The world's best food destinations serving tourists the worst versions of their cuisine

Tourists are served really terrible versions of Italian cuisine. Photo: Alamy

It's not like these countries have bad food. In fact it's usually the opposite. These are some of the world's greatest gastronomic destinations, the kind of places you would travel to just to eat.

The trouble is that when you do, you'll probably be disappointed. Because these countries are holding back on the good stuff; they're subjecting travellers to watered down versions of their finest cuisine, they're making visitors work, forcing them to hunt for the restaurants and cafes that are serving the authentic local dishes that everyone really wants to eat.

Not every country does this. Think about somewhere like Japan: the food there isn't being tinkered with for foreign palates, it's not being dialled down for the tourist market. Go to any hotel or touristy restaurant in Japan and there's a good chance you'll still be served legit local cuisine. That's part of why it's such a popular destination.

The following countries, however, make you do a bit more work for the good stuff.

Jordan

Photo: Alamy

Before I travelled to Jordan last month I asked a few friends what the food was like there and they all said pretty much the same thing: "Meh. It's OK." That seemed weird, because the food of the Levant – of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria – is extremely good, so it would follow that Jordan would be the same, right? Well, not really. Jordanian food is delicious – rich stews, delicious dips, sweet desserts – but you'll have to work extremely hard to find a restaurant that serves it there. Most Jordanian hotels serve bad versions of Western food, and most restaurants just do schwarmas and burgers. There seemed to be only one restaurant – Sufra in Amman – that was doing great, home-style cuisine.

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Italy

Trastevere district, Rome. Photo: Alamy

"Pizza in Italy sucks." You hear that so many times from travellers returning from Europe. And they're probably right – the pizza they had in Italy did suck. That's because so many tourist-focused restaurants in that country, the ones with the English menus and the TripAdvisor signs, are serving really terrible versions of Italian cuisine. If you want to get the good stuff, the stuff Italians actually enjoy and are proud of – the best pizza, the best carbonara, the best vongole – you need to know exactly where to go, and exactly what to order.

See: The ultimate food-lover's guide to Italy's best restaurants

Myanmar

Mohinga, Myanmar. Photo: Alamy

Proper Burmese food, the stuff locals are eating, the noodle soups and rice dishes you buy from markets and street stalls across the country, is extremely good. It's spicy, it's herbaceous, it's loaded with turmeric, and it's all tasty. However, that's not what travellers are usually served. Most of what you'll get in hotels and fancy restaurants in Myanmar is bad, watered down versions of Thai food, and the odd attempt at Western cuisine. Tourism is only in its infancy in Myanmar, so I guess people haven't realised yet that local food is actually part of the attraction.

Sri Lanka

Photo: Alamy

There are few things sadder than a Sri Lankan hotel buffet. The hotels take this amazing cuisine, these curries and sambals that, when eaten in $2-a-plate hole-in-the-wall restaurants across the country, will slap you fair in the face with flavour after flavour – and they kill it. They wring the life out of it. They dial down all of the flavours. They take out the spices, and the herbs, and everything that makes Sri Lankan food great, and serve up a bain-marie of boredom instead. My advice: give the hotels a big miss and stick to cheap local restaurants.

Iran

Photo: Alamy

Iran is much like Jordan, in that there is some extremely good food to be had here, cuisine that has been refined and perfected over millennia – only it's not being served in restaurants. Iranian restaurants mostly do kebabs and rice, which is great for the first meal or two, but gets pretty monotonous after a couple of days. To access the country's best cuisine, you'll have to wait to be invited into someone's home.

Vietnam

Photo: Alamy

It's baffling when you sit there in a Vietnamese hotel, ready for breakfast, and you're served an American-style coffee from a jug. Vietnamese coffee – the legit stuff that's dripped from a mini-percolator into a glass with condensed milk – is some of the best in the world, so why isn't it being served to tourists? Same goes with some of the tourist-focused food too, which is often boring stir-fries or "safe" takes on street-food style cuisine. The food is far better, unsurprisingly, out there on the street.

See: Seven dishes you must try in central Vietnam

Chile

A dish at Chile's Borago. Photo: Borago/Facebook

There's an increasing focus on good food in Chile, with chefs such as Rodolfo Guzman (from Borago, the restaurant rated number 42 by the World's 50 Best), and Pilar Rodriguez (from Food & Wine Studio) combining local ingredients with inventive flair to create a cuisine you would travel to Chile just to eat. But they're the outliers. Most food in regular Chilean eateries is pretty average – it's steaks, but not as good as Argentina; it's ceviche, but not as good as Peru; it's burgers, but not as good as the US. The good stuff is only just beginning to appear.

Which countries do you think are letting themselves down with their food? And in which countries is it easiest to get the good stuff?

Email: b.groundwater@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Instagram: instagram.com/bengroundwater

See also: The best country in the world for food

See also: The world's best drinking destinations

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Source: The world's best food destinations serving tourists the worst versions of their cuisine

Energetic Knoxville, TN, fuels a weekend of music, food and art

Every time I visit Knoxville, Tennessee, I am energized, no matter the season. This would certainly please the planners of the 1982 World's Fair, the theme of which was "Energy Turns the World."

Left behind from the fair on the Knoxville skyline to greet visitors and residents is the 266-foot-tall Sunsphere, topped by a gleaming bronze ball. An observation deck on the fourth floor offers free admission and 360-degree views of World's Fair Park, downtown, the University of Tennessee campus, the Tennessee River and the Smoky Mountains.

Our base for the weekend was a block away at the Sheraton Four Points. Near the Sunsphere is the Knoxville Museum of Art, a three-story Tennessee marble showcase of talented artists from East Tennessee, the nation and around the globe.

This trip, it was the famed Bijou Theatre that lured me back to Knoxville to introduce my best friend from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to my favorite indie rock singer from the '90s, Edwin McCain.

We made time before the show to sample the delicious food in the cozy Bistro at the Bijou next door. Owner Martha Boggs creates three seasonal menus each year and schedules live jazz three times a week.

The Bijou Theatre seats about 700 and is one of the most respected venues for live performances in town. Built in 1817 as Lamar House, it was a Civil War hospital, brothel, genteel Southern hotel and vaudeville stage.

Understandably, ghostly spirits call the Bijou home. Up the block is an inviting statue, The Oarsman, by David Phelps, submerged in brick, seemingly lost in another world.

My previous trip to Knoxville was as a guest when the University of Kentucky played UT at Neyland Stadium, one of the largest stadiums in the in the country. The sea of 100,000 orange-clad Volunteer football fans was intimidating.

I learned the nickname derives from the Mexican War era. Congress asked for 2,800 men to report to duty, and 30,000 Tennesseans showed up. An impressive turn out.

On Volunteer Boulevard, we found an equally impressive 500-million-year-old Knox dolomite boulder. Unearthed in 1966, students have been painting it over thousands of times since with profanities, proposals and school spirit. Not far away is Cumberland Avenue, aka The Strip, with restaurants galore.

Sports fans would also appreciate the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, honoring, among other greats of the sport, Pat Summitt, the legendary coach of the Lady Vols. Summitt, a silver medal Olympian, who, in 1976, earned a gold medal as the 1984 U.S. Olympic coach, later became the winningest NCAA basketball coach of all time.

Knoxville offers much for outdoor enthusiasts, with parks and greenways for walks, hikes and cycling. At Ijam's Nature Center, you can rent a canoe, kayak or SUP (stand-up paddleboard).

There, you'll find Navitat, Knoxville's tree-canopy park with zip lines, bridges, nets, tunnels and more. Take Fido along to this very pet-friendly city, which boasts more than two dozen outdoor art installations.

We drove to Calhoun's On The River, one of my favorite spots for a true taste of Tennessee. Calhoun's boasts the best ribs in America. Enjoy the window views, or eat on the deck overlooking the Tennessee River.

We walked off our lunch in adjacent Volunteer Landing Park, watching rowers glide under the bridge and enjoying the historical markers, swings and splash pads that delight kids in hot weather. The Star of Knoxville, a classic paddle wheeler, departs for sightseeing cruises on the other side of Calhoun's.

That afternoon, we found Blue Slip Winery at the historic Southern Railway Station. Tastings and a small restaurant are complemented by event space in the station and on the parked antique train cars. In tanks by the train tracks, Knoxville's first winery makes more than 20 Tennessee-grown wines. Try the River City Red.

At another depot, in University Commons, passengers can begin an exciting 90-minute excursion train ride on the Three Rivers Rambler. The Rambler runs 11 miles in rain, snow or shine, offering seasonal tours, such as the Christmas Lantern Express. Expect festive decor, fabulous views, hot cocoa, gingerbread and, of course, Santa.

Our shopping instincts kicked in as we strolled the Emporium Arts Center, Mast General Store and boutiques on Gay Street, posing with some of the outdoor statues.

