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After the weather, food and drink are probably the subjects you will be talking about most after your holiday. As one of the most accessible ways to sample a country’s culture, eating and drinking is not only a pleasure but a requirement of any well-rounded holiday. While a lot of places around the world serve international dishes, it’s the local food staples that are really worth trying.
And then there’s the wine … Wine tasting is a lovely way to spend a day or a weekend. It’s a perfect complement to a meal, and a pleasant way to unwind after a day of sightseeing. Wine regions like Bordeaux and Burgundy in France and Napa in California are well-known tasting destinations.
Here are three favourite food and wine destinations:
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast
Sorrento is a small town in Campania, southern Italy. Overlooking the Bay of Naples with views towards Mount Vesuvius, Sorrento is famous for the production of limoncello, a digestif made from lemon rinds; the resort also has a reputation for fine wine, nuts and olives. Also worth visiting on the Amalfi Coast are Capri, for insalata caprese (mozzarella, tomato and basil salad) and the calorific (but amazing!) torta caprese which is an almond and chocolate cake, Minori for fresh scialatielli and ‘ndunderi (similar to Gnocchi) and Naples, the birthplace of pizza.
Situated just 30 miles from the French border, San Sebastian, in the Basque region of Spain, is famous for its exceptional cuisine. It is an amazing place to visit as it caters to all; the party goers, the sightsee-ers and families. The city is home to several Michelin star restaurants with the most renowned being the 3 star ‘Arzak’. Basque cuisine includes meat and fish grilled over hot coals, cod, marmitako and lamb stew, pintxos (Basque tapas), Idiazabal sheep’s cheese, Tolosa bean dishes, txakoli sparkling wine, and Basque cider.
Paris has some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see, they have endless boulevards like the Champ Élysées, breath-taking historical structures like Montmartre and most importantly heavenly food. From cafés, patisseries and bistros to chic wine bars and gourmet Michelin star restaurants, Paris is absolute heaven for lovers of food and wine. Gastronomes around the world continue to look to Paris as a model and inspiration, and the gourmet traditions established in this country of haute cuisine continue to be.
I’m sure your mouth is watering after reading about some of Europe’s culinary delights, so why not try out a trip to any of these beautiful destinations brought you by Railbookers.
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Zoë Dawes July 30, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Food is the way to discover a country’s soul and these three are renowned for their very different culinary treats. I love the whole tapas thing of sharing plates in Spain – a great way to try lots of different things. We’re all familiar with Italian food but I hadn’t heard of some of the dishes mentioned here. And of course France is the home of posh nosh! What’s not to like 🙂
John Macbeath August 2, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Favourite Spanish tapas are patatas bravas and the omelette. Don’t like French food – too fancy for my Scottish palate!
Zoë Dawes August 2, 2014 at 5:35 pm
Yes, some of the French food can be very rich but I love the breads and patisserie. And ice cream from Ile St Louis is yummy 😉
Pat Sills August 8, 2014 at 10:24 am
Not heard of some of those Italian dishes but they sound delicious! Off to Spain for some tapas next week!
Liz Coles August 13, 2014 at 11:22 am
I live in the Canaries and some local must-try dishes include a chickpea dish called Ropa Vieja, which means “old clothes”! and Papas Arrugadas, “wrinkly potatoes” , which are eaten with a red pepper or coriander sauce. Recently a friend was eating Caponata Siciliana, in a small Italian restaurant in Las Palmas so I googled a recipe and made it myself. Whilst I’m sure it didn’t match up to a Sicilian cook’s dish, it tasted delicious, an aubergine based stew, basically.
Zoë Dawes August 13, 2014 at 11:38 am
Not sure about eating ‘old clothes’ Liz 😉 But we had Papas Arrugadas in Gran Canaria and they were lovely. In fact your recipe is here! http://www.thequirkytraveller.com/2012/11/discovering-the-whoo-of-delicious-food-in-gran-canaria Caponata Siciliana sounds delicious.
Louise Middleton August 19, 2014 at 12:38 pm
I love trying out foreign dishes and this reminds me of how much local food helps us to get to know a country. When we lived in Greece we tried lots of different things and I still cook some of it back in England. One of my favourite Greek dishes is spanakopita 🙂
Zoë Dawes August 19, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Ah yes, Greek food Louise. I think it has improved a lot in recent years. I remember luke-warm stews and moussaka varying in quality very much but I loved it all too! Tiny grilled lamb chops, tzatziki, slow-cooked stifado and strong retisina to wash it down – wonderful.
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