Results tagged “Food” from Intelligent Travel Blog

I arrived in Madrid a few weeks ago with only a handful of hours on a Saturday to show my fiancé around town, so I wanted a way to pack in as much culture as we could, and if possible, do it on the cheap. Enter my colleague Meg Weaver's excellent Free City Guide to Madrid, where I found a slew of cost-efficient ways to wander the city. With her list and a few of our own discoveries along the way, we were able to make our limited stay a memorable one, and save a few euros in the process.

Our first stop was the CaixaForum Madrid gallery, a former electric power station that's now a funky art space situated along the Paseo del Prado, tucked among some of the city's best museums. We wandered the current exhibit, took a break at the thoroughly modern cafe upstairs, then marveled at the living wall of plant life that's overtaken the exterior of the building next door. The admission is always free, so it should certainly join the must-see list for those visiting the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and Museo del Prado, which is where we were headed next.

Admission is free for visitors to the Reina Sofia after 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and until 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, so we ducked in there first, taking the very-cool elevators up to see Picasso's Guérnica, which is always captivating. We spent awhile wandering the halls of modern art before heading over to the historic stuff at the Prado, whose immense galleries filled with works by Goya, Reubens, and Velásques constituted an entire semester's worth of study for one of my college roommates when she studied abroad in the city. But we only had two hours, as the Prado offers free admission from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday (and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday). Thankfully, that was more than enough time to take in some of the museum's more famous works like Las Meninas and The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid.

Friend of IT Barbara Fallon is just back from Italy, where she took cooking classes and explored life in the Tuscan hills.
 
Housed in an old Tuscan farmhouse in Mercatale di Cortona, nine female friends from around the U.S. are gathered for a week of Italian cooking classes with chef Faye Hess. She's already taught us so much--from making the perfect mushroom risotto, to braised ribs with white wine, garlic and rosemary (not to mention homemade pasta). Each of us take turns cranking the old Italian pasta machine. Faye pushes us and prods us, espousing her deep-held philosophy of slow, home cooking, that we need to toss out the buillion cubes, make our own stocks and pastas. Right now we all believe that we can. When we aren't having our daily cooking lesson, and eating the results around a very long farm table, we're off on a daily outing, often with a food or wine connection. We've done wine tastings in Montepulciano and Montalcino, cheese tastings in Siena, even tastings of aged balsamic vinegars (amazingly sweet and syrupy--almost drinkable). Tonight we're having dinner at the villa of a local family who have extensive olive groves and produce a top olive oil. There are no crowds here in southern Tuscany, and the weather is perfect and sunny.
 
While most of our day outings from the Faye Hess cooking school near Cortona had a food focus, one did not: a day trip to Deruta in Umbria, to learn how they make their famous ceramics. We toured the Cama family's small factory: one of the brothers was shaping the pottery on a wheel, and mama and papa were painting by steady hand their beautiful, old patterns. While I had always heard that Deruta wasn't a particularly pretty town, the ancient hilltop was beautiful for both its architecture and dozens of shops with ceramics literally pouring out.

Yesterday's conversation with Tom Birchard of the Veselka Diner left us with a craving for pierogi. We asked him if he could spare a recipe from his new cookbook, and he happily passed it along.

Potato Pierogi

Makes 65 to 70 pierogi, 8 to 10 servings

We never paid much attention to the whole low-carb craze at Veselka. Not only is the restaurant not susceptible to fads, but eating that way would have meant giving up potato pierogi, and there's no way we could do that. Our nimble-fingered cooks make as many as 3,000 pierogi every single day. This recipe doesn't make quite that many, but it does yield a large amount. You could halve the recipe, but instead I recommend making the full amount and freezing half. Frozen pierogi can be dropped directly into boiling water for cooking; there's no thawing required. You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, so you can make the pierogi in a couple batches. Or you could just eat more than the seven pierogi that we consider a single serving at Veselka in one sitting--not exactly punishment.

Traveler managing editor Scott S. Stuckey is just back from a trip to Turkey, and suggests the best places to grab a bite.

Today, October 29, is Turkey's Independence Day, marking the 86th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. During my visit to Istanbul last week, in anticipation of the celebrations and fireworks to come, streets were strung with pennants depicting the crescent moon and five-pointed star of the Turkish flag and the likeness of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He's the still-venerated national hero who led Turkey to independence in 1923, and subsequently, into the modern world. (The pennants hung low, whacking the roof of our tour bus--thonk, thonk, thonk--as we navigated the congested streets of this city of 12 million.) October is a great month to visit Istanbul, and Turkey in general, because temperatures are mild and tourist crowds have thinned.

I was in town as part of a contingent of 62 journalists from 25 countries touring Istanbul in a trip organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The city was feverishly preparing--spiffing up museums, organizing dozens of events, spending millions of Turkish Lira--for 2010, its year in the sun as the designated European Capital of Culture, an honor bestowed on a different city annually by the European Union.

A highlight of my visit--or any visit--to Istanbul was eating, not just because of the food but also because of the glorious marine views from the restaurants. Istanbul straddles both the Bosphorus Strait, separating Europe from Asia, and the Golden Horn, a huge estuary dividing old Istanbul (Constantinople) from the modern city. Fine restaurants and tony nightclubs take full advantage of the geography, perching themselves on hillsides that slope down to water's edge or along the water's edge itself. We enjoyed the view from the tables of several high-end spots: the Suada Club Restaurant on Galatasaray Island; the Sunset Grill & Bar Restaurant in Ulus; and the Feriye Restaurant--with its views of the Ortakoy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge, a lovely suspension bridge lit at night with colored lights.

For more than 55 years, the Veselka Diner has been a neighborhood institution in New York's East Village, serving up its famous borscht and pierogi 24 hours a day to teenage hipsters, artists, college students, and celebrities like Chloë Sevingy, Jon Stewart, Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker. This week, the diner's owner, Tom Birchard, released The Velselka Cookbook. Birchard worked with cookbook writer Natalie Danford to adapt the huge restaurant-style portions of 120 of their famous recipes for a more moderately-sized kitchen. (What? You don't have a room for a vat full of borscht on your stovetop?) The book not only offers a glimpse into the kitchen, but provides lovely vignettes about the history of the restaurant and its role within the Little Ukraine neighborhood in New York City.

