How to Find the Best Food While Traveling
PLUS: Make fresh juice at home with your blender and the best flowers to plant in your garden
Hey there! Thanks for being here.
In this newsletter, I’ll share my tips on How to Find the Best Food While Traveling, my favorite at-home juice method (using a blender), the best flowers to plant for spring and some fun food news from around the web.
Travel season is fast approaching. For some vacation inspo, check out Eater’s 2023 list of best food cities. Some destinations I expected to see (Sardinia, Italy and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) and others took me by surprise (Albuquerque, New Mexico and Asheville, North Carolina?!).
Which made me wonder, of all the cities on the list, which would you be most likely to visit?
I’d love to make my way to all of them eventually, but Vietnam and Guatemala would be top two on my list. Although, Italy is always a good idea!
How to Find the Best Food While Traveling
We’ve all been there — you’re in a new place, rung thin by jet lag, overwhelmed by new sights, smells, signs in a language you may (or may not) be able to read. You’re starving and want something good, something authentic. But you just don’t even know where to look.
In this post, I give you all the info on some of my favorite tips to find the best food while traveling. Highlights include:
Know the Local Specialities
Stray off the Beaten Path
Trust Your Instincts (my personal favorite)
Taking a cooking class, food tour, or just a walking tour with a local are all great ways to indulge in authentic cuisine in a new place. You’ll learn about the food you’re eating, as well as the cultural significance, customs, what grows best in the area and more.
Food is a universal language (like math, but tastier) and it’s an incredible way to experience a new place, get out of your comfort zone, and connect to people with whom you may only be able to communicate through taking a bite and smiling.
Orange Carrot Ginger Juice (no juicer required)
Making fresh juice at home does not require a fancy juicer. I love my juicer and use it regularly to process oranges grown in my backyard. But a few years ago, when I was in a small apartment without space for a juicer, I devised this method to make fresh juice at home using a blender and some common kitchen tools.
Whether you own a juicer or just a blender, this Orange Carrot Ginger recipe is simple, tasty, and packs a flavorful nutrient punch to start your day off right. Particularly as the days are growing warmer, it’s nice to have a fresh glass of juice straight from the fridge (and definitely better than the store-bought stuff.)
Nice Spice: Plant your herbs (and flowers!)
Alright, well not ~technically~ a spice, this month I wanted to feature something fun and seasonal: flowers! Alongside the variety of herb seeds, I found this wonderful Butterfly Lover Seed Set that provides 8 different seed packets. All the flowers in the set are certified butterfly magnets, making your garden beautiful and functional.
You’ve got enough zucchini and peppers in the garden already, time to add some colorful blooms!
Food News: The Science of Food Texture
I’ll admit - I’ve never rallied the courage to try a raw oyster. Something about the thought of the phlegm-like texture has consistently deterred me. This very experience is what the “How Texture Makes Taste” episode on Gastropod seeks to answer.
“Texture plays a huge role in how we experience food, and yet it’s kind of a scientific conundrum. Why do people—and entire cultures—experience the feeling of food differently, and what’s going on in our mouths when we do?” - Gastropod
This is my kind of podcast, lighthearted, fun and still wildly educational. Listen to the full episode here.
Travel Tips: The Best Hotels in Japan
We can’t talk about traveling to foodie destinations without mentioning Japan. Explore the sprawling cityscape of Tokyo and find local specialties alongside world-renowned restaurants. Here’s a list of some of the best hotels in Japan to start your next adventure.