's members (who can be accessed via an app like Uber, and are rated similarly to the car-sharing service's drivers) offer dinners, wine tastings, cooking classes and a variety of culinary-based experiences designed to give travelers insight into the local life and culture.

By adding VizEat to its network, Virtuoso has created what politicians like to call a "win-win." The Virtuoso stamp of approval, which Drummond said the group is "incredibly selective" in handing out, helps VizEat distinguish itself among the elite in the travel world. On the Virtuoso side, it keeps luxury agents connected with rather than trying to compete against yet another  disruptor in the travel world.

VizEat co-founder and CEO Jean-Michel Petit called it a great match, noting Virtuoso "represents the very best in travel."

The partnership is just one example of new alliances Virtuoso has been fostering to meet the changing demands of luxury travelers.

According to a press release circulated following the group's recent meeting in Vancouver, much of Virtuoso chairman and CEO Matthew Upchurch's remarks focused on the need for agents to make personal connections and be able to offer new experiences.

 "Today we are in the era of exponential choices," Upchurch said. "We're swimming in options, and there are so many more products. The goal for all of us should be enduring loyalty, which is not to be confused with repeat business. It's building lifetime connections and lifetime value."

Source: Virtuoso teams with 'Airbnb of food'

Venice Fast Food Ban Will Make it Harder to Get a Slice of Pizza

Venice, Italy is cracking down on places that sell pizza by the slice, kebab shops and other fast food joints in an effort to preserve its cultural heritage. Sean Dowling (@seandowlingtv) has more.

READ MORE SEE LESS

Source: Venice Fast Food Ban Will Make it Harder to Get a Slice of Pizza

Pop Culture Phenomenon "Man v. Food" Returns to Travel Channel with All-New Food Challenges

POP CULTURE PHENOMENON "MAN V. FOOD" RETURNS TO TRAVEL CHANNEL WITH ALL-NEW FOOD CHALLENGES

NEW YORK (May 15, 2017) - NEW MAN... NEW FOOD... SAME EPIC BATTLE! "Man v. Food," one of the most popular series on Travel Channel, will return with food lover, actor and restaurant business veteran Casey Webb picking up the baton. The new season begins production this week and is set to premiere in August. Webb continues the quest to find America's most delicious, unique eats - taking on legendary eating challenges. Original host and food fanatic Adam Richman astounded viewers as he braved dozens of incredible food dares for four seasons. Now, Webb will hit the road in search of hometown hotspots with the spiciest, largest and most amazing dishes on their menus.

"'Man v. Food' is a true, pop culture phenomenon that has inspired more than 1,000 new restaurant eating challenges in the last several years," said Courtney White, senior vice president, programming and development, Travel Channel. "Travel Channel couldn't resist getting back on the road, visiting cities across the United States, where our 'Man' will take on new unbelievable foods and flavors."

Since the age of 15, Webb has worked in kitchens, tended bar and has run restaurants on the Jersey Shore. Inspired by the original "Man v. Food" series, Webb and his friends seek out and enjoy taking on eating challenges just for fun. When he's not working - he's eating!

"I feel like my 'best self' in strange places," said Webb. "Learning from, and connecting with strangers, who are as excited about food as I am, is a major part of why I love traveling. Win or lose, I'm ready to give it my all."

ABOUT TRAVEL CHANNEL

For virtual and active travelers who want to go on a thrilling quest; taste other cultures; enjoy the mystery of the unexplored; get a dose of epic adventure or a splash of wacky fun; there is no better daily escape than Travel Channel. Reaching more than 83 million U.S. cable homes, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand. Fans also can visit Travel Channel for more information or interact with other fans through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Travel Channel is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc., which also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.