I spoke with Tom Birchard about pierogi, kitchen politics, and becoming an honorary Ukrainian.

Though you've been running the diner for 40 years, you're actually not Ukrainian. How did you integrate yourself within the community?

When my father-in-law started the diner, he was a very patriotic and it became a gathering place for fellow Ukrainians. He sold periodicals and a limited menu of Old World foods that he loved. It became a Ukrainian hub.

Back when I took over, the community was still very isolated, tight-knit and somewhat distrustful of strangers. Their culture and language was under attack back in the homeland, so I wasn't really accepted with open arms. It was an institution in the community, and this WASPy college kid was a bit of a threat to them. I didn't really understand the language and the elder ladies kind of snubbed me. But in time, the younger generation got to know me and I've been adopted as honorary Ukrainian.

Contributing Editor Andrew Nelson is back from a visit to his former digs in West Texas, and uncovered a slate of fun new hotspots. You can follow all of Andrew's many travels on Twitter at @andrewnelson.

True to their contrarian nature, the isolated communities of Far West Texas--Marfa, Alpine, Sanderson and Marathon--seem to march in an opposite direction than the rest of the world. With parts of Texas and the Southwest crisping with drought, sweet rains have turned the Big Bend region's arroyos and mountains a rich sage. And as other places suffer a recessionary closure of myriad restaurants and galleries, the independent towns west of the Pecos are enjoying a bumper crop of new attractions and attention.

Outside magazine recently christened Alpine, the hub of the Big Bend and its biggest town, as one of the 10 best towns for outdoor sports in the nation, describing it as Austin's "mini-me." In Sanderson, local resident Terry "Tex" Tolerworks is spearheading an effort to promote an art drive along Highway 90--the lonely stretch of road that crosses the region and is filled with spectacular vistas and the occasional pronghorn or roadrunner. In Marfa, Wool and Hoop (pictured, left), a crewel embroidery store founded by artist Katherine Shaughnessy, sells pretty stitchwork while Cochineal, a restaurant started by two ex-pat New Yorkers, packs them in for dinner. Hint: If you can't get an evening reservation, breakfast beneath the trees for a lot less dosh but equally tasty fare - eggs backed in cream with bacon, spinach and fresh mixed herbs or maybe the migas with refried pinto beans and salsa. 

In Alpine, Talgar's, a restaurant specializing in Oaxacan fare makes a delectable fish tacos. Next door, the Murphy Street Raspa Company--a sweets and gifts emporium--sells hipster T-shirts, plus backcountry Mexican finds like peasant blouses for $26 and Mexican bingo cards. Be sure to sample the Mexican ices called "raspas"--try the tamarind with fresh-squeezed lime juice. (Here, owner Vic Noriega demonstrates how to make one.) Too full to waddle anywhere else? For accommodations head for the Alpine Guest Lofts. Their hip "El Concierge" service will get you almost anything: "engine parts for your Harley, or tickets to one of our off-off-off-off-off Broadway plays, or to stable your polo ponies." Relax in their soaking tubs, or lounge under the pecan tree, which provides cool shade for all.

Photo: Wool and Hoop

Traveler alumnus and Intelligent Travel blog founder Emily King is mildly obsessed with two things: San Francisco and food. Here, she shares her passions for both.

Life has pulled me to the Bay Area twice this past summer. As friends can attest, I left my heart there the first go round, and when I returned to retrieve it, it stole my stomach too. Oh, the food in San Francisco! After too many meals and too much money spent, I'm back home with an aching palate (and an unfriendly number on the scale). Should you find yourself in SF in the near future, here are my top 10 recommendations, broken down by category, after the jump. 

Thanks to all those of you who offered up suggestions for my Labor Day trip down to Charleston, South Carolina. Here are some of the highlights from my visit:

Cruising through Charleston with the dog in the front seat. That's me in the mirror, taking the picture.

There is perhaps no better way to see Charleston then from the seat of a maroon 1974 Buick LeSabre convertible. That's how I got my first glimpse of the city, thanks to my friend Abby, whose fine ride was passed down to her by her grandmother (and, thanks to the new engine she installed a few years ago, will probably outlive us all). I didn't have big plans for my Labor Day weekend, but I did manage to take some of your tips and, more importantly, relax. Because things move slower in the South, and there wouldn't really be any other way to do it.

This summer I spent a long weekend with friends in Middle-of-Nowhere Maine, somewhere north of the Where-the-Heck-R-We Campground. (OK, so the town we stayed in wasn't called "Middle-of-Nowhere," but the campground does exist.) We had planned on eating at different places to try out the regional cuisine, and whenever we asked anyone for a good breakfast joint, the response was always: "You must try the Front Porch Cafe." Never dismissing the locals' advice on good eats, we headed to Dixfield and ate there the first morning... and every morning thereafter.

The cafe's decor screams "country kitchen," and is adorned with cutesy knick-knacks, inspirational plaques, mismatching salt-and-pepper shakers, and homemade juice served in mason jars. Owners Clint Bailey and Sammie Angel will welcome you like family and chat with you as if you've lived in Dixfield your whole life. You can sit in one of the wood tables inside or watch the world go by at a table on the enclosed front porch (the cafe's namesake), but the highlight of the Front Porch is, without a doubt, the food.

Anything you order is delicious, like the "The Bullrock" pancakes ("just like Mama use to make"), and the over-easy eggs fresh from the chicken coop, but the cafe's most famous creation is the "H. W. Park"--two huge pieces of French toast stuffed with fresh berries and cream cheese. The cafe makes other seasonal variations, like banana walnut or apple cinnamon, which melts in your mouth like warm apple pie. They're open for lunch as well (when they serve a selection of sandwiches and homemade soups), but breakfast is served all day, making it hard to resist repeating the morning's delectable temptations.

