Blogs

For a small state like Rhode Island, it’s hard to believe that when it comes to food, the Ocean State has distinct regional dishes that are like no other. So if you thought that the cuisine here is part of one big conglomeration lumped in with Boston and the rest of southern New England, you need to get out and do some tasting!

Cabinets – No these aren’t the type that you store socks in. These are thick milkshakes actually limited to two ingredients: milk and ice cream. How about that? The most p

What would life be without coffee? Well, I assume it would be quite awful.

Americans who have watched food and travel shows featuring a plethora of strange, bizarre, and weird food items such as deep-fried bugs, beating frog’s heart, and coconut grubs may be apprehensive about what they will find to eat when traveling, especially in Asia. The truth is that one would have to go out of the way to get most of the items featured in such shows.  As strange as it may seem it is often easier for Americans to dine internationally than it is for foreigners to dine in America. A

There are many reasons to travel. Some of us travel to take a much needed break, others simply to take a holiday, maybe one is on a business trip. But one thing for sure. While on your journey, you will need to eat.  Cuisine is an integral part of any local culture. Not liking the locals eats can be a valid reason not to travel to a destination.  As culinary travel is one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry, here are some of my favorite foodie towns to enjoy one of my favorite

Back in 1972 when I was in grade school, out across the causeway in Rickenbacker Marina on the way to Key Biscayne, the Rusty Pelican opened, a seafood joint that became a Miami institution. But to paraphrase the old Groucho Marx saw, who wants to eat at an institution? Over nearly 40 years, the wear and tear and decline became noticeable, and so last summer the Pelican closed for a $7 million overhaul, reopening this past December.

Now, I'd always wanted to visit the place, but various factors

Every November, now for as long as I can remember, I spend a week or two, ok, last year three in London for the World Travel Market, London's massive travel show. One of the first things that I do after I park by bags at my digs in Canary Wharf is to hop the tube a couple of stops to perhaps to  the greatest outdoor-indoor food market in the world, Borough Market. Situated by London Bridge, and a stone’s throw from the River Thames, Borough Market is food lovers heaven.

The entrance to "Foodie He

Mohegan Sun here in Connecticut’s Mystic Country held its first annual BBQ Fest, and I was honored to be invited and check out the festivities, running Friday, June 1 through Sunday, June 3. I picked a Saturday visit, which turned out to be the rainiest! Originally scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., gates didn’t open until 3 p.m. when miraculously, the clouds stopped dripping and actual shafts of sunlight were able to occasionally poke through. Within minutes, lines were snaking from 6 venerable

Shanghai is an amazing city with more skyscrapers than New York City and many more being built. Also amazing is the luxurious The Peninsula Hotel. The Peninsula Hotels are considered some of the world’s best hotels. They have a program called The Academy whereby people can learn about the local culture and food. When it is scheduled guests can participate in private cooking class with the hotel’s chefs, take a master class in preparing dim sum at Yi Long Court or attend a tasting session of Chin

High above the 
Rhone Valley, I tried not to look as the bus driver deftly navigated the monstrosity around hairpin turns ever climbing. But there’s a thing about precipices where only a 2 foot high metal guardrail separates you from a vertical drop hundreds of feet into a rock encrusted ravine…it’s terrifying but ever so scenic! In this way, terror and enthrallment propelled my journey ever upward…how far was anybody’s guess…through the clouds? At 4593 feet, I reached 
Leukerbad, a Swiss villag

Congratulations to
 Costa Rican chef Randy Siles
 and the staff at 
Hotel Tropico Latino
 in 
Playa Santa Teresa!

The star chef and that hotel’s 
Shambala Restaurant 
were featured in a recent article in Costa Rica’s important cuisine magazine
 Sabores. The full-page article features Siles’ fusion style called
 “Author’s Cuisine” – a freestyle way of cooking that lets Siles create original recipes from his imagination.

