If I needed to describe myself as a traveler, I would definitely say that I am a food tourist. For example, every time I start planning a vacation – or a trip anywhere for that matter – the thing I look forward the most is the food. While anticipating the trip, I google local restaurants and their menus. I try to find pictures of the dishes from social media like Instagram and Facebook, and also search for reviews on websites like TripAdvisor or Google. I try to find the restaurants I really want to go to, and sometimes book in advance if possible.
Culture Through the Dining Experience
For me, food is a way to experience the place, the culture, the everyday life. I want to find out as much as possible about local cuisine and the history of traditional dishes. The more stories they have managed to fit into the dining experience the better.
My Favorite Cuisines
I have mostly traveled in Europe and the United States. If I have to choose, I guess my favorite cuisine must be Mediterranean (it conveniently combines Italian, Greek and Spanish). Seafood is my favorite, so obviously the fresher the better. Even though experiencing a cuisine is the most authentic in its region of origin, there can be loads of excellent ethnic restaurants especially in bigger cities.
Bring the World to Your Kitchen
Food is naturally best made from authentic and fresh ingredients. Nonetheless, there is a growing variety of different imported ingredients from cuisines all over the world available in bigger grocery stores in Finland. If traveling is not possible due to lack of time or money, bring a little piece of a different culture into your kitchen. Become a food traveler at home by cooking something different! In the age of internet, you can easily find recipes from all kinds of different cuisines you can think of from sites like Travel Food Atlas. I would love to try these Bhutanese recipes! If you want to go a little further, you can have a theme night with a whole menu and drinks. Make it complete with some appropriate music and perhaps a documentary or a movie.