Jeannie’s Breakfast and Chowder House (Bar Harbor, Maine)

by Dave Luna on

A visit to Acadia National Park isn’t complete without stopping in the adjacent town of Bar Harbor. Although its streets are riddled with souvenir shops and other tourist magnets, Bar Harbor holds a few restaurants which possess that small town charm.

On a recent trip, I pulled into the town early enough to catch the shops opening for business. I stopped in Jeannie’s Breakfast and Chowder House on Cottage St. to grab a morning bite, and I met the friendly staff and a group of local regulars. As I took a moment to sip my coffee, I listened to some stories from the sheriff who had wandered in for pancakes.

Jeannie’s breakfast menu is quite extensive. Not only does it contain the usual fare, but there were also options for vegetarians and vegans. My meal was prepared to my liking, and if the rest of the menu brings the locals back often, Jeannie’s must doing something right. Definitely a must for early birds and seekers of local color.

Sanitized Travel

by Iva Skoch on

At the risk of talking ad nauseum (yuck, yuck) about getting sick while traveling, National Geographic’s Traveler magazine has a good article this month with the pros and cons of eating street foods versus avoiding local cuisines.

On one hand, they quoted an infectious disease expert and a CDC travel health specialist as saying that, while some folks may be naturally predisposed to intestinal bugs, everyone should watch out when eating foods that have sat around in the open air for very long, as well as fresh (peeled) fruit or veggies, regardless of the locale.

On the other side of the debate is chef and author Anthony Bourdain who says he hasn’t yet gotten sick eating street food, even though he’s known for traveling around the world, eating weird stuff. Further, his TV crew has a running betting pool as to who will be the first victim of local food. His choice comment? It’s the “Purell junkies” who inevitably get sick; better to follow the locals’ lead on what to eat and drink. Avoiding eating local foods can cause you to miss a deep connection with where you are when you travel: “Food is the purest expression of local identity.”

What do you do while traveling, dear readers, just eat it?

Portable Ice Cubes

by Neil Woodburn on

It’s an easy mistake that amateur travelers make.

They religiously avoid the local water and then accidentally consume it when they ask for ice in their drinks.

Now there is a solution for those who must absolutely have ice with their scotch or Coke while traveling abroad.

Ice Rocks are prepackaged ice cube trays that are made with spring water and then hermetically sealed. Travelers can pack them in their luggage and then freeze them once they arrive at their resort.

This, of course, means that one must ask the hotel staff to stick them in the kitchen freezer. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get Montezuma’s Revenge than be looked down upon as a fussy, spoiled guest who has to bring their own personal ice cubes.

Cheap Eats in Tokyo

by Neil Woodburn on

Although I’ve never been, I’ve often heard horror stories on how miserably expensive Tokyo can be. “Coffee’s like $14 a cup,” friends will tell me.

Sure, there is some exaggeration, but the fact of the matter is that Tokyo is one of the most expensive cities on this planet–especially for those of us traveling with US dollars.

Like all expensive cities, however, Tokyo also sports a handful of cheap stalwarts where frugal travelers can stretch the yen and enjoy the city without breaking the bank. Finding such inexpensive gems actually proved quite easy for writer Andrew Bender who went in search of 1,500 yen lunches ($13) and 3,000 yen dinners ($25).

The result of his quest, Stretching your Yen in Tokyo, details how Tokyo can indeed be yummy and affordable at the same time. Bender lists more than a dozen inexpensive places to eat throughout the city, most all of which he claims are, “downright delish.”

As an extra added benefit, Bender also includes some “cultural tidbits” which would be wise to follow when eating in Japan.

Oregon Truffle Festival

by Erik Olsen on

I know almost nothing about Truffles. It’s possible that at some point in the past I’ve eaten one, but I honestly don’t recall whether I have. That said, I’m not averse to trying them. I know the French are crazy about them, although as a selling point, that may be a bit thin. I mean, just smell some of their cheese! They eat the stuff, too.

But I do know that some folks in the Northwest are mad about truffles where they grow in the forest. Certain places in Oregon and Washington State are considered some of the finest truffle producing regions in the world. And so I introduce you to the Second Annual Oregon Truffle Festival which takes place in lovely and crunchy Eugene, OR, frmo January 26-28. The festival celebrates native truffles within the rainy milieu of Northwest cuisine and offers as well the educational opportunity to lean more about these rooty comestibles. A roster of truffle-related culinary events, workshops and shopping opportunities make this a rather interesting event for foodies.