Market Square was bustling. A violinist responded to my applause by placing his instrument on my shoulder and my hand on the bow until we coaxed a few notes.

We dined at the Blue Coast Grill on Market Square. Executive Chef Curtis Bates did not disappoint, presenting new American cuisine, with fresh local ingredients and an array of flavors. I paired my Crab Alfredo with a local craft beer.

Across the square is The Tomato Head, a great place for soups, salads, sandwiches, vegan plates, pizzas and desserts. Committed to enriching the lives of the less fortunate, this institution contributes an abundance to the city and showcases artists, poets and musicians.

If I had just a bit more time (and energy), I would have visited the Tennessee Theatre, which, this winter, hosts "Elf: The Musical"; "The Nutcracker," by the Moscow Ballet; The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Tour; "Kinky Boots"; "Swinging Christmas" and more.

Across the street, the East Tennessee History Center, through compelling imagery, artifacts and recordings, exhibits, touches on the Cherokee, slavery, the Civil War, country music origins, logging, mining and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

This winter, activities in Knoxville abound. There is ice skating on the square, the Window Wonderland's Peppermint Trail; the Tour de Lights, for festive cyclists; The WIVK Christmas Parade; and New Year's Eve on Market Square, to name a few.

Why not warm up by sampling local craft brews at 12 stops on Knoxville's Ale Trail? There's always the free trolley system to carry you back to your hotel. Look for the popular Up On The Rooftop displays on the way.

For more information on Knoxville, go to www.visitknox ville.com.

Source: Energetic Knoxville, TN, fuels a weekend of music, food and art

Food for the Body, Mind, and Soul

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Publishing: October 29th 2017

Edit Blog Post Tomorrow we leave Nepal and fly to Thimphu, Bhutan. I am excited to finally visit the happiest country on earth, but I am sad to leave Nepal, as we have explored only a small part of this country. One thing I will truly miss is the food. Nepalese bara, topped with spicy tomato chutney had been my most delicious breakfast while we were in Kathmandu. I rarely eat breakfast, but I almost craved these little patties made of black lentils. And the dosas and momos were beyond compare; I could happily eat these three foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for weeks on end. Add a tall glass of fresh mango juice and a side dish of sautéed greens and the meals become fit for the gods. Such delicious memories I will have of Nepal!

We also ate sumptuously when our whole group ate lunch with a local family in Kathmandu. High on a hilltop looking out at the city below, sheltered from the hot sun by a shielding white awning, eighteen of us sat around a long table, enjoying the breezes as well as the many foods the family had spent two days preparing for us. Being vegan, I did not eat the meats or home-made cheeses, but there was so much good food offered that I did not suffer any hunger at all. Out of at least ten different offerings I loved the bitter gourd best; I could have devoured a whole plate of it! I knew I had eaten it somewhere before, but still cannot remember in which country it was that I had first tasted bitter gourd. It is amazingly delicious. The family kept walking around the table, serving all of us again and again, making sure we each had what dishes we wanted. This was another incredible feast. The Nepalese certainly know how to eat very well.

We left Nepal the next day, on a Monday, and after flying on Bhutan Airways from Kathmandu to Paro, Bhutan, a most extraordinary thing happened. I decided to take advantage of one of the ladies' rooms at the airport before we boarded yet another bus when suddenly I heard someone calling my name. Was this pos sible? My name is not a common one in either Nepal or Bhutan, so I looked around wondering who and where the other Laura was. Because I had been in Bhutan for only a few minutes, who, other than my female travel group mates, who had not come into this bathroom, would recognize me in Bhutan? And there, ahead of me, standing in line was my friend Cathy from California, whom I had met two years earlier in China! Her eyes were wide open in surprise, looking at me, and questioningly calling my name once again. How incredible for us to meet there and then, in a ladies' room at the Paro airport! In Bhutan! We hugged and hugged each other, happy to be reunited, so amazed at this serendipitous meeting. Outside I hugged her husband Jon, another good friend from our China trip. There had actually been five of us who explored parts of China together, who climbed the Great Wall, who ventured out on our own in Hong Kong to find the enormous Tian Tan Buddha sitting on top of a hill on Lantau Islan d, who bravely bought Oyster cards to ride the streetcars and busses in bustling Hong Kong to better explore and become familiar with that wonderful city; besides Cathy and Jon, myself, another John with his Mary had all become good friends, the five of us bonding together in our searching out parts of China, Tibet, and Hong Kong that our tour did not touch. But after only a very short time for reminiscing, we had to leave to join our respective groups. What were the chances of our meeting this way, exactly at the same moment in the same small room, more than halfway around the world? We couldn't wait to tell John and Mary, the two others in our little China exploratory group. I was so happy to meet with Cathy and Jon again, and could only think what a delightful way to be welcomed and initiated into the magic of Bhutan! What other wonders would await in this happiest of countries?

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Source: Food for the Body, Mind, and Soul

Fish, food and fun at Pike Place

Spectrum » TravelPosted at: Oct 29, 2017, 1:27 AM; last updated: Oct 29, 2017, 1:27 AM (IST) The Farmers Market in Seattle is a hit among the locals and tourists alike for its fascinating traditions

Rameshinder Singh Sandhu

Shopping and eating excites almost everyone. But, surely this exhilaration must be reaching its zenith in some particular markets of the world because of their age-old traditions. Seattle's Pike Place Market is certainly one of them. Since it first started on August 17, 1907, the market zealously continues with its golden tradition of 'meet-the-producer'.

Also called Farmers Market or Public Market Centre, it is located on a steep hill, with its back close to the Elliot Bay connected to the Pacific Ocean and its front facing the streets flowing into the city. The market is annually visited by millions of tourists from various pockets of the world who rub shoulders with the infinite local fans of this market everyday.

Roughly, a nine acre market and spread on different floors — its top floor that walks, along the Pike Place Street, is its real cynosure. Reason: It is home to the freshest food and lot more with endless variety. Thanks to the local farmers, including several women who bring their fresh produce — be it exotic flowers, fruits, vegetables, cheese, jams, spices, pastas and the highly popular seafood specialties that are freshly caught every morning.

Considering the variety and quality, the seafood stalls offer and on top of it, the enthusiasm with which fish is sold, it can easily beat the seafood markets of Hong Kong or Japan. How the fish is caught, the struggle that is involved to catch it, the benefits to health are some of the facts that the fishermen selling these go on to roll out to foster the sale.

Enjoy the fish game

Interestingly, between their promotions, they entertain people with a fish catch game that's being played since ages. Among themselves, on a fast pace, they throw fish to their colleagues to see how well the other colleague can catch, and it actually turns out as a special show. To watch it live, visitors remain gathered around their stalls with their cameras on and eagerly wait for the game to kick off. Often visitors are also heard requesting them to start the game or asking them if they can take a picture with a fish in their hand and they fulfil such wishes with a big smile! Actually, taking picture by holding it in your own hands has become an every minute tradition here.

Come hungry & try out food samples  

This is what locals will suggest if you tell them that you are heading here as the market is also known for fostering its shoppers to try their samples for free. At every step, you will hear tempting invitations to try different food items, and you may end up having a light meal of the day. If you go on and on with it as there are no restrictions, the light meal could soon turn heavy. However, besides free sampling, don't forget that the market stands dotted with several famous restaurants and food outlets that date back to market's birth, and of course, for food gourmands or connoisseurs, there are also guided food tours at nominal prices. Finally, the moment you will bid adieu to Pike Place, you will be like: "It was the best show of food which remained so engaging."

Interestingly, between their promotions, they entertain people with a traditional fish catch game that's been played since ages. They throw fish at their colleagues to see how swiftly the other can catch it

Fact file

The market is referred to as 'US Historic District' and is registered in 'US National Register of Historic Places'

The market is home to first Starbucks store of the world that dates back to 1971 where long queues of Starbucks fans can be seen every moment flowing out of its door

Several Punjabi farmers sell their produce here, especially fruits and vegetables and the packages carrying their produce with their family names can be spotted in several nooks of the market. 

Source: Fish, food and fun at Pike Place

Come for the Shopping, Stay for the Food

Marc Metrick, the president of Saks Fifth Avenue, has seen the role of in-store restaurants change during his more than 20 years in retail.

Photo The El Rey Annex at Todd Snyder's flagship store. Credit Julie Florio

"Once they were a place to eat whilst or after shopping," he said. "Now they are the destination for shoppers before they shop. In the past, the restaurants were developed to keep customers in the store longer and spend more. Now restaurants are a way to attract people into store."

Mr. Metrick said he hoped that would be the case next year, when the renovated Saks Fifth Avenue flagship opens its version of L'Avenue, a Paris cafe known for its celebrity clientele, on the store's eighth and ninth floors.