How to get there: Dixfield is about two hours north of Portland on Route 2.

Front Porch Cafe: 6 Hall Hill Rd, Dixfield, Maine, 04224. +1 207 562 4646.

Ok, so we know this headline might be cause for debate. What's your favorite Maine breakfast joint?

Photos: Jeannette Kimmel

Here at Traveler we often say the hardest part about our job is being stuck in an office while we tirelessly research exotic and exciting destinations. Instead of overdrawing on vacation days, we have to find alternative remedies to cure our wanderlust. Last week, I quelled my travel bug, and a hungry stomach, without having to purchase a plane ticket.

It was Restaurant Week in D.C., and after perusing a long list of participating restaurants I chose Belga Café, a Belgian bistro in Eastern Market. Walking through the front doors I felt transported to a modern and lively European kitchen, and with one quick glance at the menu I learned there's much more to Belgian cuisine than waffles and beer (although I sampled plenty of the latter).

Ah, autumn is here - which brings to mind changing leaves, back-to-school sales, and...crab races. Yes, crab races.

Every year on Labor Day weekend, the seaside town of Crisfield, Maryland holds its Annual Hard Crab Derby and Fair. This quaint village of 2,800 on the Chesapeake Bay has a long tradition of catching - and racing - its seafood. The festival is a celebration of the town's fishing heritage, particularly of the abundant (and delicious!) blue crabs that teem in the bay's waters.

Here, you can watch a parade on Main Street, a boat docking contest, a crab picking contest, and the crowning of the beautiful Miss Crustacean. But the main attraction of the festival is its namesake "crab derby," in which hundreds of crabs scramble down a chute to the finish line in a knock-down, drag-out race (okay, so the crabs aren't even aware of the race). The bets - and the crowd's enthusiasm - get intense. Afterward, nothing beats finishing off a fresh platter of crabs steamed with Old Bay spice while taking in views of the water at the Olde Crisfield Crab and Steakhouse. If you're hardy enough, you can top it off with a generous slice of Smith Island cake.

The best way to enjoy the festival is by renting a campsite in nearby Jane's Island State Park, which boasts 3,100 acres of Eastern Maryland's prettiest shoreline. When you need a break from the festivities, quiet kayak trails and beach walks await you in the park. So grab some friends, a tent, and a healthy appetite for crab and you've got one shell of a Labor Day weekend.  

Photo: kathyhaduch via Flickr

Sziasztok, City Lovers!

The city that stole our heart today is Budapest, Hungary, shared with us by Carolyn Bánfalvi, a travel writer and award-winning culinary guidebook author (Food Wine Budapest and The Food and Wine Lover's Guide to Hungary are her titles), who writes about the city at Chew.hu, a Hungarian food blog. And remarkably, when she's not doing all that, she's giving culinary tours of the city with her husband.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!). You can find the entire collection of city-lovers here.

Budapest is My City

When I crave Chinese food I always go Wang Mester Konyhája.

To escape the summer heat I head to Margit Island to swim or picnic in the shade.

If I want to find hidden treasure I go to the Ecseri flea market and browse the antiques/junk/kitsch.

For complete quiet, I can hide away at the beautiful Ervin Szabó Public Library in the eighth district.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Horgásztanya it has to be Halászlé (a fisherman's soup).

Bortársaság is my one-stop shop for great wine.

After reading an article in this weekend's New York Times about Utah's unique Pastrami Burger, National Geographic writer Catherine L. Barker blogged about her own reporting on obscure regional foods a few years ago, when she discovered such local favorites as the Kringle, a round, flaky pastry in Racine, Wisconsin, or Livermush, a North Carolina delicacy that is exactly what it sounds like. It she also learned how passionate people are about their local tastes:

Early in my reporting I realized that people become strangely emotional when they are asked about their favorite foods. It's as if Moon Pie or a conch fritter acts as the proverbial Madeleine, sparking a rush of memories--and a growling stomach. Some of my sources became defensive, some got excited; pretty much all of them were nostalgic. I spoke to one woman in Hawaii about Spam Musubi, a sort of sushi made with Spam, for at least an hour. Did you know that there's a festival dedicated to this canned pork product every year in Waikiki? That's devotion! And a bartender from Nevada was so enthusiastic about Picon Punch, he mailed me everything I needed to mix the potent drink beloved by many of the west's Basque émigrés. Some North Carolina residents waxed poetic in emails they sent me about livermush, a culinary mishmash of pig parts and cornmeal. I thought it sounded pretty revolting, and I spoke with other Southerners who agreed. From California to Connecticut, everyone I talked to had an opinion about their local food, and where to find the best of it.

Catherine is gathering more regional dishes over at NG Blog Central. Go share your favorites with her there. And check out the entire "United Tastes" series from the Times here.

Photo: A Kringle pastry, via NG Blog Central

After seeing the movie Julie and Julia last night, I was reminded of an article Julia Child wrote for Traveler several years ago about Santa Barbara, where she lived the last few years of her life. Reading it again, I can almost hear Meryl Streep's voice as Julia, describing her favorite places to visit and of course, eat. Here's how it appeared originally in the April 2002 issue of Traveler: 

I remember well my very first impression of Santa Barbara. I was awfully young--maybe three or four years old. My family would vacation in Santa Barbara in the summer from my hometown of Pasadena, about two hours away. I remember we were at the old Miramar Hotel, which is right on the beach, looking down at the water. I'd never seen the ocean before, and I was sure the sea would come up and engulf us, and I screamed and screamed. My family finally had to take me home, which must have been enraging for them, and confusing: Why is she screaming?

The city sits right on the coast, a narrow strip of land backed by beautiful mountains, about 2,000 feet high. Lots of eucalyptus and oak and flowers make the place verdant and lush. In addition to all the green, I love the warm, cream color of the Spanish-style houses and the red of their tile roofs, and the brightness of round oranges set against the dark-green, shiny leaves of citrus trees.