Source: Pop Culture Phenomenon "Man v. Food" Returns to Travel Channel with All-New Food Challenges

The food at La Guarida

Compared to the vast majority of Cuban restaurants, La Guarida shows skill in their cooking and a rare ability to both get ahold of ingredients and use them to their full potential. By international standards the cuisine is quite rustic, but it matches the overall style of the restaurant. The dishes show a blend of Cuban and international style cuisine, such as oxtail with saffron risotto ($20 CUC), ropa vieja ($16 CUC) with white rice or cheese ravioli with pesto starter ($9 CUC) as shown in the photo. The risotto is not as creamy as it should be, probably due to a lack of Arborio rice, but it shows the Cuban spirit of doing the best of what you have available. Compared to the other places we ate at we certainly think that this is the best food available anywhere in Havana.

Source: The food at La Guarida

Bundaberg: it's food for thought

The region has a multitude of culinary claims to fame, writes Christina Campbell.

Every year thousands of tourists from across the globe flock to the Bundaberg region, to get up close and personal with turtles - and it's more than worth the journey.

A swim with the majestic creatures at either Lady Musgrave Island or Lady Elliott Island is nothing short of life-changing. Watching their off spring hatch at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre left me ohh-ing and ahh-ing for months.

What few people know about the region, and what many discover as a by-product of their eagerness to see the turtles, is that Bundy, as it's affectionately known by the locals, is also a food lover's paradise.

An effective way to get a broad picture of what the area has to offer food-wise is by joining one of Suzie Clarke's Bundy Food Tours. Clarke, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, has worked in kitchens around the world. Seconds after she picks me up from my accommodation, the Zen Beach Retreat, Clarke is giving me the produce history of the region. Did I know sugar is what put the region on the map and that it still produces about a fifth of all of Queensland's sugar each year? She then starts telling me about macadamia nuts - apparently 2016 saw the Bundaberg Region grow more than anywhere else in Australia, and somewhere between 70 and 90 per cent of all Australia's sweet potato comes from Bundy.

Her fascinating monologue is interrupted as she stops the car and we meet farmer Anthony Rehbein, who grows ginger. That hasn't always been the case. He's a fourth generation farmer, whose family started out with sugar cane. But, as Rehbein tells us - to be a good farmer you have to be able to adapt. Over time the family grew a variety of food and in the early 2000s they moved on to ginger. His passion for the stuff has seen him make a number of products under his own brand Bunda Ginga - some of which I get to sample. Never in a million years would I have thought of pairing pickled ginger with cheese, but my taste buds are singing. Rehbein tells me it goes with almost anything.

One of Clarke's other stops is a strawberry farm called Tinaberries. The berries are luscious and it's one of the few places in the region allowing the option of buying straight from the farmer. We visit Windhum Farms, growers of sweet potato. I'm amazed to learn there are more varieties of sweet potato than I can count on one hand. Clarke also takes us to the home of Queensland's best bacon, and the second best in all of Australia - Bagara Meats. Between stops. Clarke is the perfect link - chiming in with tidbits about the region.

By the time my tour comes to an end, I'm overwhelmed with the amount and variety of food the area produces. But what is more apparent is the passion everyone has for their products, and Bundy as a whole.

This passion doesn't stop with those who produce the goods - it extends to a number of cafe owners and operators around Bundaberg. There's no better example of this than at the exquisite Indulge Cafe, which is known for its motto: "We know where it came from and how it was made". After studying Indulge's menu, I choose the Eden Farms Raspberry studded doughnut. It is heaven. Nonna's Gelateria is also worth a mention, and not just because they produce the best salted caramel gelato I've ever had. They use Baffle Milk - a family owned and run company from nearby Baffle Creek - for their gelato.

To match the impeccable food offerings Bundy has, there's a wide variety of beverage options that are equally tantalising.

Continued below.Related Content

A trip to Bundaberg Brewed Drinks' barrel is great for kids and adults. Here, I learned all about how the company's famous ginger beer, and other drinks, are made. At the end, the Sampling Bar offers free product tastings of their entire range of brewed drinks - refreshing, to say the least.

Ohana Winery and Exotic Fruits, is set against a backdrop of red, rolling hills - it looks like a painting. A trip to the cellar door allows tasting of their unique range of tropical fruit wines, think mango, starfruit and dragonfruit.

But, perhaps what the region is best known for, long before turtle tourism, is rum.

