Top 6 Food and Drink Experiences

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TOP 6 FOOD & DRINK EXPERIENCES

From sampling wine in South Africa to making ceviche in Lima, you share your favorite food and drink experiences

Pastry making, France

1 By Christina Mackford I have long been a fan of French cuisine, but especially of French pastries – understandably so! The cooking class that we enjoyed in Paris proved to be both an essential way to understand Parisian culture and food as well as a delicious way to spend the day. We worked alongside charismatic chef Didier Lavry making an array of pastries, including pain-auchocolat, croissants and the parisse baguettes, while we listened to his engaging stories about his career and his recipes. Hearing about the chef’s passion for his city and his profession was incredibly inspiring.

Hoi An, Vietnam

4 By Walter Tersmette We’ve been lucky to have had many great food experiences while on our travels, but none have been better than in Hoi An at Ms Vy’s Market Restaurant. The experience exceeded our expectations in every way. Our day started with a fun boat ride to the central market for a lesson on local herbs, spices and produce. Back in the restaurant, we then had a chance to amble from one food station to another, learning about (and also getting to taste) an amazing array of street foods. Our cooking class, led by a terrific chef, gave us a chance to prepare a variety of tasty dishes.

Kaiseki dinner, Kyoto, Japan

2 By Michael Missios It is rather hard to describe the sensual experience of a Japanese Kaiseki dinner, combining the ambience, presentation and taste of this multi-course, traditional feast. We had the pleasure of experiencing such a fabulous meal at the cozy but elegant Kamikura restaurant in Kyoto last year. All ten seats at the restaurant are in front of a counter where every course – we had 14 – is meticulously prepared by the chef, perfectly balancing the tastes of the freshest local ingredients for you. Each course is like a piece of art, so beautiful that you feel guilty disturbing it with your chopsticks.

Lima food market, Peru

5 By Sarah Stephens This wasn’t just a food tour: it was a whole Peruvian culinary and cultural experience. We learned about Peruvian history and politics while exploring the Barranco district, visited hidden cafes, and sampled freshly roasted coffee and exotic smoothies. The most fun part was the food market, where we met with local traders and tried the vibrantly colored fruit and vegetables. We then donned our aprons to make ceviche (I’d never tasted fish so fresh!) and the iconic pisco sour. Finally, we gorged on Peru’s fine fusion cuisine at the scenic restaurant located at the pre-Inca ruins of the Huaca Pucllana.

The Winelands, South Africa

3 By Jennifer Nicholls Arriving in Franschhoek in the Winelands is like stepping back in time, with its vibrantly painted houses and beautiful landscaping. La Motte winery was my absolute favorite place for lunch. It’s lovely to wander around; in fact, we enjoyed it so much that we returned for dinner and sampled the tasting menu with wine parings. We also had a lovely lunch at the Mont Rochelle winery in a very relaxed environment. Then, at the Waterford Estate, just outside Stellenbosch, we indulged in a wine and chocolate tasting session – it was interesting to see how different the wine tasted before and after the chocolate.

Saigon after dark, Vietnam

6 By Steve Drinkwater ‘Saigon After Dark’ is an understated description of the highlight of our trip. It was a night of food and entertainment with a twist – we traveled on the back of a Vespa. We were picked up at dusk by our guide Lora, and, after nervously donning our helmets, we launched into rush hour. The first stop was a roadside bar for drinks and street food, then more scootering to a traditional pancake house. By this time the traffic had thinned, so we toured at a somewhat faster pace to a jazz cafe, where we had coffee and listened to acoustic music. Then it was a final journey round the streets back to our hotel just before midnight.

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