The climate and the atmosphere recall the French Riviera between Marseille and Nice, except that area of France has now become terribly touristy. Very often, being there on the Riviera, where we used to have a little house, I'd look at all the tourists and say, "Well, I'd just as soon be in Santa Barbara."

When you think of Williamsburg, Virginia, a lively culinary scene is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Strolling down Williamsburg's Duke of Gloucester Street, with its understated colonial houses and interpreters clad in period dress, it's hard to imagine that walking just ten minutes further will bring you to the doorstep of a restaurant where you can order foie gras and pan-seared scallops. But you can--and should. Beth Lizardo recently returned from a long weekend in Virginia's Historic Triangle--composed of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown--and is still longing for some of the food she tasted during the trip. From biscuits and grits to broiled Norwegian salmon, the chefs in Virginia's Historic Triangle know how to cook food that you will not soon forget. Here's a rundown of some of her favorite eats.

Dudley's Farmhouse Grille

When chef Jim Kennedy opened Dudley's Farmhouse Grille in 2007, he set out to create a restaurant where locals could come and enjoy the freshest fare possible. "I envisioned going back to how I was trained to cook. You bought everything fresh. You went to local farmers," Kennedy explains. And this is exactly what he does. Kennedy is a regular at the local farmer's market and keeps an herb garden right outside the restaurant. The basil in Kennedy's caprese salad appetizer--oversized, intensely fragrant basil--comes from this garden. And he won't let you leave without trying his wife's homemade crème brûlé made with local eggs. Other items, such as the Southern-style grilled alligator entrée special, have traveled a little farther to make it onto the Dudley's menu, however.  

Affectionately named after Kennedy's dog, Dudley, the restaurant is a small business set in a1905 farmhouse. "Our kitchen is tiny," admits Kennedy. "We have two cooks and one dishwasher. It's like working on a train." The quaintness of the farmhouse setting is accentuated by its out-of-the-way location, which is in the town of Toano, located just off Route 60 about 25 minutes outside of Williamsburg.

We arrive at Dudley's while it's still light enough to admire the old wooden farm tables and local art--some for sale and some on loan from Kennedy's personal collection--hanging on the walls. As the evening progresses and the sun sets, the servers light candles and the dining room assumes a soft yellow glow. Throughout our meal Kennedy makes frequent visits to our table to sit down and chat. He talks about dishes he's served in the past (lavender-rubbed lamb; scallop and red pepper soup), about the ghost that haunts the upstairs level of the farmhouse, and about his three-year-old daughter who only eats gourmet. By the end of the meal it's clear that Dudley's is armed with much more than good food--it's armed with indisputable character.

Dudley's Farmhouse Grille, 7816 Richmond Rd, Toana, VA. +1 757 566 1157; www.dudleysfarmhousegrille.com

One of the best travel souvenirs to bring home is being able to recreate the dishes you ate on the road. Freda Moon offers a quick guide to some local, authentic cooking courses in the two places where she divides her time, Mexico City and northern California.

It was in Oaxaca City, the capital of one of the poorest and most politically turbulent states in Mexico, that I first fully understood the lengths to which people go for an incredible meal.

Inside the city's cavernous central market air is thick with the smokey, chocolatey, chile-scented flavors for which this southern Mexican state is famous. The market's dimly lit interior, overflowing with vendors, buyers and hungry hordes of European tourists, is as daunting as it is thrilling. To eat one's way through the market's many food stalls--sweet rolls dipped in savory hot chocolate for breakfast; spiced dried grasshoppers at snack time; rich, earthy mole or fire-grilled carne asada for lunch--is an act of choreographed culinary devotion. There's never enough time to taste everything, but a true believer does his or her best.

On the streets and among the stalls of this small but bustling city, I encountered people who'd come from around the world to eat and, to my surprise, to learn to cook the cuisine that Mexican food expert Susana Trilling calls Oaxaca's "native foods."

Throughout the town I noticed that restaurants, shops and hotels catered to travelers--not food television celebrities, but middle-class foodies--who came eager to learn how to cook regional specialties. One such place, Trilling's Seasons of My Heart Cooking School, has established itself as an international destination. The school is outside of town (it sits between two small villages in the hills above Oaxaca's Etla Valley)

Upon returning to my native northern California, I started to see similar small-scale, regional and specialty cooking schools at every turn.

This past weekend I made a trip up to New York City to visit family and was once again amazed at just how much the city has to offer, especially food-wise. Although I usually go directly into Manhattan and stay, my cousin recently bought an apartment in Brooklyn, so we decided to try out new things in that part of the city. Brooklyn has become a hot spot for young fresh thinkers and the restaurants here mirror its transformation.

After sitting for hours in standstill traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike we arrived and immediately stopped for dinner at a place called Brooklyn Fish Camp, which sounds unappealing, but it serves fantastic and unique fresh seafood (try the red snapper, Thai style, or the pan-roasted golden tile filet (above) with a side of shoestring fries). We ate out on the back patio, which was decorated with white lights and old coffee containers retrofitted as flowerpots. When it started pouring rain a tent seemed to magically appear over us and provided an even cooler atmosphere as the sound of water pounded above, and light chatter and a warm glow of lights surrounded us.

Kallari bars are considered to be some of the best chocolate around (at least by pastry chef Kate Zuckerman--see this article--and Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert). Available in Whole Foods markets, they are a sweet you can feel good about buying: Over 850 Kichwa families living in the Amazon rain forest region of Ecuador have formed the Kallari Association, which grows the cacao used in the bars AND coordinates the production of chocolate from their own beans. Plus, 100% of profits are returned to the Kallari Association, allowing people in the area to make a living by doing something other than clearing trees in the Amazon. (Watch this NBC video or read this NY Times article to learn more about Kallari.)

Kallari farmers are one of a small number of groups who farm, make, and market their own chocolate (another such group is the Grenada Chocolate Company, which operates from Grenada, in the southeastern Caribbean). But what's unique about Kallari is its foray into cultural tourism: now you have the chance to eat the chocolate in Ecuador, where it's made.

