What to eat in Denmark
Denmark is the foodie’s dream destination in Scandinavia. From hearty traditional dishes to fresh, seasonal cuisine, the country wholeheartedly celebrates and elevates local produce, and with Copenhagen restaurant Noma having topped the list of the World’s best restaurants more than five times, this small but mighty country has established itself as the centre of the Nordic food scene. Whether you’re looking for fine dining experiences or eating on a budget during your trip, you will eat well in Denmark. Danish pastries Denmark’s delicious pastry offerings go beyond the kanelsnegle (cinnamon rolls) associated with Scandinavia. There is a huge variety featuring beautiful buttery pastry and chocolate, cardamom, marzipan, custard, cream… and…
10 Best Things to do in Tallinn
Hidden away in the far top corner of Europe, Tallin is one of the least well-known cities of Europe, making it a joy to discover! With a fascinating history and a myriad of cultural influences, Tallin certainly has something for everyone. 1. Walk Tallinn’s old town UNESCO World Heritage listed Tallinn old town is packed with sights and activities but compact, so easily explored on foot. The Viru gate and city walls encircle cobbled streets lively squares, Kiek in de Kok medieval Fortifications, and churches such as St Olav’s Church. It’s easy to enjoy an afternoon strolling, taking in the sights, pausing in the cafes for refreshment and browsing souvenirs…
The Best Champagne Tours in Reims and Épernay
Planning a trip to the French Champagne Region? Head to the heart of the region – the city of Reims, or the town of Épernay. Many champagne producers offer cave tours, information about production, the factors making each producer unique, and a variety of tastings. You can easily spend a few days exploring the various caves (there are plenty to keep you busy), and indulging in a few delicious tastings… Which champagne producer should I visit? Do you have a favourite champagne? Maybe that’s a good place to start. If not, there are subtle differences between the set-ups and tours offered by champagne producers. Are you a fan of modern…
Which is the Best Galette des Rois in Montmartre?
Do you like delicious buttery pastry and frangipane, and a bit of fun with your decadent French pastries? You’re in the right place, especially if you’re in France in early January! What is a galette des rois? Traditionally eaten around Epiphany, galettes des rois or King cake is a round cake made of puff pastry, and filled with almond frangipane filling. While that is a treat in itself, there is also a fève inside (originally a bean, but these days usually a small ceramic token or toy). When the cake is cut, the youngest member of the party, usually a child, sits under the table and chooses the order…
12 Turkish foods you should try
If you haven’t tried Turkish food yet, you really should! There is far more to it than just Turkish delight… Turkish cuisine has developed continuously over the centuries since Ottoman rule and has adopted influences from all over the place including Central Asian, the Middle East, Greece and the Balkans, resulting in wonderfully diverse, unique and flavoursome menus. Having just returned from a visit to Turkey, on which I binged shamelessly on all my favourite dishes, I thought I’d go one further than the boastful ‘holiday food’ photos on Facebook and write a post on the highlights of Turkish cuisine.Here are some of the best Turkish foods that I recommend…
Food and Drinks of Cyprus
Food and drink is at the very heart of eastern Mediterranean culture, and nowhere is this more in evidence than in Cyprus. While you may think Greek food and Greek Cypriot food are pretty much one and the same, Cypriots will always point out that it’s the subtle changes that make all the difference in their dishes. So what’s on the menu? Meat and fish dishes Halloumi is possibly the most famous Cypriot foodstuff and while this brine-soaked goat’s cheese concoction is rubbery when raw, it’s so good when fried or grilled and has worked its way into a number of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. If you’re eating in…
Chocolates in Provence
You miss out if you go to France but fail to enjoy their chocolate shops. Such is the value placed on quality chocolate that most French towns have their own chocolatier dedicated to meeting the population’s every chocolate need. The fact that chocolates have their own dedicated shops in France says something about what you can expect to find inside. Chocolate-making is a respected art-form in France and all sorts of impressive creations can be discovered inside the country’s many little chocolate-treasure-troves. Obviously being such a big fan I made sure that I paid a visit to Joel Durand’s chocolate shop when in Saint-Remy de Provence recently and I was…
Tasty Tapas
Tapas is a staple offering in most bars in Spain. Traditionally tapas were simply nibbles and bar snacks, but nowadays they have become very popular internationally and virtually formed an entire cuisine. The Spanish eat dinner late, usually after 9pm. That is a long time to wait between meals, and so tapas were born! What is tapas? Tapas started out as a piece of cured meat or bread that was balanced on top of sherry glasses in order to keep fruit flies out of the sherry. Cured meat was salty, provoking the desire to drink, and once bar-owners cottoned-on to this there was no stopping them. Small servings of just…
Nasi Goreng
I wasn’t sure what to expect of Indonesian cuisine before arriving there. I will admit it concerned me a bit because of my severe dislike of spicy foods. I shouldn’t have worried though. I discovered nasi goreng and it was love at first bite Nasi Goreng Pronounced ‘nazee gorang’ and offered on most menus, nasi goreng was a reliable and tasty treat while I explored Bali and it was NOT spicy (although you can request it to be). Essentially it is fried rice served with fish, chicken, pork or beef and, often in tourist areas, a fried egg on top and a satay stick. Nasi goreng is a traditional dish…
Delicious Brittany
Brittany, originally independent from, but now a beautiful corner of France, has over 2,800 km of stunning coastline. It is not just the coastline that will leave you awestruck though. There are some fantastic eats too. The Bretons certainly know their food. Here are some of my favourites. Crepes and Galettes Crepes are found all over France, but nowhere are they quite like those found in Brittany. In the South of Brittany crepes de froment are more traditional. These are sweet crepes made with flour, eggs, milk and melted butter. They are often served with nutella, bananas, or strawberries and Chantilly cream. Galettes de Sarrasin are traditionally from Brittany’s North…
