Although every culture has its differences, one thing that can always connect them all is FOOD! If you think about it, almost every gathering has some type of food. We celebrate with food, converse over food, laugh over food — even turn to food during times of sorrow.
I have been on many adventures during my travels, but I always seem to reminisce on the amazing dishes I was able to experience along the way. These are dishes that I feel need some recognition and here’s my list to do so...
1. Duck Confit
If I’ve ever spoke to you about my trip to Europe last summer, it is likely that I mentioned my new found love for duck confit. While in Paris, we ate at Paris Nord Cafe which is located across the street from Gare Du Nord. It was at this restaurant that I experienced my first (and so far my only) plate of duck confit. This is a traditional French dish and is said to be one of France’s finest. The duck is first cured in salt, then fried in its own fat. Potatoes are then fried in the duck fat which is called pommes de terre à la sarladaise and served along with the duck. Although duck confit sounds like it would be very greasy, it surprisingly wasn’t. The crisp of the skin encapsulates the juicy, tender center with the natural flavors of the duck and hints of thyme. It is pure perfection! The pride that the French take in their cooking definitely translates through this dish.
2. Escargot
French cooking takes simple flavors and combines them together to let the main ingredient shine. The many layers of flavors work together harmoniously to create music on a plate. This is why it isn’t surprising that my second choice is also from Paris, France. Escargot epitomizes the idea of music on a plate. Unlike most American versions of the dish, they use snails still in the shells and they don’t need to mask the flavors of the snails with a ton of cheese. The simplicity of the dish really allows the snails to shine. These aren’t snails that grow in your backyard. They are raised in a controlled setting and are completely edible. The sauce on top of the snails is similar to a thin pesto sauce. It’s delicious!
3. Meat Pies
If you haven’t read my blog post on New Zealand, check it out **here**. In my post, the first thing I write about is meat pies. They are divine. The pies are individual servings of heavenly goodness. The crust is buttery and flaky and the fillings are rich and savory. Some filling options include mince and cheese, butter chicken, and chicken with brie and mushrooms. If I had access to these in Hawaii, it would probably be one of my go-to comfort foods. To give you an idea of the popularity of these in New Zealand compared to Hawaii, I would compare them to a spam musubi. They are a perfect grab and go meal that are sold at their gas stations and little shops just like musubis. There is a perfect meat pie match for anyone!
4. Gaufres de Liege aka Liege Waffles
While exploring the city of Amsterdam, we decided to try out the waffles that were enticing us around every corner. These waffles are beautiful to look at and even better to eat. The difference between a regular waffle and a liege waffle is that it is made using a dough, not a batter. It also uses a lot of butter and pearl sugar (large sugar crystals), which explains why they taste so amazing! Traditionally, they are eaten plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar. Over the years, the waffles have evolved into the one I ate that day in Amsterdam. Although they can still come plain, they now have the option for it to be dipped in different flavorings: chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, strawberry, etc. I decided on the strawberry dipped waffle. The dish was then completed with fresh fruit and whipped cream. The outside of the waffle was crunchy and the middle was dense, yet crumbly which is said to be caused by the pearl sugar. Accompanied by the fresh fruit and whipped cream, it makes for the perfect sweet treat!
5. Bacon and Cabbage
On a trip to Ireland, I was on a mission to experience the 2 things that I associated with the country: booze & corned beef and cabbage. We checked the first one off the list easily by visiting the Guinness brewery and Jameson distillery. The second item on the list (corned beef and cabbage) was a bit harder to find. Growing up, I had always thought that this was a traditional Irish meal but there is a debate that it is actually supposed to be bacon (ham) and cabbage. The dish includes slices of boiled ham, butter cabbage, and topped with a parsley cream sauce. Off of looks, I thought I was going to immediately regret my menu selection but I was so wrong. It was incredible. The complexity of the flavors was amazing. Everything in one bite was all it took to get me hooked on the dish.
