FOOD & DRINK
Fresh salad ingredients, Hue
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Fresh empanadas, Buenos Aires
Cooking in a family nha vuon in Hue, Vietnam
Hue’s imperial heritage means it plays an outsized role in the country’s culinary culture. Royal patrons and affluent families put an emphasis on expensive spices and precise techniques. Many of these families lived in nha vuon, singlestorey houses with extensive gardens to supply their kitchens. A guided tour of a local nha vuon begins in the garden, of course, where you’ll see jackfruit, plum trees and peanuts growing alongside pineapples and pumpkin vines. Your host will help you pick the ingredients you need for the afternoon meal before you head to the kitchen. There, you’ll likely start by mixing up a batch of nuoc cham, the traditional condiment made with chillies, lime, fresh garlic, palm sugar and fish sauce. Then, help to make dishes like mango salad, deep-fried spring rolls and bun thit nuong, a cold rice noodle dish topped with grilled pork and fragrant fresh basil and mint.
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Hands-on cooking in Buenos Aires, Argentina
A perfectly grilled steak, with a deep-brown crust and a meltingly tender, rosy-pink interior, accompanied by a glass of dark, fruity malbec… It’s easy to get lost in the obvious charms of Argentinian cuisine. But the country’s food is much more than just asado and wine — in addition to Spanish and Italian influences, you’ll find hints of the dozens of local indigenous cultures, all blended together. If you want to delve deeper, consider making some time for a hands-on cooking class. The class begins with a guided trip to the local market, where you can greet vendors and help select ingredients for the day’s meal. Then, you’ll return to Azaí, an airy kitchen space tucked into the leafy Buenos Aires residential area known as Chacarita. With a local chef, you’ll learn to make local treats like yerba mate, a caffeine-rich drink, and sweet dessert empanadas, all accompanied by a glass of Argentinian wine.
Contact your local independent travel agent
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