More healthful menus attract "millennial customers with healthier lifestyles who might not come in otherwise," said Neva Hall, an executive vice president of Neiman Marcus. Last year, the Beverly Hills location opened a vegan cafe, Matthew Kenney NM, which serves green gazpacho and a cauliflower mezze bowl with quinoa and hemp seed tabbouleh, among other plant-based dishes.

"Food makes people happy, so shoppers are in a happier mood and want to walk around the store," said Carla Sozzani, the founder of 10 Corso Como, the fashion, art and design store. Its cafe serves chic Italian dishes in the Milan, Shanghai and Seoul locations. The first United States outpost is expected to open next year at the South Street Seaport in New York.

"Some people come to the restaurant and see an exhibition and might not enter the store," Ms. Sozzani said. "Others go to the shop and not the gallery or just want a book. But everyone stops at the cafe as everyone loves food."

For the fashion designer Domenico Vacca, having a ground-floor cafe serving carpaccio, panini and espresso in the center of his West 55th Street store in Manhattan slows the pace of shopping as people relax. "The seats are in areas where we wouldn't have had a display because we can't make a store so crowded," he said.

Shoppers are more inclined to buy when a store has a place to eat. "You can have a break as you browse, which gives people time to think about the clothes they want to buy," said Romain Joste, a co-owner of The Broken Arm in Paris. The cafe there serves innovative dishes, which change daily, alongside pieces by Balenciaga, Céline and Vetements, "for if people are pushed to buy too quickly, they are put off," Mr. Joste said.

Photo A book catalog comes with the menu at Swans Bar in Maison Assouline in London. Credit Andy Barnham

"The clothes might look expensive and be by unfamiliar designers," he added, "but shoppers can still have a coffee, which is familiar and allows people to feel they can discover our clothes easily, especially young people who might buy in the future."

Some store restaurants have become destinations themselves. "We want people to go through the ground floor to the top floor so people stop at other places," said Daniella Vitale, the chief executive of Barneys, where Freds restaurants are situated on the top floor in the New York, Beverly Hills and Chicago locations. .

Restaurants have helped to create new shopping rituals. At Chanel Ginza in Tokyo, shoppers can browse before dining at Beige Alain Duc asse. The items they select from the boutique will be ready for trying or buying when they are finished "so they are not kept waiting," said Richard Collasse, president of Chanel Japan and the joint venture with the restaurant. The locally sourced, Michelin-starred menu attracts people from as far as Hong Kong and China who might not have visited the store otherwise.

At the Maison Assouline bookstore in London, diners at its 32-seat Swans Bar receive a book catalog with the menu. Choose a book during the meal and it will be wrapped by the finish.

Barneys is aiming to integrate its physical and online stores, Ms. Vitale said, with Genes Café on the eighth floor of the Madison Avenue location in New York. Digitally engineered content tables allow shoppers to buy from Barneys.com as they sip fresh ginger juice or discover what is in the store while munching a grilled cheese sandwich.

Although retailers are creating more in-store experiences, including salons, brow bars, fitness studios and virtual-reality water slides to attract shoppers, restaurants retain their edge, said Ms. Hall of Neiman Marcus, adding: "They are more social and hit more generations and men as well as women. People share memories of eating in restaurants, but they don't share memories of a salon."

And stores are bound to add more places to eat. As Chanel's Mr. Collasse said, "Whilst a screen will deliver products, ultimately people will still want to try things on, feel the fabric and experience a service which is unique to the shop, and there is no better way to bring people into shop than food."

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Source: Come for the Shopping, Stay for the Food

Hot travel trends for foodies in 2018

Read our expert guide to the some of the best new foodie experiences and trips in 2018

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Bologna

Field to fork will take on new meaning with the opening of Fico Eataly World in November 2017. Banish all thoughts of Disneyland, this a theme park with a difference: a vast agri-attraction outside the Italian city of Bologna dedicated to farming, food production and feasting.

Cycle around the park on one of FICO's fleet of bicycles learning about farming, breeding and what goes into making the likes of Parma ham, pasta, balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese, then stop at your choice of over 40 restaurants offering authentic Italian food from all corners of the country before stocking up at one of its many shops and the onsite farmers' market. eatalyworld.it

Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee, might say "country music" more than munching but Music City's food scene is definitely worth singing about too. British Airways' introduction of direct flights this May between Heathrow and North America's most melodious city means both music fans and gourmets will be able to reach its red-hot gastro scene more rapidly than ever before.

Savour Southern classics like "hot chicken" at addresses like Prince's or "meat and three" at Arnold's Country Kitchen, or explore some of the city's most progressive beacons of contemporary cooking, such as celebrated local restaurant, City House. And let's not forget those classy local tipples, bourbon and whiskey. ba.com

Bogotá

Following hot on Lima's heels as Latin America's new foodie must-visit, the Columbian capital, Bogotá, has a scorching culinary scene that definitely warrants further exploration in 2018. The high-altitude capital is even home to a neighbourhood called Zona G where the G stands for gastronomy. Couple this with a more stable political situation, increasing pride in local ingredients and a wave of local chefs returning from overseas and you have the ingredients for a simmering gourmet revolution.

Colombia is one of the world's most biodiverse countries (there are more animal and plant species here than in all but three other nations) and local chefs such as Leonor Espinosa are showing that reinventing local cuisine using unusual native ingredients (in Espinosa's case at her Ristorante Leo) is drawing in a new following among both local and international diners. What's more the Latin America leg of the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards will return to the city next September for its annual prize-giving. colombia.travel

Braemar

In 2018, contemporary art gallery owners, Iwan and Manuela Wirth, will re-open Braemar's The Fife Arms hotel, hoping to do for this small Scottish town what they did for Bruton, in Somerset: introduce some international art crowd cool to an often overlooked but spectacular pocket of the world (Check out our foodie guide to Fife here).

Under the expertise of Moxon Architects, the hotel's Arts & Crafts structure is being reimagined, sympathetically, for the 21st century. Details are, as yet, thin on the ground but rumour has it that designer Russell Sage has been recruited to deck out the bedrooms and ex-Tresanton whizz Federica Bertolini has been drafted in as GM. As with the couple's previous projects, expect food to form an intrinsic part of the new venture. thefifearms.com

Miami

Florida's growing foodie credentials will get another boost this coming year with news that one of America's most celebrated chefs, Thomas Keller (owner of The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York) is opening his third restaurant in Miami in 2018.

Although Keller won't be behind the stoves all the time, this will be his first concept restaurant, set within the recently renovated Surf Club on Miami Beach (now a glitzy Four Seasons hotel). Word has it that the restaurant will channel the bygone glamour of the resort originally opened by Harvey Firestone in the 1930s, in the height of Jazz Age cool, and frequented by the likes of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. thomaskeller.com

Seville

Mimo's food and tapas tours are already one of the best ways to delve into the gastro scenes of San Sebastián, Seville and Mallorca. In the last of those destinations cookery workshops can also be added on while the San Sebastian hub is also home to a custom-built cookery school. Next year will herald the opening of a second dedicated cookery school, this time in the Andalucian capital.

The Mimo Sevilla Cooking School will be set poolside in the shady, tropical gardens of the city's landmark hotel, the Neo-Mujedar Hotel Alfonso XIII. Classes in the high-tech kitchen, replete with wood-fired oven, will be led by expert local chefs and include a range of Spanish cooking styles, as well as tapas workshops, wine and food pairing events and sherry tastings. At the end of the lesson, students will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labours with a leisurely lunch at an al fresco table. mimofood.com

Lyon

Home to the likes of three-star Michelin chef, Paul Bocuse, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lyon is already the de facto gourmet capital of France. In 2018 that status gets official recognition, however, with the naming of Lyon as International City of Gastronomy.

In addition, the city's elegant 12th century former hospital, the Grand Hôtel-Dieu on Presqu'ile, will become a temple to the flavours, styles and pleasures of the culinary arts, housing a sensory museum, restaurants, exhibition spaces and an Inter Continental hotel all dedicated to putting gastronomy centre-stage. grand-hotel-dieu.com

West Sussex

The Pig micro chain of small but laid-back (mainly country) hotels is bringing its winning formula to the South Downs next summer when its sixth property, The Pig, West Sussex, will swing open its doors in the tiny hamlet of Madehurst near Arundel.

Ingredients plucked from on-site kitchen gardens and local producers, and its signature, unstuffy, relaxed country house style are just a few of the reasons food-lovers will no doubt flock there for weekends away; book early. thepighotel.co.uk

The Grand Room at The Pig at Combe Cognac

Master mixologist Tony Conigliaro is the undisputed king of the London cocktail scene, with Bar Termini, Untitled and 69 Colebrooke Row among his super-successful range of watering holes. For his latest venture, however (this time in conjunction with business partner, Guillaume Le Dorner) he has crossed the channel to the French town of Cognac.