Still on its original site, Bundaberg Rum has been operating since 1888. It's a haven of fascinating activities that are fun and even educational. There's the option of going on a tour of the museum or distillery, or simply just taking the time to look through their impressive shop. I recommend the Blend Your Own experience - where you get to handcraft your very own blend of rum. At $250 it may seem a little steep, but it's certainly great value for money. The experience begins with a guided tour through the distillery's museum - never did I think the history of a brand of rum would be so rich. Just a few metres away is the operational distillery then the doors to the special brewing lab.

After sampling about six different rums, it's time to get mixing. Even with no knowledge of rum production, it's still possible to conjure up something satisfying. I went in with no idea what I was doing, only to walk out with "Christina's Blend" - a true delight. First, there's a taste of berry and plum, and finishing with a distinctive, lingering taste of salted caramel. The masterpiece is then bottled and sealed, allowing for boasting to friends and family of your unique flavour. Your blend is also kept on file, meaning should supplies run low, a couple of clicks on the internet and new bottles can be delivered to your door, anywhere in the world.

If you're heading to Bundy to swim with the turtles, you will enjoy it. But, stay a little longer and sample all the fine food and drink the region has to offer. Your taste buds will thank you.

CHECKLIST

GETTING THERE

Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Bundaberg, via Brisbane, with one-way Seat fares starting from $398.

STAYING THERE

Zen Beach Retreat is in Bargara on the coast of the Southern Great Barrier Reef, 20-minutes' drive from Bundaberg Central.

zenbeachretreat.com

Further information: queensland.com

Read more from Queensland Escapes here

Source: Bundaberg: it's food for thought

The best Montreal food tours

May122017 The best Montreal food tours posted in : MONTREAL

A Spade & Palacio outing under the pink balls of Montreal's Village {photo © Spade & Palacio

This article was first written for Tourisme Montréal.

One of the best ways to discover a city is through its culinary culture. I always try and take a food tour of a new city I'm visiting. It's the best way to get to know the food scene, chat with some producers and ask for recommendations from your guide. Several companies offer food tours of Montreal, including the city's markets or historical neighbourhoods. Whether you're a tourist or a local, these Montreal food tours are a perfect way to spend a few hours walking or biking around, tasting some delicious bites and learning about the city's history.

Fitz & Follwell Co.

Fitz and Follwell does bike and walking tours of Montreal that provide their guests with authentic experiences emulating locals' life.  Their "Flavours of the Main" walking food tour follows St-Laurent Boulevard through 3 different neighbourhoods and explores some of Montreal's classic eateries and markets.

Visiting some of Montreal's murals {photo © Fitz & Follwell}

VDM Global Tours

VDM Global has been providing tourists and locals alike with comprehensive tours of Montreal, Québec province and beyond for the past 40 years. Guided by experts, learn about the culinary history of some of Montreal's most popular neighbourhoods such as Old Montreal and Little Italy and meet some local chefs and purveyors. This summer and as a tribute to Montreal's 375th anniversary, VDM Global is offering a tour that will take you on an exploration of the city's Chinese, Portuguese and Jewish neighborhoods with their new tour: The Main on a Plate! 375 years of History, Food and Culture.

Local Montreal Food Tours

The two main walking food tours guided by Local Montreal Food Tour focus on the Mile End and Old Montreal. The tours take guests on a cultural and culinary tour of these two iconic Montreal neighbourhoods through their unique and rich history. Six or more food stops are planned with each tour, making them satisfying in every aspect.

Taking an ice cream break in Old Montreal with Local Montreal Food Tours {photo © Local Montreal Food Tours}

Montreal Craft Beer Tours

If you're a beer aficionado, then this is the tour for you! Montreal Craft Beer Tours will take you on a discovery of the city's brewpubs while also telling you about the visited neighbourhood's history and putting you in touch with the artisans behind the brews. You'll also get a taste of poutine, local charcuteries and cheese and more to go with those beers.

