We believe food is a huge component of your journey whilst travelling. There’s no doubt that you will always remember the first time you tucked into a new meal – the flavours, surroundings and atmosphere. While we haven’t been able to travel overseas this year, let’s look to eight foodie experiences to wrap your taste buds around in 2022.
Beignets – New Orleans, USA
For the donut-lovers out there, trying a fresh beignet is an absolute must. These golden-brown delights come out crispy yet chewy, and are dusted with icing sugar while warm so that it semi-melts into it. Café du Monde in New Orleans is renowned for its beignets. Park up with your beignets and a coffee to watch locals go about their daily lives.
Som Tum – Bangkok, Thailand
Often referred to as the national dish of Thailand, som tum (papaya salad) is a refreshing dish to complement Bangkok’s humidity. With a little crunch from the papaya, a small hit of heat from chillies, and its moreish dressing, you can’t leave Bangkok without having tried it. Some travellers say a true Bangkok ritual is ordering som tum from a street stall, then sitting on a street side on a stool to enjoy it.
Smørrebrød – Copenhagen, Denmark
Smørrebrød aren’t just any old sandwich! The base is a traditional, dense and almost-sour rye bread called rugbrød. Your choice of toppings is wide and varied and placed so lovingly that the Danish open-faced sandwich is practically a work of art. Popular combinations include fiske-fillet (fish with remoulade and dill), frikadelle (sliced pork meatballs with pickled red cabbage and a slice of orange), or leverpostej (warm liver pâté, pan-fried mushrooms, bacon and pickled beetroot and cornichons).
Paua – South Island, New Zealand
Mainly harvested by free divers and with an iridescent inner shell, paua are regarded as a delicacy in New Zealand. The South Island of New Zealand has the best spots for harvest, particularly along the Kaikoura and Southland coasts and Stewart Island. Paua can be enjoyed raw (combined with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger) or as a fritter in a slice of white bread, a popular Kiwi favourite.
Knedli – Zagreb, Croatia
Knedli is a tasty morsel, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Picture a dumpling made from potato dough, stuffed with plum or apricot, rolled in breadcrumbs and topped with sugar…yes, it really is as good as it sounds! Even though they’re sweet, locals will often have knedli for lunch.
Pintxos – San Sebastian, Spain
San Sebastian take their food culture very seriously, considering they are the gastronomic capital of Basque Country. San Sebastian’s Old Town is filled with small pintxos bars, making it easy for you to carry out a full pintxos crawl into the late hours of the night. The name of these tasty tapas relates to the toothpick or skewer that holds each ingredient together (or to pierce). Try as many as your stomach allows – from seafood to meat to vegetarian options galore!
Okonomiyaki – Hiroshima, Japan
Known as Japan’s answer to savoury pancakes, okonomiyaki comes in many variations around the country…but Hiroshima has the most okonomiyaki restaurants per capita! Make your way to Okonomimura (fittingly translated to Okonomiyaki Village) with four floors with over 25 restaurants. Take your pick of small restaurants then sit right by the hot place where you’ll be mesmerised by the cooking process from start to finish. A favourite version of ours is when ramen noodles are included, bulking out a snack to a well-rounded meal.
Ceviche – Lima, Peru
Did you know that ceviche originated in Peru? Hence why you have an exceptionally good chance of eating the best ceviche of your life in Lima! Situated right by the sea, the fish will have been caught fresh that day and be transformed into the perfect balance of sweet and sour, and hot and cold. We guarantee that you won’t want to share this with your travelling buddy!
What foodie experiences do you have on your 2022 bucket list? Take a look at an Avalon Waterways river cruise, and Globus or Cosmos tours.