In 2017 the pair opened Bar Luciole, set overlooking the banks of the River Charente, serving a location-appropriate and exhaustive range of Cognacs as well as a Cognac-focused cocktail list and a short menu of bar food. But we can't wait until next year when a new restaurant will be unveiled alongside the Bar and five bedrooms will be added just a short staggering distance away. bar-luciole.com

Galway

In 2018 the spotlight will most certainly shine on the burgeoning food scene of County Galway, on Ireland's west coast. One of two regions (along with North Brabant in The Netherlands) to be awarded European Region of Gastronomy status, the accolade is a fitting tribute since Galway has been at the helm of Ireland's gourmet revolution – the city is home to two of Ireland's Michelin-starred restaurants, Anair and Loam, plus newly anointed Bib Gourmand, Kai Café + Restaurant, and the annual Galway Food Festival has done a great job at flagging up the county's local, artisan and seasonal produce.

Another reason to visit in 2018 is October's Food On The Edge symposium, when some of the brightest stars of the stove (including Magnus Nilsson, Albert Adria, Elena Arzak and Massimo Bottura) will descend on the city to talk food. ireland.com

Copenhagen

Destination diners will be beating a path to Noma for the latest iteration of René Redzepi's trailblazing Copenhagen restaurant. When it reopens in 2018, decamped to a new location on the edges of the freewheeling Christiana district, Noma 2.0 will extend across seven restored buildings and, as well as a dining room, will play host to an urban farm for the ultimate farm-to-fork experience.

The restaurant will also turn completely vegetarian each spring and summer in order to make the most of the season's bounty. noma.dk

Copenhagen, Photograph by Ellie Edwards Germany

Here at olive we've long known there's more to German cuisine than bratwurst and beer. If your interest has recently been piqued by Lucy Gillmore's account of visiting the island of island of Sylt (September 2017), however, you'll be pleased to hear that 2018 is the German National Tourist Board's self-proclaimed year of Culinary Germany.

As in Italy, German cuisine stays true to its regional traditions, whether it's the Rhineland's special onion tart (zwiebelkuchen) eaten during the wine harvest or feathery potato dumplings from Thuringia known as klosse. With 13 wine growing regions, 30 foodie-inspired, scenic drives and everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to food trucks on the streets of Berlin, this is the year to hit those "strasses" and unfurl your napkins. germany.travel

Words | Aoife O'Riordain

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Photographs | Getty, FICO Eataly World, CityHouse, Bar Luciole, Mimo Seville, Roth Bar & Grill, The Surf Club, Ellie Edwards

Source: Hot travel trends for foodies in 2018

5 Big Island food festivals to look out for 2018

One of the best places for food and cultural festivals is the Big Island of Hawaii. The reasons are simple – the festivals really get the community behind them so it's a big production, and after the festival or before, the Big Island has almost endless exploring and relaxing options. And, as Hawaii is trying to grow more of its own food as well as export, you get to see the latest in sustainability first hand. Here is a lineup of the best festivals to consider for 2018.

Taste of the Hawaiian Range

For 22 years, the beef is at Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival, held in September. It provides a platform for sustainable agricultural education showcasing pasture-raised beef. Like other festivals, there is a bevy of those involved, like the local ranching association, to make sure the event really delivers both fun and understanding.

This is a little more about the steak than the sizzle, as you get to interact with the farmers and ranchers producing beef, fruits and vegetables. New this year are outdoor, ag-themed activities geared for families. During the ticketed evening Taste, attendees graze at culinary stations where local chefs serve dishes using a variety of meat cuts.

Big Island Chocolate Festival

Held April 27-28, the two-day event gives you the view of overall cacao growing, personal identification with the farmers, and lastly the chance to savor local chocolate. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel provides a magnificent setting with a great blend of personal space in the rooms, yet a nice conference center, which is about five minutes from the beach.

The Big Island is on the edge of the zone to grow cacao, so you get a little schooling on what it takes to grow the bean and turn it into chocolate, which also includes a plantation tour. The second day has world renown chocolate chefs who demonstrate and teach you how to make a variety of chocolate creations. The festival ends with a melt-down gala fundraiser where culinary students, chefs and chocolatiers vie for awards in sweet and savory categories and attendees enjoy delicious eats and chocolate body painting.

Waimea Cherry Blossom Festival

With everything from a ritual tea ceremony to tours of a ginger farm, the draw for this February event is how the upcountry community comes to together to celebrate the "cherry blossom viewing party." The 25th annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival has a full lineup of free, multi-cultural performing arts and hands-on demonstrations, plus over 150 crafters and food booths. It might be best described as Cherry Blossom meets the community fair.

Waimea Ocean Film Festival

For full immersion in all things 'ocean,' while surrounded by turquoise blue on all sides, this nine-day festival has an amazing diversity of ocean, adventure and inspiring films generally attended by the producer/director to add a behind-the-scenes look at the story. Starting on January 1, the festival starts at The Fairmont Orchid, Mauna Kea Resort and various Waimea venues and then continues January 5 through 9 at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. From heart-pounding surf films, adventure stories and generally epic or inspiring stories, to films about ocean health, marine life or Hawaiian history and culture, this is a festival with something for everyone.

Ka'u Coffee Festival

Coffee is not native to Hawaii, it was introduced in 1813 by the Spanish physician, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. In the Ka'u district, coffee was being cultivated as early as 1894 by J.C. Searle. The competition for labor by the large sugar operations meant coffee had to take an export back seat for 100 years until the sugar operations dwindled.

Renowned to have a taste combining chocolate, cherry and even coconut, the beans from Ka'u are rising in appreciation, and now have their own 10th annual festival April 27-May 6 in Pahala. From stargazing to a Miss Ka'u Coffee Pageant, to organized hikes and farm tours, this is big fun at a small-town pace. Not to be missed is the May 5th Hoolaulea, with plenty coffee sampling by growers, ethnic island foods, non-stop Hawaiian entertainment and guided tasting of Ka'u coffee prepared multiple ways.

Source: 5 Big Island food festivals to look out for 2018

One Night Food Trip Spin-Off Travels to Singapore

tvN Asia's new original production One Night Food Trip: International Edition, a spin-off of the hit Korean travel show, premiered a Singapore-shot segment today.

One Night Food Trip: International Edition sees local Asian celebrities compete against the production team to win the Golden Passport. The show's second segment looks on as Korean singers Eric Nam and Bernard Park travel to Singapore and explore Lion City alongside local actress He Ying-Ying.

One Night Food Trip: International Edition airs on tvN Asia every Tuesday at 11 p.m. The channel is available in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Australia, with subtitles in English, Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia and Thai.

Source: One Night Food Trip Spin-Off Travels to Singapore

Food Hall Chains Are The New Food Halls

What's next for one of the hottest trends in food? More of the same, looks like. 

When the city of New Orleans handed over the keys to a renovated St. Roch Market to a pair of local entrepreneurs, a few years back, plenty of people were skeptical—was an elegant new food hall the right fit for a tattered strip of St. Claude Avenue, directly on the edge of the less-than-elegant Seventh Ward?

A handsome bit of history brought back from near-decimation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, St. Roch had long held a place in the hearts of old timers, some more than a touch overwhelmed by the upgraded market's stark, all-white interior, the bar with its pricey craft cocktails and raw towers, plus a dozen or so stalls serving up often unfamiliar food, in a part of town more bound by tradition than most. 

The skepticism may have been justified, but it didn't stop the market from becoming a huge success. Suddenly, a part of town that was probably not on the hit list of the average visitor to New Orleans was now a thing. A major thing, to be precise. Now, the crew behind the project is preparing to launch a St. Roch Market in Miami's Design District, another neighborhood that knows plenty about turning nowhere into somewhere.

Scheduled to open early next year, the South Florida sequel will feature roughly the same number of vendors, plus a repeat of the original cocktail bar from New Orleans, because really, who knows better than New Orleans, when it comes to cocktails. And that's not all—while they're now working to find a new venue, a planned expansion into Nashville remains on track. Very soon, there'll be a second market from the team right in New Orleans, over in the city's more centrally-located Warehouse District.

St. Roch's success is just one example of the hunger for expansion, within the fast-growing food hall sphere—Pittsburgh's Smallman Galley, a small, incubator-focused hall opened in 2015 that rotates concepts out in favor of new ones after a period of time, has not only expanded to a second location in Pittsburgh, plans have now been announced for a Galley in Cleveland's happening Ohio City neighborhood. A debut is expected later next year. Then, of course, there's Italy's Eataly, which entered North America in 2010 with just one location in New York's Flatiron District; to date, it has four locations in the United States, with a fifth—Los Angeles—set to throw open its doors very shortly.

Speaking of Europe, the United Kingdom-based media company Time Out's smashing success in reviving Lisbon's renovated Mercado da Ribeira has taken plenty of people by surprise—two years after opening, the market had received more than three million visitors; it's now ranked as the number one tourist attraction in the city, with a lot of fairly steep competition.

