Tag Archives: Food

4 Southern Dishes and the Best Cities to Try Them

The American South is home to some of the most interesting and adventurous cuisine in the world. With the combination of soul food cooking, Cajun influence, and region’s wild game, you’ll find some of the best recipes for pork, seafood, and even gator meat.

Whether you’re a born and raised southerner or taking a trip to the south, there are some undeniable standouts in regional cuisine. Here are 4 of the most delectable southern dishes and where you need to try them.

Louisiana Gumbo

If you’re taking a trip out to New Orleans, you’ve got to get yourself some gumbo. Every gumbo needs to have celery, onions, and bell peppers. From there, a gumbo is usually categorized by the type of thickener, roux, or fat used to make it stick together.

Where it was once a way to throw all sorts of kitchen scraps and leftovers together, it’s now been perfected to such an art that the Smithsonian has taken notice.

Shrimp and Grits

You can find shrimp and grits throughout many parts of the south. In Georgia and South Carolina, you’ll find people mixing all kinds of combinations of seafood and grits. While it’s more often eaten for breakfast, shrimp and grits can be had any time of day.

If you want to get a broad range of takes on the dish, book a hotel for a trip out to Brunswick, Georgia, for the annual Shrimp & Grits Festival. Take a drive 2.5 hours north and compare what you had to the famous shrimp and grits in the Charleston area.

Key Lime Pie

Key limes were brought to Florida in the 1800s by a botanist who imported them from Mexico. Since then, they’ve become ubiquitous in drinks, fruit salads, and desserts. The most important of all of these dishes has to be the key lime pie. Key lime pie has grown from its humble days of mostly condensed milk and merengue. It’s now been turned into chocolate-dipped popsicles, hard candy, and even soda. The standard Florida diner key lime pie is still an undefeated classic.

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick stew is a cousin to gumbo, but with a bit of a twist. German immigrants supposedly brought the dish to Virginia along with the standards of a tomato base, beans, meat, and vegetables. The most common take on the dish involves chicken.

While it can resemble a soup with meat, it’s often thicker than a traditional soup, much like gumbo. The most common variations on the dish will include more meat and vegetables than soup base.

From Memphis barbecue to the peach cobbler of Georgia, every part of the south has their own set of recipes and distinct flavors. No matter what you’re interested in trying, there is sure to be a dish that will whet your appetite. Spend enough time in the south and you may even end up taking a side in the age-old battle of whether you should eat grits with salt or with sugar.

18 Jul 2018

4 Classic Midwest Dishes to Try on Your Trip

The Midwest isn’t exactly known for its distinctive cuisine. You won’t find Midwest restaurants in New York City as you would Mexican, Chinese, Cajun, or Southern-style restaurants. However, you can find some dishes that got their start in the Midwest. If you’re on a trip through the area, you can try some for yourself if you know where to look.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

A Chicago deep-dish pizza is an experience you have to try at least once in your life. While a regular pizza is a flat plane of dough covered with tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings, a deep-dish pizza is dough in a deep pie pan. You add cheese and the toppings of your choice, and on top of the pizza, you pour a thick layer of chunky tomato sauce. The best place to find a Chicago deep-dish pizza is in Chicago, but you can find restaurants that serve it throughout the Midwest.

Quad City Pizza

The Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa along the Mississippi River have their own take on the classic pizza. The crust is the usual shape, but the crust contains malt that adds a nutty sweetness, and the tomato sauce is spicier than usual. You’ll also find toppings placed under the cheese, with the pizza cut into strips instead of wedges.

You may find it difficult to locate Quad City pizza outside the Quad Cities themselves, so it may be worth the time to book a hotel in Moline, Illinois, to stay at so that you have an excuse to eat this type of pizza for dinner.

Cincinnati Chili

Don’t let the name fool you: Cincinnati chili has little to do with the Mexican-style chili you eat as a meal. They both use tomato sauce and ground beef, but the resemblance ends there. Cincinnati chili is the creation of Macedonian immigrants, and it uses cinnamon and cloves, and maybe some onion and cheese, served as a sauce on spaghetti or hot dogs. The easiest place to get some is Cincinnati, but you can also find it on menus of restaurants in Ohio and in parts of Indiana.

Wisconsin Brats

Bratwursts look similar to the grown-up version of a hot dog, and they’re the tube meat of choice in Wisconsin. Different parts of the state and different cooks have their own interpretation of how to serve the perfect brat, but a few common choices exist throughout the state. Say no to ketchup but yes to spicy mustard; use a sturdy bun that can handle a juicy brat, and top it with warm sauerkraut and raw onion. Wisconsin brats are available at German restaurants and sports stadiums throughout the state, such as the parking lot of Milwaukee’s Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thanks to all the individuals who settled in the American Midwest and all the city centers that developed their own take on classic foods, the Midwest is home to all types of dishes you’d have a hard time finding elsewhere. You may not find a Midwest restaurant on the East Coast, but if you head through the region itself, you’ll find plenty of delicious regional favorites.

