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“I can’t believe you’re eating at McDonalds!” Vincent exclaimed. “We’re living in Spain!”
Vincent, Timothee, and Robert were already seated at the Spanish tapas bar in the food court of the shopping center. They were waiting for their lunch to be served.
On the other hand, Pierre wanted a McDonald’s Happy Meal, so I walked over to order. As soon as I stepped through the doors, I was overtaken by the familiar smells of America—fast food at its best! It didn’t take long for my stomach and my taste buds to convince me to order a cheeseburger and fries. I love McDonalds, and I feel absolutely no shame or guilt about it!
We took our order to go and joined the rest of the family in front of the tapas bar.
“I can’t believe you’re eating at McDonald’s!” Vincent exclaimed. “We’re living in Spain!
I enjoyed my good ‘ole American meal, but deep down inside, I knew that Vincent was right. We were living in Spain, and we needed to eat Spanish food. What was I thinking?
An Essential Part of Traveling—Food Tourism
Exploring, discovering, tasting, and enjoying local food is an essential part of traveling. If you miss the food, you miss a huge part of the country and its culture. You can actually miss the heart—of the people, the culture, the country.
I love what Emily says in her blog, “London City Calling,” about the link between food and culture.
“Through food, we can learn about a country’s history, traditions, and societal norms. For many people, food is important in preserving cultural identity. Recipes and cooking techniques are passed down from generation to generation. Some dishes tell a story of an entire nation, while others may be specific to a small group. As outsiders, in learning about the local food, we can learn about the country we are visiting at a deeper level than simply its iconic landmarks.”
London City Calling
Yes, eating the local food is as important to the travel experience as visiting museums and sight-seeing. It’s part of becoming a cultural learner. Through food and culinary tourism, we can open our eyes to the world around us, cultivate our cultural learning and develop our cultural awareness.
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
What is Food Tourism?
It’s called “culinary tourism” or “food tourism.”
“Culinary tourism or food tourism is the exploration of food as the purpose of tourism. It is now considered a vital component of the tourism experience. Dining out is common among tourists, and food is believed to rank alongside climate, accommodation, and scenery in importance to tourists.“
Wikipedia
In my opinion, Anthony Bourdain was the leading expert on culinary tourism. As a celebrity chef and travel addict, Bourdain traveled his way around the world through food. Through his show, “Parts Unknown” on CNN and Netflix, he invited us to journey with him.
While in the U.S. a few years ago, Vincent and I were first exposed to Anthony Bourdain and his global food adventures. After the first episode, we were hooked, addicted, obsessed.
Traveling the World From My Living Room
From our living room in rural Pennsylvania, we could travel the world.
No matter where we are in the world today, we can travel the world in our living rooms and in our kitchens.
Bourdain’s vivid descriptions of the ethnic, exotic, and edible masterpieces would magically transport us into that culture and part of the world. It’s as if we could see, smell, feel, and taste the food—right along with him.
He invited us to the dining table, and we enjoyed every minute of it.
Bourdain lived and breathed the connection between food and culture. He demonstrated to us— if we miss the food in our travels, we miss the heart of the country.
In describing the link to food and a country’s cultural identity, Bourdain said, “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.”
What If I Had Missed . . . ?
He’s right. What if I had missed the food in my travels to more than 30 countries in the world?
What if I never tasted couscous and lamb and prune tagine in Morocco; tzatziki and moussaka in Greece; Thieboudienne, Basse Salte, and bissap juice in Senegal, REAL pizza and pasta in Italy, bratwurst and sauerkraut in Germany, escargots and foie gras in France; tapas, tortilla, and paella in Spain?
What if . . . ?
What if I only ate at McDonald’s in Spain—the foods familiar to me from my own culture and home country?
The Things that I Would Miss!
Oh, the things that I would miss!
On her London City Calling blog, Emily goes on to give some great tips on food traveling—asking the locals for advice, avoiding the tourist areas,
So, yes, Vincent was right. I should have tried a new tapa or bocadilla sandwich at the Spanish restaurant—rather than ingesting an all-too-familiar McDonald’s cheeseburger.
The opportunity to travel the world through its different cuisines lies before me. I don’t want to miss it!
Since this recent conversation with Vincent, I’ve been thinking a lot about food tourism as a means to learn the local language and culture here in Spain.
Eat My Way Around the World
In my research, I came across a book, and the title jumped out at me! It’s called “The World on a Plate” by Mina Holland, editor of Guardian Cook.
“Yes,” I thought to myself, “I would like to eat my way around the world. I may get really fat, but it sounds wonderful!”
Originally called “The Edible Atlas,” the idea of seeing and discovering the world through its varied cuisines, Mina Holland’s book is now called “The World on a Plate: 40 Cuisines, 100 Recipes, and the Stories Behind Them.”
This famous British travel writer starts out by saying that she wants this book to be “as comfortable by your bedside as it is by your stovetop.” It is full of recipes, history, cultural tidbits, and real-life stories.
This video will sell you the book—at least it did for me.
As I read, I’m traveling the globe again through “The World on a Plate.” Do you want to join me?
We may get fat, but let’s eat our way around the world together!
Let’s all look for an ethnic recipe and experiment in the kitchen. Let’s travel the world through food today! Check out My Ethnic Table for some great ideas!
Check out my other cultural food stories here.
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
Let’s Weave Cultures!
What do you think of food and culinary tourism? When you travel, how do you experience the culture, the country, and the people through food?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