Can the magic be repeated elsewhere? The company, still known primarily for its travel guides, is betting on yes—CEO Didier Souillat, a Harrods vet, is heading up what seems to be a relatively ambitious expansion, starting with the 17,500 square-foot Time Out Market Miami, debuting next year just off of the heavily-touristed corner of Lincoln Road and Washington Avenue, in the city of Miami Beach. The following year, expect the Time Out Market Boston, over near Fenway Park, with more to follow—previous announcements for London and New York and rumblings of a Time Out Market in Chicago's so-hot-right-now Fulton Market neighborhood haven't yielded any official opening dates, but don't count those cities out, not just yet.

Source: Food Hall Chains Are The New Food Halls

A hotel chef shares room-service secret for better food

The executive chef at a Westin in Georgia has a few tips for ordering room service.  (iStock)

Few things are as luxurious as waking up in a hotel room and having a slow breakfast in bed with a plush robe and slippers — except when the lids come off to reveal a plate of congealed eggs, soggy potatoes, and lukewarm coffee.

Preparing food is both an art and a science. And much like how chefs must change their recipes for airplanes, there are certain dishes that should be altered to make the transition from kitchen to room service.

The problem lies in the hospitality lid. Although necessary to ensure the cleanliness of a meal, hot foods continue to steam underneath the lids and cook themselves even further after leaving the kitchen.

"Vented lids cause crispy fried items like fries, onion rings, or even fried shrimp to get soggy from the steam," Skipp Worden, executive chef at the Westin Jekyll Island in Georgia, told Southern Living.

The lids can also cause cooked vegetables to lose their flavor and texture, pizza to soften its crispy crust, and soup to change textures.

But for those dead set on a particular menu item, there are a few hacks to ensure your meal is edible once it arrives. Avoid soggy fries by requesting they're cooked extra crispy — or even burnt, Worden says. However when ordering meat, do the exact opposite. Request steak one degree rarer than normal, as it will continue to cook on the delivery trolley.

Source: A hotel chef shares room-service secret for better food

Luxury suites, food, wine and golf at Nova Scotia's Waterside Fox Harb'r Resort

When Ron Joyce sold his share of Tim Hortons (to Wendy's founder Dave Thomas), he wanted to do something very special with the money: build a luxurious resort oasis on Northumberland Straight in Nova Scotia. Fox Harb'r Resort is the result of that dream.

Fox Harb'r is located on the warmest water north of the Carolinas, directly across from the Prince Edward Island (of Anne of Green Gables fame). Ron Joyce's son, Steven is now at the helm of the resort, whose guests have included four U.S. Presidents, three Canadian Prime Ministers, and a slew of athletes honing their golf skills in their offseason.

We recently had the opportunity to stay there at the invitation of the resort, and here's what we discovered:

Spacious Luxury AccommodationsEighty-five suites, both oceanfront and townhouses, make up the Fox Harb'r accommodations. The one thing they all have in common is attention to every detail. Amenities include heated floors in the bathrooms, Simmons Beauty Rest mattresses, fine bed linens, plush robes, and Molten Brown toiletries.

All the suites at Fox Harb'r also have refrigerators, coffee makers, and microwaves, and all-day room service for those who don't want to use the kitchenette area while on vacation.

Award-Winning Waterfront Golf

One of the main draws of the resort is the golf. In 2002, the course was named the "Best New Course" in Golf Digest. In 2011, the magazine touted it among the Top 16 in the Caribbean and North America.

The golf course was designed by Canadian Graham Cooke and it is as beautiful as it is functional. The front nine is known for its difficulty, while the back nine is known for its spectacular waterfront view.

Fox Harb'r also has a Golf Academy, which instructs golfers at all skill levels. Guests can go there for everything from equipment fitting to competitive lessons.

Other ActivitiesGolf is far from the only thing for Fox Harb'r guests to do. Activities on the 1,150-acre property includes instruction and equipment for kayaking, tennis, and horseback riding. A stocked rainbow trout pond is open for standard and fly fishing, and a deep-water marina houses boats of all types for more fishing, or scenic rides on the water. They even have their own clay shooting center.

The rock bluffs, landscaping, and waterfront allows for plenty of spots for hiking or leisurely walks. Fox Harb'r also has specific nature trails.

Relaxing Spa & Fitness

After a hike or round of golf, treat yourself to the Spa at Fox Harb'r, named one of the "Top 25 Spas in Canada" by Canadian Spa and Wellness.

Since your feet tend to get the most use at this resort, every treatment begins with a relaxing and therapeutic foot massage. The relaxation and treatment rooms are comfortable with soft lighting and music in which local therapists and estheticians personalize your facial, massage, or body treatment.

Within the spa building, you'll find a fitness room and an Olympic-size heated pool and whirlpool, both of which offer breathtaking views of the water. A complete wellness center is in the works as well.

First-Class Dining

The Cape Cliff Dining Room combines the resort's scenery with the fresh creativity of Chef Shane Robilliard, who sometimes goes out on the lake to catch his own fish.

The restaurant overlooks the Northumberland Straight and the 18th hole of the golf course. It is the site of spectacular sunsets, but it's the food guests come here for - especially the seafood. Cape Cliff participates in the Ocean Wise program and is Atlantic Canada's first sustainable seafood restaurant. Chef Robilliard takes advantage of freshly caught Nova Scotia salmon and lobster for dishes such as lobster tail with butter poached herb risotto.

They also grow all the green vegetables at the on-property greenhouse, as well as at least 90% of herbs and additional vegetables, and some of the breakfast jams are made from in house. These are used at The Willard too, a casual restaurant with an outdoor terrace and local favorites such as fish and chips.

Wine Experience

The Cape Cliff restaurant has the largest wine collection in Atlantic Canada and two sommeliers, but Fox Harb'r wants to get further into the wine business. They planted six varietals on 25 acres three years ago and are now working on their first harvest.

Jost Vineyards, the oldest winery in Canada, is helping Fox Harb'r produce the wine. Among those they will be concentrating on is Tidal Bay, which is unique to this appellation. It's a citrusy crisp white, which goes especially well with seafood.

Become a ResidentIf you find it hard to leave Fox Harb'r, maybe you should consider becoming a regular visitor. The resort is selling condos and stand-alone houses, all with sweeping views.

Houses are being built and furnished by staff rather than outside vendors. Over 22 lots and a handful of townhouses are still available for sale, with prices ranging upwards of $500,000. All residents are members of the resort and can use amenities (including golf) for a yearly fee. Social activities for residents are included, as well as discounts at the spa, golf academy, and other areas of the resort.

Fox Harb'r Resort is currently open from May until October, although they are considering extended operating times with the next expansion. See their website for reservations and details.

Source: Luxury suites, food, wine and golf at Nova Scotia's Waterside Fox Harb'r Resort

A hotel chef shares room-service secret for better food

The executive chef at a Westin in Georgia has a few tips for ordering room service.  (iStock)

Few things are as luxurious as waking up in a hotel room and having a slow breakfast in bed with a plush robe and slippers — except when the lids come off to reveal a plate of congealed eggs, soggy potatoes, and lukewarm coffee.

Preparing food is both an art and a science. And much like how chefs must change their recipes for airplanes, there are certain dishes that should be altered to make the transition from kitchen to room service.

The problem lies in the hospitality lid. Although necessary to ensure the cleanliness of a meal, hot foods continue to steam underneath the lids and cook themselves even further after leaving the kitchen.

"Vented lids cause crispy fried items like fries, onion rings, or even fried shrimp to get soggy from the steam," Skipp Worden, executive chef at the Westin Jekyll Island in Georgia, told Southern Living.

The lids can also cause cooked vegetables to lose their flavor and texture, pizza to soften its crispy crust, and soup to change textures.

But for those dead set on a particular menu item, there are a few hacks to ensure your meal is edible once it arrives. Avoid soggy fries by requesting they're cooked extra crispy — or even burnt, Worden says. However when ordering meat, do the exact opposite. Request steak one degree rarer than normal, as it will continue to cook on the delivery trolley.

Source: A hotel chef shares room-service secret for better food

Indian Railways blames passengers' food poisoning on children, not food

Train passengers are being blamed for their own food poisoning following an internal investigation conducted by the Central Railway.  (iStock)

Twenty-five passengers aboard the Tejas Express traveling from Goa to Mumbai in India fell ill and had to be hospitalized after eating breakfast provided by the premium train.

Now, following an investigation conducted by the Central Railway, authorities are defending the food served and instead pointing the finger at two young children who were also riding the train.

The Central Railway claims they collected the food samples and observed "they all were well within their expiry (date)," The Hindu reported. The Central Railway took samples of all the food provided on the train for quality control, but chose not to take a sample of the omelet for testing, which many reported had a foul smell.