A tout of Montreal's microbrewery {photo © Montreal Craft Beer Tour}

'Round Table Tours

Whether you're a lover of wine, craft beer, tapas, food trucks, chocolate or afternoon tea, 'Round Table Tours has an outing with your name on it. They also have tours that explore Chinatown or Montreal's iconic Jewish dishes. Their tours are designed to take customers "beyond the cheap clichés normally destined for tourists" and to explore Montreal's neighbourhoods through culture and gastronomy.

'Round Table Food Tours in Chinatown {photo © 'Round Table Food Tours}

Spade & Palacio

All of Spade & Palacio's tours include a bite, a drink, a picnic lunch or more but if you're a food lover and would like more than just a nibble, their "Beyond the Market" tour takes you on an exploration of Montreal's Jean Talon Market and beyond. The small, non-touristy tour visits at least 6 of the local guides' favorite eateries and watering holes, enough to satisfy any hunger!

A picnic outing with Spade & Palacio {photo © Spade & Palacio}

Context Travel

Context operates tours led by locals all over the world. They started operating in Montreal a couple of years ago. The Jean Talon Market tour takes guests on a discovery of Montreal's largest market. Several tastings are planned, from local cheeses, ice wines, charcuteries, fruits and veggies and more. I am actually one of the guides for this tour so who knows, you may get me as your tour leader when you book!

The best Montreal food tours

For more stories and photos on Montreal's Jean Talon Market, head here.

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Source: The best Montreal food tours

Mumbai Food: Bandra gets new travel-themed cafe

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What happens when two Bandra residents marry their love for food with travel? A cutesy café offering global eats comes up

Banh Mi. Pics/Datta Kumbhar

"I'he tried wild boar in Sindhudurg. It tastes delicious. I've also eaten frog and snake in Southeast Asia, and crow in Manipur," says Anurag Rane, about a list of bizarre eats from his travels. His smile is hidden under his bushy beard. Fortunately, none of these items are on the menu of The Bhookha Beirdo (beard for inspiration, really?), a new travel-themed café in Bandra that the ex-marketing executive launched along with fitness trainer Gitanjali Tandon. Both Bandra residents, they met four years back at a martial arts class. Their love for food and travel led them to kickstart the café, which has The Bagel Shop next door for company.

The décor is dotted with travel-themed curios

It was all yellowWe push the doorknob shaped like a sailor to enter a cosy yellow-hued space, which can seat 15 guests. It is dotted with vintage binoculars, genie lamps and a compass-shaped clock, along with board games placed under the tables. "Initially, we had thought of a food truck but getting the licenses was difficult," shares Tandon.

Mushroom Tea

The menu recreates the fare that Rane has tried during his trips to parts of the US, Europe, Southeast Asia and North India. Think Boston-style Seafood Chowder with surmai and rawas or Saltimbocco Pork Belly, an Italian-Swiss preparation that replaces veal with pork. The dishes, priced reasonably, also include Thukpa, Brittania Fish And Chips, Bloody Mary Burger made using an in-house sauce, Veg Paella and a Mezze Platter.

Anurag Rane and Gitanjali Tandon

Banh Mi meets Bunny ChowWe begin with Greek Melange (Rs 249), a salad packed with clean flavours of tomato, rocket leaves, bell peppers and feta, sans any mayonnaise thankfully. Mushroom Tea (Rs 149) comforts us with its peppery, umami flavours and a soupy texture.

We expect a quarter loaf of bread when we order the South African dish, Veg Bunny Chow (Rs 269), but we're greeted with a burger bun. Its insides have been scooped to make way for a curry topped with a cheese slice. The thick, tomato-base curry laced with vegetables is more Continental than Durban-inspired.

Chilli Chocolate Cake

Instead, we seek solace in Banh Mi (Rs 299), a French influenced Vietnamese sandwich oozing with a creamy, thick stew of vegetables. We also try a slice of Chilli Chocolate Cake (ask for dessert of the day) where Mexican chillies add to the kick of dark chocolate.

Authenticity may not be its strong point but the Beirdo is cute, and ideal for a cheap yet satiating trip-happy date minus the passport.