To taste the chocolate in a restaurant setting, head to the Kallari Cafe, in the new town section of Ecuador's capital city, Quito. They offer a three-course cultural dinner, with traditional Amazon dishes and a 15-minute presentation on Kichwa culture, including language, crafts, and methods used in their organic coffee and chocolate production, all for $7.50 per person. (They can handle groups of 10-25 people, but you have to schedule it two weeks in advance.) If you have less time, pick up a sandwich and a smoothie for lunch. And snag a piece of the Amazon to take home in the form of organic chocolate and coffee or Kallari handicrafts.

Fast Facts: Quito's new town neighborhood is known for its shops and restaurants, but be sure to make your way to old town's museums and churches for a cultural experience: La Compania de Jesus and Museo de la Ciudad are favorites. La Mitad del Mundo (The Middle of the World) is a monument just north of the capital that straddles the Equator.

Photo: Kate McCormack

When it comes to macaroni and cheese, there are some who believe you can't beat the blue box. Clearly they've never been to S'MAC.

Short for Sarita's Mac & Cheese, the restaurant in New York City's East Village specializes in just one thing--but this is not your mother's macaroni. From the Cheeseburger (ground beef and macaroni smothered in cheddar and American cheese) to the Parisienne Mac (brie, figs, mushrooms, and a certain je ne sais quoi), Sarita and her husband, Caesar (both pictured, below), take this favorite to new heights. The fact that your order comes to you in your own personal skillet (I defy anyone who tells me I can't eat straight out of the pan) makes it that much more fun. As a lifelong mac and cheese lover, I can't get enough of the place--so here's hoping S'MAC makes it to my hometown on the West Coast sometime soon!

Since opening its doors on June 24, 2006, S'MAC has expanded to include a take-out only location and is now collaborating with Pizza By The Inch at PINCH & S'MAC, resulting in one-stop shopping for all your pizza and macaroni needs. On July 13, the original S'MAC began serving beer and wine... so now you're really out of excuses not to go.

I recently checked in with Sarita herself to get an insider's take on how things are going.   

When I first toured Europe with my mother and brother, I was intent on exploring the exotic. Trying different dishes, encountering different cultures, and soaking up all of the history, art, and music possible. My brother, on the other hand, seemed most interested in finding the nearest McDonald's. Unimpressed by the food offerings in each country we visited, he sought out the golden arches -- and with it the familiar touch of home.

But even if your adolescent insists on Mickey D's -- sigh -- there's still an opportunity for cultural exploration. Over at Glimpse, the National Geographic website for people living abroad, they've assembled some of the most interesting offerings, including Singapore's Chicken Fan-tastic (above), Israel's McKebab, and China's Taro Root Pie. Adapting local dishes into fast-food fare takes a bit of a formula, according to their post:

[McDonald's] tried-and-true strategy, which has worked for years in the States, also seems to work abroad: Find a popular local dish, cheaply imitate it, name it something cute (usually involving a "Mc"), and make it look really yummy in a poster.

Admittedly, part of the fun of traveling is seeing how things like McDonald's translate into other cultures. So Mom and I decided to make the most of it, and shot a photo album full of pictures of my brother standing below the arches in each country we visited. It's hysterical to look at now, particularly since my brother hasn't eaten a Happy Meal in years.

Check out Glimpse's Top Five list here. And I know you have your own stories of fast food from abroad. Share your favorites.

Photo: Juston Lin via Glimpse

Peanut Butter Fudge. Dark Chocolate Fudge. S'mores Fudge. Mint Chocolate Fudge. Inside Out Reese's Fudge.  Decisions, decisions, decisions. A trip to Chatham, Massachusetts' Candy Manor was one of the highlights of my recent weekend trip to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. For this indecisive chocoholic, I have to admit, it also was a bit overwhelming. 

My friend Lizzie told me about the place when she was prepping me for our trip. Growing up, she spent most of her summers on the Cape and was a frequent visitor to the Candy Manor on Main Street. She tried to prepare me, but how could she? To the right of the entrance, a long glass counter filled with dozens of varieties of their famous handmade fudge greeted me. Farther back, there were more display cases, filled with truffles, chocolate covered nuts and pretzels, cream- and caramel-filled treats, and so much more.

(FYI: Candy Manor also accommodates those of you not as interested in chocolate, and has a whole wall with bins of jelly beans, Jordan almonds, saltwater taffy, licorice, and other treats.)

Christina Stockamore, our colleague at National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations, recently returned from a family reunion in Colombia, and naturally, she brought us treats. After we sampled them, we wanted the full story....not to mention another bite.

When in Colombia, I often sneak into my aunt's pantry to find the tin of José A. Obleas cookies and the tub of Alpina arequipe. In the corner of the kitchen, I quietly savor my wafer sandwich filled with a spread made from whole milk and sugar. 

The arequipe spread is similar to dulce de leche and this creamy caramel glues together two thin, circular wafer cookies, called obleas, to create a dessert by the same name. Obleas are so light and crunchy that it's easy to eat 3 or 4 without noticing! I asked a friend to describe the taste she said it reminded her of McDonald's cake cones on the outside and melted Werthers candies on the inside. (Mmm.) The outer wafer shell is often paired with other spreads, such as guava, raspberries, and whipped cream.

No trip to Colombia is complete without a quick stop to the local grocery store to stock up on more tins and more tubs. Traveling back from a recent reunion in Colombia, I had a tight connection in the Fort Lauderdale airport. I raced through the security checkpoint and realized I forgot to put a very special (over 4 fluid ounces) liquid in my checked bag - my arequipe. I rolled my eyes and walked grudgingly over to the security agent. He looked puzzled when he inspected it, while I explained that it was arequipe, my favorite caramel spread from Colombia. I must have given him a convincing look because the next thing I knew, he glanced cautiously from side to side and then proceeded to slowly return the contents in my bag. What a relief!