INDIAN AIRPORT STOPS 29 PASSENGERS SMUGGLING GOLD IN THEIR RECTUMS

"A few passengers complained of slightly different smell from omelette served to them," The Hindu reported.

When asked why the omelet wasn't sent for quality control testing, an official said, "There was no need to take the sample of omelette as many other passengers who consumed it had no issues with it."

One day after the Indian Railways conducted their internal inquiry, they concluded that the "suspected" food poisoning was triggered by two children who vomited inside the train coach floor that "vitiated the air quality and triggered uneasiness" among all other passengers.

"From the perusal of interaction with passengers, statements given by passengers, on duty TTEs, AC mechanic and pantry staff, it appears that the food quality served on Tejwas Express was satisfactory," the report submitted by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) assistant general manager Rajesh Rana said.

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According to the report, two children belonging to a tourist group vomited inside the coach, following by four more children vomiting in the train. This caused "uneasiness amongst other passengers."

The railway authorities interacted with 20 on-board passengers and "none of them complained about the quality of food or soup," the inquiry report said.

Though the train denies the food as being problematic, the Railway Ministry issued a notice for termination with the caterer responsible for providing the food on-board the Tejas Express.

Source: Indian Railways blames passengers' food poisoning on children, not food

How to Travel With Food Allergies

Traveling with severe allergies is possible—and even enjoyable—with planning and precaution.

Josh Mandelbaum doesn't just break out in hives if he eats a peanut; the tiniest bit of peanut dust has the potential to kill him.

The 12-year-old suffers from an anaphylactic peanut allergy. If he accidentally ingests the dust—prevalent on airplane surfaces as nuts are commonly served as snacks—it could cause a life-threatening reaction. He doesn't let that keep him from traveling six to eight times a year but it does require planning and diligence, said his mother, Lianne Mandelbaum.

According to James R. Baker Jr., MD, CEO and chief medical officer of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), an estimated 15 million Americans live with food allergies. The most common are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, shellfish and fish. 

Planning is key. Travel Influencer Scott Eddy wrote a blog post about how to eat clean while traveling, and said some of the advice is the same for traveling with allergies. 

"You're not going to find any allergy-free restaurants," he said. "Make a list [of potential restaurants] and get prepared before you go." 

He recommends reaching out to food bloggers and contacts on social media for recommendations. It also helps to learn about the food in that culture before leaving home. Is the cuisine heavy in peanuts, such as Thai food, for example? Some cuisines don't use nuts at all.  Find out what's commonly used in local cuisine and adjust your food plan accordingly. 

Also, be sure to pack a written allergy care plan and a letter from your doctor.

"It is important to note that food allergies should be diagnosed by an allergist. Some people needlessly avoid foods when they are not clinically allergic," Baker said. "People with food allergies may not be able to be as adventurous as others when it comes to dining out while traveling, but they can still try new foods, as long as they are cautious and do their research."

By the time Josh Mandelbaum takes his seat, his mother has spoken to at least four airline officials to alert them of his allergy, including the flight attendant who will take care of them during the flight. If the airline is cooperative, she boards the plane early to wipe down the seats, makes sure there are no stray peanuts in or under the seats, and covers his seat with a seat cover. She has packed all of his food in a carry-on bag—they always refuse airline meals, just in case—and his epinephrine pen is close at hand. On a cooperative flight, the attendant will also make an announcement asking that passengers refrain from eating peanuts during the flight to reduce the risk.

Airlines are not always cooperative, so it's important to know an airline's policies before boarding the plane.

"Air travel can be particularly stressful for those managing food allergies, because you don't have access to emergency medical care in the event of an allergic reaction," said Baker. "It can also be stressful if you're traveling to a foreign country if you don't speak the language, and you're relying on others to understand the seriousness of your food allergy."

FARE recommends keeping copies of your food allergy emergency care plan and medications handy at all times, and knowing where the nearest hospitals are within your destination, just in case. "Try to book the first flight of the day and when possible, book a direct flight so you are not dealing with different planes and crews," Mandelbaum added. "If you get a different crew, you get a different result."

Source: How to Travel With Food Allergies

These are the world's most expensive places to buy food

In some parts of the world, a single plate of food can eat up more than an entire day's earnings. In some parts of the world, a single plate of food can eat up more than an entire day's earnings. Related Content

HONG KONG (CNNMoney) - In some parts of the world, a single plate of food can eat up more than an entire day's earnings.

That's according to a new joint study by the United Nations' World Food Programme and credit card company Mastercard, which lays bare the real cost of feeding yourself around the world. In some countries, buying a meal can cost the local equivalent of hundreds of U.S. dollars, the research says.

In the state of New York, for example, a simple serving of food like rice over beans costs $1.20 -- an estimated 0.6% of the average daily income there. Compare that with the situation in South Sudan, where the same dish would set someone back 1½ days of income.

That's the equivalent of a New Yorker having to shell out $322. For rice and beans.

Here are the world's five most expensive places to buy a meal, based on people's average daily incomes, according to the study:

1. South Sudan: $321.70, relative to New York purchasing power (155% of South Sudan's average daily income)

2. Nigeria: $200.32, in New York terms (121% of Nigeria's average daily income)

3. Deir Ezzor, Syria: $190.11, in New York terms (115% of Syria's average daily income)

4. Malawi: $94.43, in New York terms (45% of Malawi's average daily income)

5. Democratic Republic of Congo: $82.10, in New York terms (40% of the Congo's average daily income)

Researchers said they wanted to "highlight some of the real reasons countries often end up in a vicious cycle of poverty, such as conflict and insecurity."

As of March, more than 20 million people across four war-ravaged regions -- South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and northeast Nigeria -- faced starvation and famine, according to the U.N.

The new food study is "a stark reminder of how conflict can create cruel inequalities in terms of access to food," said World Food Programme executive director David Beasley.

Source: These are the world's most expensive places to buy food

Thousands of tiny baby Adélie penguin starve to death as changing weather forces parents to travel for food

Thousands of tiny baby penguins starved after changing weather forced their parents to trudge across Antarctica in search of food amid the changing climate.

A colony of 18,000 pairs of Adélie penguins in Terre Adélie, Antarctica suffered the catastrophic breeding failure earlier this year, according to the WWF. The incident happened because unusually extensive sea ice forced their parents to travel further in search of food, leaving their chicks at home to starve, a reminder of the horrifying effects of the changing climate.

The penguins are known as one of the hardiest creatures on the Earth. But they are feeling the horrifying effects of global warming, with campaigners warning that the event should force people to take notice of their problems.

Though Adélie penguins are generally doing well in East Antarctica, where they mostly eat krill, a small shrimp like crustacean. But they are declining in the peninsula, where the effects of climate change are already being felt.

Four years ago, the same colony had another, similar catastrophic shock. It consisted of 20,196 pairs then – and not a single one was able to produce a chick.

That time around, unusual amounts of sea ice combined with warm weather and rain, before a rapid drop in temperature. Many of the chicks became saturated and froze to death.

"Adélie penguins are one of the hardiest and most amazing animals on our planet," said Rod Downie, head of polar programmes at WWF. "This devastating event contrasts with the Disney image that many people might have of penguins. It's more like 'Tarantino does Happy Feet', with dead penguin chicks strewn across a beach in Adélie Land.

Adélie penguin chicks starved to death at Dumont d'Urville, January 2017 (Y. Ropert-Couder/ CNRS/ IPEV)

"The risk of opening up this area to exploratory krill fisheries, which would compete with the Adélie penguins for food as they recover from two catastrophic breeding failures in four years, is unthinkable. So CCAMLR needs to act now by adopting a new Marine Protected Area for the waters off East Antarctica, to protect the home of the penguins."

A Marine Protected Area, or MPA, would allow the penguins to be kept from activities that could further reduce their numbers, said scientists who work there.

"The region is impacted by environmental changes that are linked to the breakup of the Mertz glacier since 2010," said Yan Ropert-Coudert, who leads the penguin programme at the research station next to the colony. "An MPA will not remedy these changes but it could prevent further impacts that direct anthropogenic pressures, such as tourism and proposed fisheries, could bring".

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Source: Thousands of tiny baby Adélie penguin starve to death as changing weather forces parents to travel for food

5 popular food items recommended for the well-heeled traveller in China

The Chinese love eating – that's a fact. Food is an important part of the Chinese culture. It has been for thousands of years. It is usual for a Chinese to greet another with "Have you eaten?" rather than 'How are you?" as practised in the West. Chinese do love their food! Broadly, there are eight recognized great regional cuisines in mainland China today. These come from the Han Chinese. They are the majority of the Chinese people living in mainland China today – more than 90%. There are also lesser known cuisines of the minority tribes.

Additionally, there are also "spin-offs" or localized Chinese cuisines that were adapted to local tastes and available ingredients when the Chinese started emigrating in the 19 th century to countries like the U.S. and South-East Asian countries like Malaysia, Vietnam and etc.