TIME: 11 am to 11 pm AT: 27/A, Pali Mala Road, Bandra (W). CALL: 9892429167

Source: Mumbai Food: Bandra gets new travel-themed cafe

Dan Nielsen: Food doesn't need to travel the world

Local food makes sense on so many levels that it is rather surprising society moved away from that norm.

The old adage, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket," is simple wisdom.

But our society has moved toward putting our entire population's eggs in fewer and fewer baskets for decades. The rise of massive corporate farms and single-crop operations certainly made money for someone. Specialization is a hallmark of economic growth in the modern era. Factory farms can produce food for less cost per unit.

But specialization includes inherent dangers. In the food realm, those dangers include health safety and massive crop loss. Flavor sometimes suffers, too.

The last few years have delivered a series of corporate food contamination problems that resulted in sickness or death. Peanut butter. Cantaloupe. Sausage. Cheese. Poultry. Spinach.

Contamination can happen in small or large agricultural operations. But when the problem originates in a massive agricultural operation, many consumers can suffer rather than just a few.

The growth of agriculture in California's central valley has made the entire U.S. dependent on weather conditions in a small geographic area. When a drought or frost damages a crop there, grocery stores in Traverse City and across the entire nation end up in short supply of strawberries or lettuce or whatever. It's true that northerners 50 years ago simply didn't have access to fresh produce in the winter. But even in summer Americans have become incredibly dependent on central California and Mexico for produce.

Other food sources also have migrated away from local production. Fish, beef, chicken and pork once were primarily raised and consumed locally, no matter where you lived. Today, protein mostly is raised and processed in corporate environments, then shipped across the country for consumption. (Oleson's locally raised buffalo is a notable exception.)

Every time I eat something out of a can or box or freezer pack, I think about the energy and effort expended to package, preserve and transport it hundreds or thousands of miles from the source to my table.

That's why the movement toward growing and consuming local food makes me smile.

Northwestern Lower Michigan is a leader in the local food trend. Small farm operations are springing up across the region and increasing local choices. Greenhouse and hoophouse technology is extending our local growing season. Farmers are finding new ways to grow a wide variety of crops in the area, and are finding plenty of residents anxious to taste their products.

Other entrepreneurs are processing local agricultural products into packaged foods like jams, crackers, honey, bread, cooking oil and pie.

Traverse City and the surrounding region are so agriculturally active that an increasing number of products are becoming regional exports. Cherries, wine grapes and apples have been exported from the region in various forms for decades. Farmers are accelerating production and export of hops. Fresh fruits and vegetables are making their way from northwest Lower Michigan to mouths in southern Michigan through means including Traverse City-based distributor Cherry Capital Foods.

Locally grown food is a simple choice in a complicated world.

Residents in northwest Lower Michigan are gaining access to safe, healthy food that has a shorter back story of railroad and semi-truck miles. Local farmers are providing us with food that doesn't depend on the weather in a valley more than 2,000 miles from Traverse City.

California is a great vacation destination and its agricultural diversity is amazing. But Michigan measures up on both counts.

Contact Business Editor Dan Nielsen at 231-933-1467 or dnielsen@record-eagle.com.

Source: Dan Nielsen: Food doesn't need to travel the world

Saving on Food, Hunger

I always carry granola bars.  You can get them cheap on sale.  They are considered sealed packages.  You can eat them on our lovely no food airline flights with U.S. carriers.  You can pull them out while driving (actually pull over first)  without having to make a snack stop.  You can eat them while standing in long lines for attractions; no littering please.

     I also love lemonade "straws" to pour into plain bottles of water or to give a new flavor to plain cream cheese for bagels, crackers, etc. 

Source: Saving on Food, Hunger

Galway's food scene is sizzling, and here's the perfect taster tour

Like any city, however, it's got its wheat and its chaff. So how can a visitor separate the two, getting a genuinely local immersion without endless Googling?

One way is to take a food tour.