Now I just need to find a Colombian market in the neighborhood to replenish my pantry back home. 

Photo: Kate McCormack

At this year's annual Jazz Fest in New Orleans, representatives from the four main industries of Louisiana's cultural economy--music, food, art, and film--gathered for a roundtable discussion on how their unique cultural heritage holds the key to economic recovery and growth in the region. With Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu as the host, local luminaries such as Grammy-winning musician Terrance Simien, chef John Besh, folklorist and radio host Nick Spitzer, and artist James Michalopoulos shared their perspectives on how to keep local cultural traditions alive while building sustainable livelihoods.  

A couple of themes emerged, such as the necessity of collaboration among the various industries, which is critical to the success of the whole cultural economy. Richard McCarthy, who runs the Crescent City Farmers Market, spoke of his partnership with chef John Besh to build relationships between local farmers and the city's renowned restaurants. The role of local government in both creating the space for cultural activity and providing economic incentives for cultural development was another important theme, with the most notable example being the tax incentives which have fueled Louisiana's burgeoning film industry.  

I left the roundtable inspired by the creative synergy I witnessed among the panelists. As the region rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it seems that New Orleans will be, as Nick Spitzer noted, "even greater than it was before." This is a destination to keep an eye on. 

Video: Susanne Hackett

There may be no better way to end a weekend than by paying a visit to the Cafe Hon in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood. After driving seven hours home from the Catskills this past weekend, I was starving, and recalculated the iPhone map to direct me to the eclectic eatery. Replete with a life-sized Elvis statue, a rack of neon sunglasses, and enough beehive hairdos to make you think you're an extra in Hairspray, this high-ceilinged restaurant anchors funky 36th Street and is easy to find thanks to the huge pink flamingo hung outside. Inside, the restaurant, with its attached bar next door, serves up a mix of American comfort foods with a Maryland twist. (One favorite element: the menu offers its own dictionary of 'Bawlmerese'.) I ordered the crab and shrimp pizza (which comes laden with cheddar cheese) and some mussels along with my cream of crab soup. So stuffed was I that I had to skip the pie, which I later learned was a huge mistake.

So what is a Hon anyway? The cafe's website defines it: "[T]he Bawlmer term of endearment, Hon, short for Honey, embodies the warmth and affection bestowed upon our neighbors and visitors alike by historic working-women of Baltimore." (And yes, my waitress utilized the phrase multiple times during our meal.) Every year, the restaurant's proprietor, Denise Whiting, holds the annual HonFest (pictured, above), a celebration of these women and their role in the community. This event basically manifests itself in the form of beehive hairdos, blue eyeshadow, leopard skin tights, and funky sunglasses, and appears, from the many photos, to be a complete hoot. HonFest just passed two weekends ago, but mark your calendars for next June.

Cafe Hon, 1002 W. 36th Street Baltimore, MD +1 410 243 1230

Photo: Hip2bDaniel via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

Contributing Editor Andrew Nelson gathers the gossip from his recent trip to Saratoga Springs, New York.

Longtime patrons will warn you, traversing the Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market is not for the fainthearted. At 8:30 a.m., a half hour before opening, parking is already scarce along High Rock Ave. where the market is held every Wednesday and Saturday. Beneath the pavilions, local farmers set out bunches of emerald-green broccoli, scarlet radishes and strawberries the color of rubies. By 9 a.m., shortly before a bell signals that the selling can begin, the produce-hungry are already lined up in front of their favorite stalls, elbows out and holding prize heads of lettuce still dewy from that morning's harvest while gossiping about life in this historic upstate spa town.

This summer the talk is of Saratoga's ongoing revitalization - the town of graceful Greek Revival houses and brick Victorian shopping arcades is filling with new downtown condos, restaurants and travelers lured here by its charm, its famed racetrack, a summer of music, and its proximity to New York, Boston and the Adirondacks. 

As executive chef and co-owner of two ingredient-centric Blue Hill restaurants in New York, Chef Dan Barber is a leading figure in the nation's farm-to-table movement. In May, Barber's reputation was boosted when he was voted to the Time 100 list of the World's Most Influential People, and by his James Beard Award win for the nation's top chef. Then of course, there was the highly publicized Presidential date night, where Barack and Michelle Obama dined at Barber's New York City restaurant while all the world watched.

While Blue Hill in Manhattan's Greenwich Village satisfies the urbanite's appetite for Barber's innovative cuisine, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, 45 minutes north of the city, has become a destination for food lovers of all sizes and stripes. The restaurant shares 80 acres of Rockefeller family land with the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a diversified organic farm and educational center. The center's rich mix of programs and activities (cooking classes, tastings, farmer-in-training after-school activities) is complemented by the restaurant, which brings field to the plate by highlighting the pleasure of eating seasonal ingredients grown or raised just outside the door. Writer Pat Tanumihardja caught up with Barber at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Food Institute to chat.  

Did you have an "aha" moment when you knew you wanted to be a chef? How did the sustainability factor come into play?

I never had an "aha" moment. I wish I did. I'm still having a moment of figuring out what's the best place for me. The sustainability question happened kinda naturally over the course of my life. I grew up working on my family's farm where my grandmother was a proponent of open space and using farming to promote the natural beauty of the land. That's sort of what I became inculcated with. It informs the chef I became.

You are often called a celebrity chef and receive a lot of attention for the work you do to connect the farm to the kitchen, especially at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. How are you dealing with all this fame?

