Food and Travel

Written by Annette Morejon, Destination Expert/Managing Partner

Food is a huge part of my life, and so is travel! Combine the two and you get some delicious travel adventures.  So, when I travel, I always leave plenty of room in my suitcase (and sometimes bring an extra-large duffle bag packed away) to bring back a grocery-store full of stuff (well almost!).  This allows me to continue to sample the flavors from my trip for a while after, as I also love to cook!

CULINARY ADVENTURES

One of my greatest joys when traveling is embarking on culinary adventures. Whether it is sampling local foods that you cannot find elsewhere, discovering small family-run wineries or distilleries, or even walking through a local food market, these are always at the top of my list.  I find that I can greatly relate to the people of a destination through their food. It makes for great conversation with the locals. They love to share recipes and their favorite places to get an authentic meal. And they will even take the time to help you pronounce some of the delicious local foods that cannot be missed!

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

I always research a destination when visiting for the first time to ensure that I jot down exactly with culinary experiences I should not miss. Recently, I visited Morocco and had the extreme pleasure of hanging out with some friends that live there. We were able to sample things we did not even know existed. The oddest one: Khlea (a preserved meat that lasts quite some time)! It was authentic indeed. The best we had: an amazingly flavorful lamb baked in a tagine dish. What did I bring home: some wonderful spices from the markets, local green tea, and the handcrafted pot to make that tea back at home (recipe complements of our hotel manager)!

But I do the same amount of research when I head back to places over and over again, too. Italy, for example, where I lived and worked for 11 years, is a culinary explosion for me every time.  I make sure to speak to friends before arriving to learn about new places not to miss. But I also continuously go out of my way to discover new places that maybe I did not have time to visit the last few times.  I do, however, have my favorite spots for the best pizza, the best gelato, and even the best wines, so those are typically not missed either! Is there enough time in a day for all this eating?

IT’S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

Traveling for me is not just about sampling the foods, but also about experiencing the places, visiting the countryside, the smaller towns, and even the somewhat hidden gems.  It is often in these magical moments that you truly discover what the destination is about. And lucky for me, there is always a great place around the corner where I can get my specialty fix. Recently, I was in a small town in Tuscany, where they happened to be having their annual pecorino festival…well, what better way to mingle with the locals and sample their pride and joy? I joined in and sampled away!  The recipes revolving around pecorino cheese were magnificent and extremely creative!

My advice to you is to always remember to experience the destination through its food and culinary adventures. Food is a huge part of the local culture and is always intertwined with its deepest traditions! At Daiquiri, we are always eager to recommend some of our favorites so you don’t miss out on the fun, as well!