You don't need to know your grills from your griddles to get the most out of a snack safari. Good food tours work because they foster a group rapport, take you to both traditional and on-trend spots, and serve up tasty historical, cultural and social titbits with the eats and drinks.

Provided the guide is good, you'll come away with a rich understanding of the city and a clued-in list of places to go back to.

Sheena Dignam of Galway Food Tours

Sheena Dignam (above) is such a guide. Her Galway Food Tours (galwayfoodtours.com; €35pp) offer a 2.5-hour taster of eight or so stops ranging from the market at St Nicholas' Church to the culinary crossroads that is McCambridge's.

Joining a tour, I sipped Micil Poitín and Cosmic Cow milk stout, nibbled Hazel Mountain chocolate and WA Café sushi, and scoffed everything from Michael Brown's oysters to mouthwatering crab wraps at Kai.

That was just for starters.

You can get full and tired on food tours, but Sheena paces things nicely, works a short-but-sweet script and knows when to step in to provide explanations and context, and when to step back to let chefs and producers tell their stories.

Get a flavour of these foods (and others) in our video above.

City & Country

Want to take your taste buds further?

As well as her standard tour, Sheena does food and cycling tours, 'sweet tooth' tours, evening tours and a six-hour feast including both her Galway city tour and a trail of producers, brewers and farmers in Connemara. Setting out from the city, the tour (€95pp) uses a small bus with hotel pick-ups included.

Whichever you pick, make sure to avoid big meals beforehand (portions are small, but they add up) and bring comfy shoes... the walking isn't onerous, but heels are best kept for Galway's nightlife.

A new nest egg

Galway has a new boutique hostel - or 'poshtel' - in Salthill's The Nest.

I've been tiring of the whole industrial/hipster shtick, but a recent stay convinced me that this is a welcome addition to the city's accommodation scene - marrying chipboard and steel flourishes with a funky lobby hub, fresh-baked treats for breakfast and rates from as little as €24pp (in a dorm sleeping six; ensuite doubles cost €86).

Rooms are sparse, with tiny showers and sinks in the ensuites, but service is guesthouse-friendly (shout-out to Sharon!).

Source: Galway's food scene is sizzling, and here's the perfect taster tour

International travel and packing food in checked bags

You can pack pre-packed gluten-free items in your checked luggage.  Just do not bring raw goods like fruit and veggies (we met nice dogs who sniff these items out along the way....because my kid love dogs not because we were smuggling!) Make sure you pack food to take with you on the plane.  Even though airlines will offer gluten-free meals for international flights, in my experience, 50% of the time, they mess up.  Even after placing the initial order months a head of time and confirming just before the flight.  

When you get to Spain and France, you will find cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit and veggies, potato chips (Lays!), cookies, etc. available in every little market.  Take gluten-free  restaurant cards (Google) with you.  These are also helpful in markets though I found everything in Spain and France to be clearly marked.  Bring a few disposable spoons, etc or purchase when you hit your first market.  Research the towns and find gluten-free restaurants reviewed by celiacs.  We often broke from our group (large family) to eat on our own.  Upon arrival in each town, I walked around at the first opportunity to find food at a market for back-up.   Pack your snacks in case you are unable to find food each day.  

You will enjoy your trip so much if you are prepared and are willing to go with the flow!  

Have fun!  

P.S.  I hope you are not lactose intolerant, but France has some awesome gelato.  I think you can live on that alone.  😋

And your tour guide should have some tips....I would imagine.  

Edited 4 hours ago by cyclinglady
Source: International travel and packing food in checked bags

Sprawling nighttime food markets popping up in the US

NEW YORK • Clouds of white smoke rise into the black sky from outdoor grills. The night air is scented with the fragrances of dozens of cuisines from around the world. Vendors in tiny stalls stir noodles, toss crepes and fill dumplings as lines of hungry customers stretch into the dark.

That was the scene at the Queens Night Market as it opened for the season in New York City. It's one of a number of sprawling nighttime food markets — inspired by the massive night markets of Asia — that have started popping up around the U.S. There are also regular night markets in Philadelphia and Southern California, and occasional night markets held elsewhere.