18 Jul 2018

Paris Van Java or Bandung, Indonesia

Known as “Paris Van Java,” Bandung, Indonesia has been termed “Paris of Java” by its Dutch colonizers. Today, Bandung still retains its European vibe. While it is likely that Bandung may resemble a Parisian city of the 19th century more than a modern Paris of today, given this Javanese city’s relaxed more rustic vibes. Here are a few reasons Bandung is the Paris of Java.

Paris Von Java
Shopping
Bandung is one of the top locations in Southeast Asia to buy designer clothes, so in this way it resembles Paris. But where you would expect to pay top dollar (euro) for designer duds in Paris, luckily Bandung is different in this way. Paris Van Java is home to a mass of outlet stores which sell legitimate top brands(most of the time) at discount rates. It is possible to get a complete wardrobe of high quality clothes for a fraction of the price you would pay for the same items back home. So just like Paris of France, Paris Van Java  is a perfect place to shop til’ you drop.

Hotels
Bandung has hotels that counter those of Paris. Ranging from high-end classical, to budget hostels, to funky artsy themed hotels, there is something for every palette.  Many of these places can be booked booked via sites such as Traveloka.com including the luxurious Grand Royal Panghegar, famous for its world class charm.  Bandung is also home truly unique lodgings, including waterside wood huts with glamorous interiors, rustic mountainside cabins complete with lawn gnomes, a waterpark hotel that is perfect for the kids, and a romantic castle true to Paris‘ 19th century gothic style.

Paris Von Java
Cafes and Restaurants
If Paris is known for one thing more than any other it is its cafe culture. In terms of unique cafe experiences Bandung rivals its European counterpart.  Bandung has cafes to suit any taste, ranging from simple steet-side coffee shops perfect for a quick cup; to elegant places great for dinner or lunch. The Javanese and international food in Bandung is some of the best in Indonesia. Paris Van Java is also home to some magnificent themed cafe, including garden themed and several retro themed cafes as well. Badung also has several art galleries doubling as cafes, could it get any more Paris than that?

So if you are looking to rekindle your romance why not give Java’s city of a love a try instead of the French version. Not only will have the opportunity to experience a gorgeous country filled with natural wonders beyond compare, you will also get many of the charms you would get in Paris itself, often at a fraction of the price. So sipping coffee while taking a break from designer shopping can be equally rewarding in Java as it is France. It is with good reason the Dutch dubbed Bandung, Paris Van Java.

30 May 2016

Top Reasons To Visit South Korea

Bright lights and a vibrant city life is one of the top reasons to visit South Korea.  But there’s more to this Asian country than neon-laden cities and urban jungles.  South Korea has a history that spans hundreds of years and much of its culture is still well-preserved, thanks to the unsuccessful colonization of the Europeans.

But despite this, South Korea remains to be at the forefront of technology and entertainment, as K-pop music and fashion is slowly making its way into the mainstream media (some of which are already dominating the US Billboard Charts).

So, pack your Delsey luggage, get your passport ready, and get ready to enjoy the top reasons to visit South Korea!

pagoda in South Korea

Authentic Korean Food.  Korean cuisine offers a great variety of flavours, from mild to downright spicy.  Choose among some of the most appetising dishes, from mouth-watering bulgogi, traditional Korean noodle dishes, to Korea’s national food Kimchi, a fermented vegetable side dish.

Korean cuisines are both healthy and delectable, catering to both vegetarians and meat lovers alike.  It is no wonder Koreans have great, supple skin.

Natural attractions.  South Korea is not all neon-lights and brick and mortar establishments and concrete pavements.  It still preserves some of its natural attractions, such as the Jeju Islands (also called the “Island of the gods”, and the majestic views in the Seoreksan National Park.

Cultural heritage.  South Korea is home to a great number of UNESCO World Heritage sites.  And you won’t even have to go from city to city to discover it.  Taking a leisurely stroll along Gyeongju or Seoul (or joining a tour, if you find that more convenient), you will be able to marvel at a great number of old palaces, temples and gates which have a lot of story to tell about the history of South Korea.

Bathhouses.  One of the top reasons to visit South Korea is their bathhouses.  Choose from a great variety of saunas and spas, from milk baths, mud baths or even baths with temperatures ranging from cool to scalding hot.

Either way, you are guaranteed a relaxing way to call it a day after touring Seoul or feasting on authentic Korean cuisine in one of the most interesting countries in the world!

 

21 Feb 2014

Travel Escapes: Belgrade!

Belgrade is quickly entering the limelight shared by exciting European travel destinations such as Berlin, Paris and Prague. Complimented by the Sava/Danube River that flows through the capital, the city’s non-stop nightlife, fascinating history and delectable traditional restaurants have been attracting thousands of visitors since Serbia’s tourism boom during the past decade. Perhaps best known for the Yugoslav crisis during the 1990s and Nato’s bombing of Belgrade in1999, which among other buildings left the Police & Army Headquarters desecrated. The remnants of the bombings and Serbia’s eventful past propels Belgraders of all ages to treat every night like a Friday night shaking off the past.

  Danube in Belgrade (more…)

09 Oct 2013