6. Waz-Za Waffle
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| Photo Credit: Simplesplendidthings |
New York is known for it’s diversity of food, probably even more than Hawaii. They really know how to elevate the simplest of dishes into an elegant meal. In Le Parker Meridien Hotel in Manhattan, there is a very upscale brunch restaurant called Norma’s. It’s the type of restaurant you’d imagine the Sex In The City girls to be enjoying a meal. Amidst the complimentary smoothie samples and awesome service came the Waz-Za waffle. My cousin Pili’s boyfriend (now fiancé), Jason, told me that it was a must-try. I’m so glad that I took his advice, because it was fantastic. It’s an enormous blueberry waffle that is topped with a raspberry hollandaise sauce, blueberries, and bananas with a brûlée topping. It’s such a well thought out dish. Every topping was carefully chosen to enhance this dishes overall taste and plating presentation.
7. Fraisier Cake
Buckingham Palace is a must-do while visiting London. It’s doors are open to the public for several months every summer. After experiencing the tour through the extravagant palace, sit back, relax, and enjoy a few refreshments at the Garden Café. The café serves tea, coffee, pastries, and sandwiches which are perfect for a light lunch. We ordered almost one of everything, but my favorite would have to be the fraisier — a french dessert with layers of sponge cake, strawberries, and cream. The cake is topped with marzipan and a beautiful chocolate with a gold crown on top. The fraisier is beautiful to look at and its taste mirrors its elegance. The sponge cake is light and airy, the strawberries and cream are divine, and the marzipan subtly dulcifies the cake which ties everything together. While you’re enjoying your piece of fraisier cake, make sure to get a cappuccino with a chocolate sprinkled crown on top. It will definitely make you feel like your eating like a royal!
8. Blueberry Bourbon Basil Donut
| Photo Credit: www.seriouseats.com |
When I visited Portland, Oregon, an overwhelming amount of people said that I had to try Voodoo Donuts while I was in town. Sadly, I was more impressed with the looks and names rather than taste. Browsing through the web, I came across a bakery known as Blue Star Donuts. Wanting to see how this compared to Voodoo Donuts, I gave it a try. As I walked in the door, a dark magenta colored donut caught my eye. It was the blueberry bourbon basil donut. Not only did it look amazing, but it sounded amazing. Taking my first bite into the donut was magical. It was a light and airy donut, dipped in the blueberry bourbon basil glaze. The flavors had my taste buds going crazy! It was amazing. The blueberry is definitely the strongest flavor out of the 3, but the bourbon and basil compliment it very well. Blue Star has really perfected using fresh ingredients to capture authentic flavors.
9. Poffertjes with freshly churned butter
If you’re wanting to learn a bit about the history of the Netherlands, I would suggest visiting Openluchtmuseum. This is an open museum that provides a glance at the olden day living situations and practices. In one of the areas of the museum, they show how to churn butter. I had never knew that the freshly churned would be so different from the kind we purchase in stores. It has a natural sweetness to it that amazes me. The butter they churn is then used to make and serve with poffertjes. These are traditional miniature dutch pancakes. Poffertjes aren’t just normal pancakes though. They have a light, yet spongy texture. After being cooked, it is then dusted with powdered sugar and served with some of the freshly churned butter. The flavor of the butter with the poffertjes is sweet enough to forgo the use of syrup. It’s a very scrumptious treat!
10. Butterbeer
Based on the drink in the Harry Potter book series and movies, butterbeer is a must-have at any of the wizarding worlds. I’ve tried this drink at Universal Studios in Florida and at the Warner Bros Making of Harry Potter Studio in London. Surprisingly, I preferred the taste of the one in Florida over London’s. The only reason being that the flavor was stronger at Universal Studios. It’s hard to describe what this actually tastes like, but it does have strong hints of butterscotch and cream soda. There is no alcohol in this drink so it’s also great for the kids. Butterbeer is so good that it must be made of magic!
All of these foods/drinks bring back memories of my trips. Although there are many other dishes that my mind nominated for this list (and the decision was very hard to make), they weren’t quite the winning Leonardo Dicaprio this time. I do, however, look forward to my future meals in distant states and countries!
Thanks again for reading!
P.s.— Comment below with your favorite food or drinks from your vacations! I’d love to hear about them and maybe i'll get to experience them one day too :)
Hmmm... Norma's.... Yum!
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