Below are five of the more popular dishes recommended for well-heeled travellers to China, and especially for those who are unfamiliar with Chinese cuisines.

1. Peking (Beijing) duck

It has been said that no visit to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall of China, and no visit to China's capital city Beijing is complete without savouring the famous Peking (Beijing) duck. It was one of the most prominent dishes to grace the banquet table when Chairman Mao hosted a state banquet in honour of the visiting US President Richard Nixon in 1972 in what was called "the Ping-Pong diplomacy".

Prepared from specially raised 60 to 65-day old white-feathered ducks, marinated and roasted to perfection, the bird is carved right in front of the diners. A layer of fat sandwiched between the crispy golden-brown skin, and the tender, juicy and succulent duck meat is served wrapped in steamed rice pastry, sauces and condiments.

2. Hairy crabs

The freshwater hairy crabs are delicacies of Shanghai which are only available during the autumn months. The best crustaceans are from Yangcheng Lake, a freshwater lake in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province not far from Shanghai.

The cooking is simple; the crustaceans are just steamed – placed on a plate in a covered wok of boiling water so as to preserve their naturally sweet taste. The crab is dipped into a sauce of rice vinegar, sugar and ginger and eaten using your fingers. Female crabs are preferred for their eggs (roe), said to be superior to caviar.

3. Bird-nest soup

Birds' nests are actually formed from the dried saliva of a particular kind of swift found only in some South- East Asian countries. Dangling high up from the roof of dark caves, the nests are harvested by collectors who climb long flimsy bamboo poles risking lives and limbs to reach them. It is a hazardous calling, and thus the scarcity.

The consumption of birds' nests can be controversial. Naturalists claim that the habitats of these birds are being destroyed, thus putting them in danger of extinction. Because of the large demand which far exceeds supply, the price of this delicacy can be steep. Just a small bowl of soup can set you back by up to $100. The nest itself tastes gelatinous and jelly-like. It can be double-boiled with rock sugar and sometimes with Chinese herbs.

Bird-nest soup is prized for its medicinal value, supposedly boosting your libido and aids digestion. Women in particular like the beauty-enhancing qualities, said to be good for their skin.

4. Dim sum

Dim sum literally means "to touch someone's heart". It is a typically Cantonese cuisine and particularly popular in cities like Guangzhou in South China and Hong Kong. Many Hong Kong people love dim sum as an accompaniment to the daily morning ritual called "yum cha", literally translated as "to drink tea". Much pleasure and meaning are derived from partaking in this activity in the company of relatives and friends. Pots of piping-hot Chinese tea, usually of the "poo- er" variety are savoured while they engage in small talks.

The most common and popular dim sum varieties are steam-cooked. They are steamed in small, circular bamboo trays. The wrapping or skin is made of very thin, almost translucent rice pastry. The stuffing can be pork, seafood, chicken and etc. The standard bearers of dim sum are arguably the Char Siew Pao (steamed buns with roasted pork filling), the Siew Mai (steamed pork wrapped in bean curd sheet) and the Har Kow (steamed prawns wrapped in translucent rice pastry). Sweet varieties like the egg tart and mango pudding are also offered.

5. Abalone

The abalone is a shelled seafood found in deep seabeds. They can be fresh, dried or canned. They are imported from various parts of the world like the U.S, Australia, Japan, South Africa and etc.

They are very expensive, easily costing up to hundreds of dollars each. At upmarket Chinese restaurants, the abalone is often cooked with other expensive items like sea cucumbers and scallops (both are exotic seafood), fish maw and dried shitake mushrooms.

To the uninitiated, Chinese food can be downright controversial like the shark-fin soup, to the weird like the stinky tofu and the century egg. But the five recommended above are good choices to initiate a traveller into the delightful world of Chinese food. Enjoy!

Source: 5 popular food items recommended for the well-heeled traveller in China

There is Some Seriously Good Mexican Food in London Right Now

From market stall taquerias to fine dining, Mexico is leaving its mark on the capital's culinary scene. 

Back when Tomasina Miers opened Wahaca—about a decade ago, now—it felt almost revolutionary. You'd slip into the basement, kick back with a drink, order a couple of tacos, a side of roasted corn and be transported from London's tourist-choked Covent Garden to something almost like Mexico. Almost.

At the time, there were entire American cities where you could not find anything close to as good as Miers' cochinita pibil—somehow, that classic Yucatecan preparation of piquant, citrus-marinated pork had leap-frogged right over much of the United States and the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean. It was served up as a taco that avoided all the usual taco pitfalls, when one is so far away from the center of the taco universe. These tacos were boldly simple, and remarkably tasty; there were notably good corn tortillas, the meat was high quality and, finally, there were no unseemly adornments. It was honest-to-goodness Mexican street food, or as close as you could expect to find, all the way over here. 

Of course, nothing good ever seems to stay the same for long, in London—it's never enough to have a great restaurant, or a couple of great restaurants. Sooner than later, investors come calling, expansion plans are drawn up. Today, the Wahaca concept has been rolled out all over the United Kingdom, with more than two-dozen locations now in operation.  

It may be a chain now, but Wahaca—particularly the original location—can still be a pleasure. What the brand's popularity seems to have helped to spawn, however—a raft of new Mexican-ish offerings, typically rather corporate, dreary—has been less exciting. Most of these places are close to terrible. Many are still thinly-veiled Tex-Mex, of the variety that the capital once enjoyed (and still does, if we're being honest); others are more earnest, or at least try to appear as such, which is perhaps even worse. 

But every city has to start somewhere, when it comes to Mexican food—however clumsy the rollout may have been, more and more people began to become acquainted with the ins and outs of the genre, the ingredients, the names. Slowly, things that many Americans by now had been taking for granted became normal in London. The usual Columbusing began to give way to a new breed of real-deal chefs and cooks, some of them actually from Mexico.  

Then, a few weeks ago, a restaurant opened on Park Lane, a restaurant with things like chapulines (grasshoppers) and huitlacoche (corn fungus) on the menu. Pozole. Mole negro. Pulpo.

Park Lane is to London what those extremely stuffy parts of Fifth Avenue are to New York. People don't go to Park Lane to eat guacamole, or tamales, served by waitresses wearing Frida Kahlo-style floral headbands. They do now, apparently—Martha Ortiz, a Mexico City celeb chef, has opened Ella Canta at the Intercontinental Hotel, and London is quite literally eating it up.

Well, make that the London that can afford to indulge on a night out, in this rarified bit of the capital—the food may be new to this address, but the prices will have stayed much the same. Unless you like the idea of paying $16 for a tamale, you're probably not going to darken the door anytime soon.

Which is fine, because there's now so much else to try. You can now, for example, get quite good tacos al pastor at a walk-in-only spot, called Tacos El Pastor, at Borough Market, not far from where celebrated tortilleria and importer Cool Chile offer an impressive array of Mexican ingredients for an increasingly savvy crop of home cooks. The food might not be worth crossing town for, but there's a group of expats—around 12,000 are estimated to be living here—that like to hang out at Mestizo, not far from Euston Station. (Thursday nights downstairs are the thing, apparently.) Stuck in South London? Stop by Brixton's Maria Sabina, a close-to-the-real-thing taqueria in an actual market; if you're stuck in touristland(ia), three locations of Lupita, which claims roots in Mexico City, are available to serve you—there's one practically underneath Charing Cross, spitting distance from Trafalgar Square.

Or, you can just go where everyone else appears to be going, which is Edson and Natalie Diaz-Fuentes' Santo Remedio. A massive hit after opening in cooler-than-you Shoreditch last year, the restaurant has quickly eclipsed pretty much every other offering in its class and is now spoken of quite frequently as London's most authentic Mexican restaurant.

After multiple issues with the original location, they've found a permanent home south of the Thames; spread out across two levels, this allows them to operate both as a casual cantina/taqueria, as well as a proper restaurant. A proper charcoal grill means lots of al carbon options they weren't able to present before. The menu is short, to the point, and refreshingly un-dumbed down; there's something oddly wonderful about scarfing down a tostada de pulpo before catching a train at London Bridge Station, just steps away. There are wines from Mexico, and local craft beer. Most any American city would be happy to have a place like this.  

Source: There is Some Seriously Good Mexican Food in London Right Now

Hilltop towns in southwest France offer stunning views, amazing food

Jim Byers, Special to Postmedia Network Oct 10, 2017

, Last Updated: 2:51 PM ET

CIRQUE DE GAVARNIE, FRANCE - My tour guide is whipping along a narrow mountain road that overlooks a steep canyon at what seems like Formula One speeds. There's only the bare minimum of a guard rail on my right, and we're close enough to the car in front of us that I'm pretty sure I can see what radio station the driver is listening to.

