An army marches on its stomach, and so do many travellers. Luckily there are plenty of holidays and hotspots out there for foodies, whether they’re into gourmet dining, cookery classes or experiencing legendary dishes where they were first created.
Spanish food
San Sebastian in the Basque country is almost universally regarded as Spain’s foodie capital. It has more Michelin stars than any other Spanish city, and has a tapas bar on just about every corner (although tapas are called pintxos in these parts).
Meanwhile, Madrid is home to the world’s oldest restaurant. La Casa Botin first opened its doors in 1725 and specialises in giant suckling pigs.
For other Spanish classics, paella comes from Valencia and generally is nowhere near as good when eaten elsewhere, while Piornal in Extremadura is legendary for its Serrano ham.
Italian food
Just about every town in Italy has its own speciality, but the real gourmet paradise is Bra, near Turin. This small market town is the home of the international Slow Food movement, which is devoted to taking time and effort in creating culinary delights. Bra also hosts a cheese festival every other September, and the University of Gastronomic Sciences is 4km south – complete with a restaurant manned by the super chefs of the future.
For other Italian classics, Naples is the home of pizza – and the Neapolitans insist that their way is the only way. Meanwhile 80% of Europe’s pasta is grown in the Puglia region, and Parma is the place to head to for Parma ham and Parmesan cheese.
French food
Burgundy is the real culinary capital of France, and local specialities such as bouef Bourgignon can be found alongside stereotypical French dishes like frog’s legs and garlic snails. The biggest city in Burgundy, Dijon, is the place to head for in order to feast – it possibly has more local delicacies than any other place on earth. Pain d’epices, blackcurrant sweets and every conceivable type of mustard are just a few of the items available in restaurants and gourmet shops such as Mulot et Petitjean.
Other French foodie pilgrimages include the Ardennes for pate and Camembert in Normandy for the famous cheese.
Indian Food
Those who like their curries hot may be surprised to learn that vindaloo is originally a Portuguese dish, although it’s best eaten in its adopted home of Goa, India. Ironically, other popular ‘Indian’ dishes are also from outside India. The biryani as we know it comes from Bangladesh, and the karahi is associated with Lahore, Pakistan.
The chicken tikka masala is an entirely British invention, albeit one with unclear origins – some say Glasgow, some say Birmingham.
For the world’s hottest curry, too, there’s no need to go to the Subcontinent – it’s served by Curry Capital, Bigg Market, Newcastle.
Mexican Food
The humble nacho is less than 70 years old, and has been traced back to a chef called Ignacio (Nacho for short) in Piedras Negras, Mexico.
Meanwhile, Ensenada in Baja California is reportedly the birthplace of chilli con carne, and this is celebrated in the restaurants and taco stalls. However, many ‘traditional’ Mexican foodstuffs were probably born in the States. If you believe the story, the chimichanga was invented at the El Charro Café in Tucson, Arizona, when the cook accidentally dropped a burrito in a deep fat fryer.
This article was originally written for Ninemsn.
Copyright David Whitley
