We must eat in life in order to survive. Sustenance is a requirement, so might as well enjoy what you eat. While on my big trip I did just that. Now of course there were times when the food was not so great – like the time I made a horrible pasta dish at my hostel. I don’t know how I mucked up pasta but I did. Then of course there were some dishes that just were not to my liking due to my taste buds. But then….oh then, there were some amazing dishes. Many were homemade and others were at restaurants. Below is a list of some of dishes that appeased my palette and made me want seconds. They are in no particular order, however, it bears mentioning that the food I loved the most was in India. Homemade vegetarian food in Punjab was the single best food moment of my life. True story. It rocked my mouth’s world.
So here is my list of fav foods and where I had them:
- Halusky – potato dumplings with sheep’s milk cheese & bacon. Comfort food at its best! I went here 4 times. Old Slovak Pub in Bratislava, Slovakia
- Rasam Rice – My friend Vidya made this while I stayed with her in England. It’s a southern Indian dish that has kick and flavour. OMG it was good & spicy. Actually all her cooking was good!
- Svickova – meat and dumplings in a yummy sauce/gravy. Again, comfort food that is great. Only problem was that it was so filling that I couldn’t finish it all. My friend Vilem took me to a traditional Czech restaurant in Prague for lunch and I tried this at his suggestion. It was so yummy.
- Lettu – So this one isn’t really part of my big trip but it is. Lettu are Finnish (buttermilk) pancakes. They are similar to crepes in that they are very thin however they kick those crepes’ butts. I add them to this list as I did have them, at home visiting my parents. My mom makes the world’s best lettuja (plural for pancakes) and I must include them. And don’t argue with me who makes the best ones – my mom does. You won’t win this argument.
- British Ham – forget what you know about ham. My sister and I went for a pub lunch with some friends while we were in Chester and it was suggested to me to try the ham and eggs. Wow – tender, not very salty and definitely not like processed ham that you can buy in the grocery store. The only ham that tastes better is a Finnish “Joulu kinkku” (Christmas ham that is brined and then cooked low ‘n slow).
- Almost all the food in I had in Punjabb, India – okay so I don’t know the names of my fav dish, I think it’s Bhindi Masala (it’s made with okra) and then pretty much all the dahl recipes. And Roti…homemade roti. The family Dempy & I stayed with grew just about everything and it was so fresh that it made all the difference. I miss that food and it is what I remember most about my time there.
- Belgian Waffles & Frites – These 2 are a tie for this country. The waffles really are amazing – light yet crisp. I had mine with just a dusting of sugar and it melted in my mouth. The frites were equally good. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Add a side of spicy mayo and they may very well be the best fries you’ve ever tasted.
- Crepes – had sweet ones (nutella and banana) while in Paris at a cafe near the Notre Dame. It came with a sparkler. A perfect amount of sweet.
- Shopska Salad – simple is best. This salad I enjoyed in both Macedonia and Bulgaria on a couple occassions. It is similar to a Greek salad but way better. I think it may be the sirene cheese that makes it so good. Cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and peppers tossed with the cheese. Add a splash of oil and it is heaven. I tried re-creating it here at home. It failed miserably (sad face).
- Tarator – I had this cool yogurt soup while taking the free Balkan Bites tour in Sofia, Bulgaria. Wow! I loved it. I made it a home too as they share the recipe. Not bad at home but way better in Sofia! Actually, all the foods I tried on the Balkan Bites tour were fantastic.
- Smoki – okay so not really a food but junk food. They are basically like cheese puffs but peanut flavoured – and so addicting. Love them.
- Belgian chocolate – need I say more?
That is my list of fav foods while I was away. I wish I could describe to you the wonderfulness of it all. I hope the few pictures I have can give you an idea of how happy my mouth was. So, what are your favourite food memories from travelling?
Next up – best drinks…
All photos taken and owned by Wanders The World/Eeva Valiharju
Wanders The World 