The Atlanta area became the latest destination to host a new night market in late April, attracting 50,000 people and 130 vendors at its first three-day event, with another one scheduled for November. In St. Paul, Minn., the Little Mekong Night Market attracted 18,000 people one weekend last summer, and it's coming back June 10-11. In Jersey City, N.J., the Midnight Market takes place the second Friday of the month, with a Mother's Day-themed event May 12, 6:30 p.m.-midnight, and two events in June, June 9 and 17 (midnightmarketjc.com ).

Some of the markets are primarily Asian-themed, others promote food from around the world. The inexpensive, temporary market stalls also offer first-time entrepreneurs an opportunity to hone recipes and business skills without having to lay out the big bucks required for a brick-and-mortar shop or even a food truck. Some of the events even operate as nonprofits with proceeds going to charity.

Lines can be long, as small quantities of food are being made to order on the spot. But part of the fun is watching the preparation as vendors stretch and fold crepes, pinch dumplings, sizzle and blend fillings and toss noodles. Other types of merchandise — arts, crafts, toys, along with games — are typically offered onsite as well as live music.

The events have a different vibe from laidback farmers markets or retail food halls. Instead, they have an after-dark energy and excitement that seems to pick up as the night goes on. Some charge a few dollars' admission, but food items typically average $5. Go with a friend, and for $25, you can stuff yourself sharing four or five dishes — a perfect budget outing.

QUEENS, NEW YORK

John Wang spent his childhood summers in Taiwan, his parents' native land. "Every single night, I wanted to go to the night market there," he recalled.

Those memories inspired him to start the Queens Night Market, queensnightmarket.com. The market kicked off its third season April 22 with 50 food vendors. Some 8,000 people turned out to sample everything from tamales stuffed with fried crickets to Indonesian coconut cakes.

The market is held on the grounds of the New York Hall of Science, a museum whose history makes it a fitting site for the international market: It was part of the 1964 World's Fair.

Wang is committed to keeping the market affordable for both visitors and vendors. The location is a working-class area with a diverse immigrant population, most menu items are $5 and food vendors can take part for $135.

"The last thing I want to have is a tourist trap but not get the locals," he said. "I want this to be the most accessible thing in New York City."

ATLANTA

The Atlanta International Night Market, held April 21-23 at Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth, featured vendors selling food from around the world along with a "vegan village" for non-meat-eaters. Founder David Lee, who was born in Vietnam and owns a chain of restaurants called Saigon Cafe, sees the market as a "platform" for Atlanta's diversity.

"When you have the food, culture, music, you bring everyone together," he said. He hopes to hold the market four times a year, with the next one scheduled for Nov. 3-5 (atlnightmarket.org).

Night Market Philadelphia began in 2010, and typically attracts 60 to 80 food vendors and 20,000 attendees. The cuisine ranges from empanadas and Jamaican jerk chicken to Khmer satay. "We try to elevate folks' food festival standards and offer more interesting fare than corn dogs and pizza," said Diana Minkus, spokeswoman for The Food Trust, the local organization behind the markets.

The markets take place in different neighborhoods: May 11 in Northeast Philadelphia's Burholme neighborhood; June 29 in West Philly; Aug. 10 in Roxborough in Northwest Philly and Oct. 5 at the Italian Market (thefoodtrust.org/night-market).

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Two night markets take place in Southern California. The 626 Night Market in Arcadia, which started in 2012, has 200 vendors, and the OC Night Market in Costa Mesa has 160.

Spokeswoman Holly Nguyen says the markets were inspired by the night markets of Taiwan and the "core" of both markets are "Chinese and Taiwanese vendors." But they've become more diverse over time, with "pan-Asian vendors" serving Filipino, Vietnamese and Laotian cuisines, and others selling dishes ranging from Mediterranean shawarma to Texas barbecue. About 20 percent of vendors are first-time entrepreneurs. (626nightmarket.com/#event-dates-section).

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Source: Sprawling nighttime food markets popping up in the US