Like an artist with a blank canvas, Siles skillfully creates gourmet art fusi

I’ve been lucky to spend my time in three cities, San Francisco, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Los Angeles. One of my favorite things on earth is a hot pastrami or corned beef sandwich from Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles. Canter’s Deli is the closest thing to a true New York Deli on the West Coast. breakfast, lunch, and dinner all served 24 hours a day. Beef brisket, Canter’s reuben, lox, gefilte fish, roast turkey, burgers, tuna melts, and more.  Try Canter's bakery as well. I’ll bike miles through

I found that getting fully acquainted with Zermatt goes beyond taking your picture in front of the Matterhorn and doing some skiing or hiking. It’s about immersing yourself in local mountain heritage at the Matterhorn Museum and taking a stroll through the narrow streets of historic Old Zermatt. Getting to know some residents and dining at some of their favorite restaurants also helps you realize that rough mountain living dependent on sheep herding, local vegetable crops, and herbs has shaped

You will most likely be frolicking in the public spas of Leukerbad or skiing the pristine snow fields of the Torrent before discovering the ancient Valais village of Albinen only about 10 miles away. This is due to the fact that it’s tucked away behind vertical cliffs through a tunnel remarkably constructed as late as 1980. In the centuries before this important milestone, reaching the village involved climbing an extensive network of ladders anchored into various crevices in the steely granite

When in Chengdu, China try a local specialty called hot pot.  There are many varieties of hot pot.  Generally, it comes with a pot of broth that is shared by everyone at the table and in Chengdu the broth can be spicy hot.  Diners then order skewers of fish, chicken, meat and/or vegetable which they cook in the broth.  In some Chengdu restaurants the table is designed especially for hot pot with a recessed square hot plate in the middle of the table.  The wait staff turns on the heat and deliver

In many countries, especially those in Asia, breakfast is mainly soup.  While Americans are slurping cereal at breakfast time many others are breakfasting on a hearty and nourishing soup. The Vietnamese enjoy a delicious bowl of pho, while the Japanese start their day with miso soup, a broth made from fermented soybean paste, and the Chinese favor congee, a rice soup-like porridge perked up with fish, vegetables and herbs. And, in Myanmar, “The Golden Land,” the people enjoy mohinga, which is

Any trip to Maine has to include spotting a moose.  Wild Moose, of course, but how about a 1700-pound chocolate moose?

When in Maine be sure to stop in Scarborough, near Portland, Maine, where there is a very special moose. At Len Libby Handmade Candies meet the world’s sweetest moose, Lenny, made from 1700 pounds of chocolate.  Lenny was sculpted on site in four weeks and unveiled in 1997.  He proudly stands in a “pool” of tinted white chocolate complete with lily pads and frogs.  All chocolate

It is an honor to watch someone as skilled Tek Roka, the pastry chef at trendy Radisson Blu Resort & Spa in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Chef Roka create chocolate delights at the five-star resort on the Adriatic shore that opened in July 2009. Roka is originally from Nepal but worked for ten years in Dubai where he won first place in the sugar pastry decoration category.  His roses creations are truly amazing.

Chef Roka has created the Radisson’s signature dessert – Chocolate Fingers. The smooth creamy

Who suspected that Rockland, way up in Mid-Coast Maine, is also known as Pie Town USA? Perhaps you’ve heard of Rockland for its extensive Wyeth collection at the Farnsworth Art Museum, its distinctive rocky Penobscot Bayshoreline or succulent lobster boils and majestic Windjammer excursions during summer.

Rockland’s pie claim-to-fame is thanks to Food Network’s Bobby Flay when he paid a visit here for a pie throwdown. Held each year on the second to the last day of January in conjunction with Nat

When in Lake Charles, Louisiana head to Sha Sha’s of Creole for the most amazing bread pudding.  Life is short so enjoy it.  They take the original bread pudding batter and then deep fry it. When it's golden, they top it with powdered sugar, rum sauce, and Cool Whip. My! Oh! My!

Sha Sha’s concept and design is reflective of Creole, the Creole Nature Trail and the entire Cameron Parish area. Their handmade tables were crafted from log and cypress. T lights are metal shrimp buckets turned upside d

Learn to cook New Orleans cuisine

Take a cooking class at the New Orleans Cooking Experience to learn about the wonders of  the Louisiana food.  It offers cooking vacations, half-day, private and special event classes to visitors and local New Orleanians.  The highly personalized classes focus on authentic Creole cooking.  Regular classes are limited to ten, and include instruction, recipes, wines and conclude with a multi-course dinner party. Special event classes are available for groups of ten