I like celebrating food. I don't know if I like celebrating myself [laughs]. People always talk about Stone Barns and me like I'm this leader leading everyone to a new frontier. I consider myself to be the recipient of a lot of attention based on an issue that has been forced to the forefront, not because of me, but because of visionary people: farmers, writers and serious academics. [These people] have taken fringe ideas and made them more mainstream. So I look at it like crashing a party. I'm lucky to have this canvas of Stone Barns to work on where what I say or do gets the light shining on it. It otherwise wouldn't have happened with our other restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

I spent last weekend wandering through Europe. Ok, so it wasn't really Europe, but it was easy to pretend while visiting the many EU embassies that opened their doors this past Saturday for Europe in D.C. week, which extends through May 16. One of the best parts about living in (and visiting) D.C. are the infinite ways to engage in the city's international culture, and this week-long event is one of my favorites. I toured the Czech ambassador's home, nibbled on Polish perogies, and happened upon a delicious pastry during my stop in Hungary (or the Hungarian embassy, if you will). Naturally, it was the pastry that rose to the top of the things that screamed out "this must be blogged."

The Kürtöskalács, or chimney cake, is a traditional Hungarian pastry that is wrapped around a wooden spool and slowly turned over an open fire. Its origins are from Transylvania, but they're now celebrated as the oldest pastry in Hungary, and they're often served as street food. The dough is coated with oil and sugar, and when baked it creates a crunchy, sugary outside crust, not unlike a hot pretzel, with a soft doughy inside. City Life editor Amy Alipio tells me that, "you can find them at folk fairs and festivals, they're kind of like the Hungarian equivalent of funnel cakes or corn dogs. They are best when they are just hot off the fire." I definitely have to agree. Delicious.

Read more: Check out the recipe here to make the cakes yourself at home, or order some online here. Read Don George's online Trip Lit column about book of the month, Valeria's Last Stand, which takes place in part in Hungarian markets. Or watch a video of bakers making the cakes and try to contain your appetite afterward. It's called Hungary for a reason.

Photo: Janelle Nanos

I've been meaning to blog about my visit to Ray's Hell-Burger (get it?), a fantastic burger joint in Arlington, Virginia, which I visited the weekend before last. So imagine my surprise to hear that I missed spotting President Obama by just a few days! Turns out the POTUS and VPOTUS went out for lunch to the local eatery yesterday afternoon, surprising a long line of patrons who had turned up to grab a juicy burger and got a glimpse of the commander in chief instead. How's that for a burger endorsement?

It's obvious that Barack has good taste when it comes to burgers, and these are some of the best I've found in the D.C. area. The shop, which opened last fall, is a no-frills local spot decorated with B-movie posters; paper towel rolls stand in for napkin holders on the tables. The admittedly huge portions come laden with toppings, which range from the standard applewood smoked bacon and cheddar cheese, to highbrow selections like foie gras and truffle oil. The burgers themselves are made of the trimmings from the proprietor's other restaurant, Ray's the Steaks, which is just down the block from the shop, and all of them come served on a brioche roll, which does get a tad soggy if you're a slow eater. Best to grab it with both hands and dig in. No fries are served (apparently, the owner believes they detract from the burger experience) but you can get a side of cole slaw or potato salad, both of which are top-notch. Finish it off with a root beer and you might mistake Ray's Hell-Burger for heaven. 

Plan Ahead: If you're in the Washington area, you can check out Ray's by trekking across the river from D.C. to the Courthouse Metro stop in Virginia. If you arrive on a weekend, be sure to check out the flea market that pops up in a large parking lot nearby.

Ray's Hell-Burger: 1713 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22209; +1 703 841 0001.   

With the new visitor center opening at Monticello this week, now is the perfect time to plan a visit to Charlottesville, Virginia. IT Editor Janelle Nanos shares some of the highlights from her recent trip.

I'm no country bumpkin, but I do admit that I tend to feel a bit confined if I don't get out of the city from time to time. So a few weeks ago, when I was looking for a weekend away, my boyfriend and I decided to check out the rumors about Virginia wine country and packed up our car for the three-hour drive down to Charlottesville.

Home to both the University of Virginia and Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's quirky estate (did you know that both are World Heritage sites?), Charlottesville is a easy escape. Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, downtown C'ville, as it's known to locals, is a hip mix of independent storefronts, a local theater and ice-skating rink, and a funky outdoor pavilion with free live performances every Friday during warmer months. Huge chalkboards along one stretch of the main thoroughfare encourage free speech - and the vibe is distinctly warm and friendly, even in February when I visited.

Pulling up to downtown C'ville and a bit hungry after the trip, we stumbled upon one of the best finds of the weekend: The delectable dumplings from Marco & Lucas. Cheap and hot, with a line of hungry college kids spilling out the door, this spot is located along the downtown pedestrian-only West Main Street, and they're the best dumplings I've found in the (relative) D.C. area. When fried, they were like little crunchy pockets of heaven, and honestly, I've been craving them ever since. Unbeknownst to us, these dumplings would kick off the weekend's theme: food and drink, as many of the adorable clothing shops closed early over the weekend. But that turned out to be just fine.

We were hoping to stay in a bed and breakfast, as there are dozens in the area, and were fortunate to find at room (on short notice) at the High Meadows Vineyard Inn in nearby Scottsville. Immediately taken with the periwinkle home with chartreuse shutters, I was even more smitten with our host, Nancy, who was incredibly warm and generous with her suggestions about where to visit in the area. Plus, she and her daughter make a mean breakfast - if you haven't tried their broiled grapefruit drizzled with honey and cinnamon, book your reservation now (plus, they offer great mid-week deals).

Food is assuredly the best way to extend any trip, so in my effort to prolong my Israel experience, I decided to try and replicate one of the best meals I had while there and make shakshuka for breakfast this morning (I also might have smuggled some pita home in my suitcase, but that's neither here nor there).

My first encounter with the traditional Israeli breakfast dish was probably the best place in the world you can find it, on the large outdoor patio of Doktor Shakshuka, the eponymous restaurant in the old Jaffa neighborhood in Tel Aviv. The Doktor has been preparing this mix of spicy tomato sauce and poached eggs for two generations, and it comes served in the same cast-iron skillet in which it's made, with crusty fresh bread for dipping. We had only moments to eat before running off to our next stop, but we inhaled it so quickly that it was really all the time we needed. It was that good.

