Fruits, insects, unfamiliar vegetables, fragrant coffee: the food in other countries is fabulous!
Forget the fish and chips, the cheese platter and the raspberry tart, the Asian, American or Oriental food is completely different.
No starter plate, here everything is eaten at once. The small plates pile up on the table, you have to help yourself with chopsticks, forks or eat with your fingers.
Forget table-chair-tablecloth-towel, the meal is now taken on the pavement, on a carpet, a bench, a step….
Forget breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner, elsewhere people eat all day and not always at the same hours.
Whether in Asia, South America or the East, street food is everywhere
In Asia, families in the cities don’t cook much food for the family. The houses are made for sleeping or shelter and cooking is minimalist. There is a place to make a fire, sometimes a cooker, an electric hob or a gas cooker. Otherwise, no cupboards, dishwasher or sink. Dishes are washed in a basin, the same one where vegetables are washed and ready!
Food is usually bought at the market. It’s cheap and good, sometimes repetitive, but so what, it’s culture!
Food is usually bought at the market. It’s cheap and good, sometimes repetitive, but so what, it’s culture!
On a trip, it’s a chance to get a different idea of coffee
Outside our borders, coffee can be surprising
In Malaysia, for example, it’s a thick, rather notorious blend of instant coffee.
Cambodian coffee, on the other hand, is a true marvel. It smells of chicory and caramel. Dense, silky, jet black, it is a delight with crushed ice and sweetened condensed milk.
In Vietnam, it is prepared directly in the cup and you have to be patient as it drops into the cup one drop at a time.
Turkish coffee, carefully referred to as Greek or Arabic coffee to spare sensitivities, is delivered by waiters walking the streets with small coffee pots on metal trays and is drunk throughout the day.
In Colombia, the best coffee is exported and Colombians drink Nescafé. It’s a shame, but luckily there are proper coffee bars (baristas) with beautiful espresso machines that are antique but still work.
Such a variety of fish! Good, but watch out for the sauce!
Caught in the market and grilled on fire, fish is a delicacy. When it comes to fish in soup, in a dish or in any other form, be careful, the fish sauce is sometimes confusing. It gives off a very strong smell of fish that is not fresh. Everyone puts something on his food, like soy sauce, hot sauce…. This trio or quartet of sauce, depending on the country, is always present at the stall or on the restaurant table. It’s very confusing at first and then you get used to it.
In Asia, it’s always the same ratio: lots of rice for little meat
Order chicken fried rice, you get lots of rice and three tiny pieces of chicken in a sauce and vegetables…. with the bones
Order chicken fried rice, you’ll get lots of rice and three tiny pieces of chicken sliced in a sauce and vegetables… with the bones.
They don’t know about tournedos or prime rib. Impossible to describe it to them. It’s like talking to an Inuit about pineapples.
Asia offers an impressive culinary diversity. The fruits are exotic, the vegetables are very different from the ones you see on European stalls. This is the time to taste new food, even if it means being surprised!
Meat in India? What an idea!
Red meat is quite expensive in India and not that common. It depends on the region, of course, but usually you have to look for it a while to find some. And when we finally find it, we have to go beyond its merits in terms of hygiene! It is usually chopped or minced and cooked in a wok. To find meat in the form it is known in Europe, you have to visit a tourist restaurant.
The majority religion here is Hinduism. Animals are not killed, although they are often mistreated, and for purity of soul they often eat vegan food.
Spiders, caterpillars, worms… Bon appétit!
Overcoming one’s aversion to insects allows the curious traveller to discover unexpected tastes. Caterpillars, for example, are very tasty and rich in protein. Africa or Asia, they are very common food there. So be brave, the opportunity will not come again soon!
Also read for enjoyment while traveling
Asien oder Südamerika, das Paradies der tropischen Früchte, es ist da! XXL Avocados, duftende Mangos, haarige oder stinkende Früchte, alle sind einen Versuch wert!