Suddenly we swoop around a corner and it's right there; a massive, grey, craggy circle of stone and ancient rock rising up at the end of a deep green valley. There are jagged edges and smoothly worn bowls and patches of snow in shady pockets in mid-summer. Just for good measure, there's also a wide ribbon of water spilling down the left side of the rock and falling hundreds of meters toward the valley floor; one of the prettiest waterfalls I've seen and also the highest in mainland France at an impressive 422 meters.

I'd seen pictures of this area of the Pyrenees mountains in southwest France, but the size and majesty had escaped me, as can often happen when one peers at miniature photos on an electronic computer screen to try to get a sense of such a wide and thoroughly impressive world. I forget all about the cars on the road and my speedy ride and fix my slack-jawed gaze at the mountains rising in front of me.

A few minutes later we park our car in a small lot set among an alpine village filled with old stone buildings and a sizeable number of visitors and set out on a two-hour walk, which is sadly all the time I have to check out the area. We walk an easy trail alongside a grey river of cool mountain water, with kids splashing about and folks sunning themselves on rocks. We admire small farms dotted with pasture land and rolls of hay and clamber up a wooded trail before reaching a wide meadow filled with deep green grass and pale lavender wildflowers. I'm very much a sun and beach person, but something about being around mountains like this is more enthralling, more deeply emotional. Walking along the sand at sunset is romantic, but hiking among ancient, folded, spindled and towering mountains that pierce the sky are more akin to a religious experience.

We hop back in the car and head down the hill to the small, pretty town of Luz Saint-Saveur, where we watch bungee jumpers dive off a bridge over a deep mountain valley. We also take a dip in the warm waters of a thermal bath made popular by Napoleon III. 

Even better is a brief visit the next morning to the tiny, hillside village of Saint-Savin. It's not on the main road into the Gavarnie region, so it's a place most tourists never see. I'm only there for a few minutes but I find the old church enchanting, with an organ that reportedly dates to the mid 1500's. Even better is the old timber home across the street and the wooden arcades along the main street, where I spot perhaps four people on a still, quiet Thursday in August.

The Aquitaine region of France is sprinkled with dozens of other hilltop towns, many of them packed with tourists in summer. Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is a beautiful village that spills and tumbles down a hillside overlooking the Lot River, offering tremendous views and narrow streets packed with restaurants and shops. Much larger but still charming is Cordes-sur-Ciel, northeast of Toulouse.

One of the major attractions in the area is the city of Lourdes, where I watch thousands of religious pilgrims wait in line to see the site where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared before a young French girl.

More than 6 million visitors a year from more than 140 countries visit the city, which they say has more hotel rooms than any city in France outside of Paris. I spot folks from around the world praying at the various shrines or shopping for Virgin Mary figurines and holy water from the town. 

On my way to the city of Cahors I stop for a chat and a few sips of wine at Chateau de Cedre. Co-owner Pascal Verhaeghe explains how it's an organic winery that grows mostly Malbec grapes, used to make the famous black wines of Cahors with their deep, dark colours and full-bodied, spicy flavours.

From there it's on to the city of Cahors, a lovely spot on the Lot River with a Romanesque/Gothic Cathedral with a classic, lovely cloister and a very Instragram-worthy, medieval bridge called the Pont Valentre.

"The bridge was built as a means of defence but it was never used to defend the town," my tour guide, Virginie Seguin, tells me with a laugh. "We're very good at things like that."

I love her sense of humour and admire the town and the river, which is popular with canoeists and kayakers. The area also attracts cyclists, wine enthusiasts and foodies who admire the fresh meats and wide variety of local cheeses.

For more info:

http://www.tourisme-occitanie.com/, http://www.tourisme-lot.com/, http://www.tourisme-hautes-pyrenees.com/, http://www.tourisme-tarn.com/

DEAL OF THE WEEK: Wow Air is selling one-way tickets from Toronto and Montreal to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dublin and Edinburgh for just $149.99 for travel between Nov. 1 and Dec. 13. www.wowair.com

Jim Byers is a freelance writer based in Toronto. Email: jim@jimbyerstravel.com. Instagram: @jimbyerstravel1. Twitter: @jimbyerstravel 

Source: Hilltop towns in southwest France offer stunning views, amazing food

Ikeogu Oke : Writer wins 2017 Nigeria prize for Science and Literature award

Ikeogu Oke has won the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Science and Literature.

The NLNG Prize for Literature is one of Nigeria's most coveted prizes in the literary scene. Last year, prose writer Abubakar Adam Ibrahim won the prize money of $100,000.

 

Today, October 9, 2017, Nigerian poet, Ikeogu Oke was announced as the 2017 winner – for his book "The Heresiad".

Other people on the shortlist are Ogaga Ifowodo for his book, "A Good Mourning" and Tanure Ojaide author of "Songs of Myself".

Source: Ikeogu Oke : Writer wins 2017 Nigeria prize for Science and Literature award

5 Places To Eat At If You Travel To These 5 European Cities

Traveling the world can be nerve-racking, especially when you are away from your stereotypical Whole Foods. My family has an insane combination of dietary restrictions, ranging from lactose intolerance to being unable to eat food that is a day old. 

We decided to take the craziest vacation this summer, traveling to over 14 different cities in a little under three weeks. The only road bump was finding places to eat for the all of us. Nonetheless we were able to find food and here are foods to try if you travel to these European cities.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Satellite Sports Café

Urjita Das

I spent a lot of time in the Netherlands, which also meant I spent a lot of time eating. I happened to come across a restaurant famous to the townies in Amsterdam: Satellite Sports Café.

The café has an extensive menu, but a majority of the customers set that aside and just order what is on the large sign covering almost every window on the restaurant.

"€11.95 Unlimited Spare Ribs from 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM, €9.95 Unlimited Spare Ribs from 10:00 PM – 12:00 AM"

I'm American, which means I love red meat. It is practically our culture to have red meat at every holiday event and cookout. I was stoked to find out there was unlimited ribs for a shocking price of $14.04. Then again, sometimes good quantity does not mean good quality. Nevertheless, when I bit into the first rib, the meat just slid off the bone. It had the texture of chicken thigh but the juiciness of a rib. I happened to get four more plates of ribs after my first one, indulging in a quality rib I had not come across yet in the US. 

The Hague, Netherlands

Luciano

Urjita Das

All ice cream is the same. It is just frozen milk and sugar with added flavorings. Or that is what I thought before I stepped into Luciano in The Hague. They go to the extent of having frozen yogurt and lactose free options. Luciano is known for their unique flavors of ice cream. The inner Canadian got the best of me and I got the maple syrup and the Café Noire (dark chocolate coffee) scoops. Other flavors include raspberry crumble pie, Oreo cake, graham cracker, and pistachio. It is definitely worth going since each scoop is only one euro! Luciano is a European food speciality not worth missing. 

Bruges, Belgium

Le Temp De Sucre

Urjita Das

Adventures of my sweet tooth continues as I travel to Bruges and stumble across a handmade Belgian Chocolate shop, Le Temp De Sucre. My eyes swooned over every piece of chocolate, seeing how each one was honestly a work of art. Chocolate was not only sold individually in pieces but also in bags, something I had not seen before. After spending a little too much time admiring, my family and I decided to grab two bags of truffles. 

Brussels, Belgium

Blegaufra Hot Waffles Australian

Urjita Das

It is a given to any foreigner traveling to Belgium that they need to try Belgian waffles. Now any naïve traveler would just order Belgian waffles at any restaurant in Belgium believing that it is authentic and the best there is. But I decided to try Belgian waffles at four other places before deciding which one served the best authentic Belgian Waffle.

Blegaufra has specialized in waffle dough making for more than 65 years. Nicolas, the chef at Hot Waffles Australian, turns the fresh baked Blegaufra waffle dough into sweet delicacies. He decorates one with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and crushed peanuts and the other with maple syrup, bananas, and chocolate sauce. I have never seen myself eat a waffle so slowly.

Peurto Calma, Gran Canaria, Spain

Isla Bonita

Urjita Das

Gran Canaria is a small island off the coast of Spain, that serves Spain's most popular rice dish, Paella. The rice dish is cooked in a thick metal pan called the paella, the size of a satellite dish. The rice is cooked so that it is tender like meat but slightly toasted like bread. Each grain is covered in the yellow Spanish curry consistent of saffron, paprika, and cayenne pepper. A variety of paella was served at the Isla Bonita including the seafood paella for 4 people, the dish my family and I ordered. The rice dish was combined with jumbo shrimp, scallops, crab, and clams. The cook beautifully plated the dish for each of us serving a slice of orange with it, some fresh lime, and the signature Spanish drink, Sangria.

Traveling to a new country can be frustrating especially as a tourist. There are an overwhelming number of places to eat and every time you ask a city goer where to eat, each one gives you a different response. My experiences in these five countries has narrowed down the ice cream shops and restaurants you need to try, so that you can get the most out of your next visit.

Source: 5 Places To Eat At If You Travel To These 5 European Cities