This morning I poked around on the web for a few recipes, and found a simple one here if you're up for making the tomato sauce yourself. I did the easy, or perhaps lazy version, using pre-made sauce, paprika, and poached eggs. Not nearly as good as the Doktor, but pretty tasty nonetheless.

Read More: My fellow blogger, Jennifer Laceda, serves up more great meals from our trip.  Food & Wine magazine featured the restaurant in their top Israel picks, and if you want an even more appetizing photo of the dish, check out the one here.

Doktor Shakshuka 4 Beit Eshel St, Tel Aviv

Photo: Janelle Nanos

Many people have heard the story of how ice cream cones came to be. For those who haven't (shame on you), the invention of ice cream cones is widely credited to a pastry chef at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, who bent his waffles into cone shapes and gave them to an ice cream vendor to use when he ran out of ice cream cups.

What most people don't know is that the Gateway to the West is home to another unique treat (and my favorite food)--toasted ravioli. This is nothing like Macaroni Grill's Dessert Ravioli, with over 1600 calories and 74 grams of fat (who eats this stuff, anyway?). In fact, it's no different than normal ravioli, other than the fact that it's sprinkled with parmesan cheese, served with marinara sauce, and deep-fried, which makes it even better. The New York Times has even said, "What spicy chicken wings are to Buffalo, toasted ravioli is to St. Louis." Two St. Louis restaurants are credited with the appetizer's invention in the 1940s: Charlie Gitto's (now a popular chain) and Oldani's in The Hill neighborhood. Regardless of who invented it, no one can argue that it's a fabulous Midwest treat.

Today, some national chains have picked up on the delicious goodness that is toasted ravioli (The Olive Garden offers it as an appetizer), but it remains largely a Midwest specialty. Check out the best places to get toasted ravioli in its hometown after the jump.

Friend of IT Nathalie Jordi is just back from a jaunt to Edinburgh, where she was impressed by the city's foodie heritage. There's more than just haggis on the menu, for sure.

Edinburgh is a city more closely associated with hoary men in kilts, dimly lit medieval alleys and pub spillouts, a sort of Venice for Vikings, than it is with good food. But don't write the city off!  Behind the artfully arranged, artificially smoked slabs of factory-farmed salmon and piles of Walker's Shortbread boxes on the Golden Mile are a new generation of shopkeepers and restaurateurs who are busy presenting Edinburgh with the fruits of its own lands and those further.

Broughton Street is a good place to start. Immediately left is Crombie's, the most famous of Edinburgh's remarkable butcher shops, with several options for haggis--which, when properly done, is actually very good stuff. Buried in a basement storefront further up lies the excellent Villeneuve wine shop, with its carefully curated selection of single malts that come alive through impassioned soliloquies by the opinionated but sensitive merchants. Across the street sits Pani Solińska, a smart Polish delicatessen that offers its kielbasas and potato salads to those seeking the comforts of home as well as Scots eager to discover delights like the fleshy, pink Polish Parma ham, which probably violates multiple trademark laws but is absolutely delicious.   

For coffee, there's Artisan Roast; for fish, Something Fishy; for wheatgrass, Real Foods; and, for a potted history of where good food in Edinburgh began, there's Valvona and Crolla, an Italian delicatessen opened in 1934, a short hop over on Elm Row. Past the cavernous trove of cold-pressed olive oils, artisan cheeses and salumi is a sweet little café that serves some of the best Italian food in town.

Also on Broughton Street:  Edinburgh's Rapido Fish Bar, alleged home of the deep-fried Mars Bar.  O, terroir!  Some things are best on home turf, after all.

Think foodie fests are only for summer? Think again. There are heaps of epicurean events happening around the country in the next month, so grab a fork and head over to one!

Oregon Truffle Festival
Eugene, Oregon
January 30-February 1
Events include cooking demonstrations, truffle tastings, and seminars on the truffle industry during the delicacy's peak this weekend.

Napa Valley Mustard Festival
Napa Valley
January 31-March 28
Wine, music, and art festival when the mustard plant is in full bloom.

Chocolate Festival
Anaconda, Montana
February 6-7
Even the town's name won't scare us away from free chocolate.

Carolina Chocolate Festival
Morehead City, North Carolina
February 6-9
Eat (and bathe in) some of the region's finest chocolate.

For the epicurious (and the hungry), this Friday is National Pie Day. To celebrate, four inns that make up the Historic Inns of Rockford, Maine, are hosting "Pies on Parade" this Sunday, and our friends at This Just In have the details:

Each inn will be receiving ticketed guests between 1 and 4 p.m., with tours of common areas and some guests rooms. Taste various pies, from traditionals like cherry and apple to more modern variations like Key Limerock Pie, Seafood with Lobster Pie, Kiwi Berry Tart, and a Goat Cheese Breakfast Pie. Then take home a recipe collection so you can bake your own.

The four inns (the Berry Manor Inn, the Lindsey House Inn, the LimeRock Inn, and the Old Granite Inn) are within walking distance of each other. But a trolley will make the rounds. Some of Rockland's local businesses are also offering samples, including a Chocolate Decadence Pie at the Pastry Garden and Lemon Curd Pie with Ginger Crust at Lily Bistro. (Cue the drooling).

All proceeds go to the local Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry. And you can rest assured that the decadence won't hurt the environment: All of the pie will be served with biodegradable, "compostable" plates and silverware-made of sugar cane.

There's nothing more American than pie, so even if you can't make it to Maine to celebrate, at least take the time this week to bake your own or see below the jump and try my favorite recipe for classic apple pie.

We have another Foodie Challenge photo contest winner for you to savor! This one, taken by Sarah Smith, comes to us all the way from Paris, France. She snagged some delicious street food while wandering through the Marais neighborhood's annual Christmas flea market. Get all the juicy details after the jump...

Well, It's time to announce another of our wonderful Foodie Challenge winners! Today, we are featuring Debra Black's photo, My Picnic Lunch. She took the photo in Vienna, Austria, which was just one stop during a six-month stint in Europe in 2007.

Read what Debra has to say about the photo and her new outlook on food after the break...