The Accidental Chef Travels: An Introduction

by Kendra Bailey Morris on

This post is the first installment of my culinary travel feature column, “The Accidental Chef Travels”. Come join me to discover all that’s delicious!

I think the best way to introduce myself is to begin with the basics. I grew up in an unusual family — part West Virginia hillbilly (we proudly hail from the mountainous coalfields) and part academic, since despite having a few economic and cultural cards stacked against us, the majority of my relatives as well as myself went on to receive advanced degrees, write books and teach university level courses. Go figure.

Because of this dichotomous existence, I’ve spent much of my life straddling the gray area, somewhere between cheesy grits and Chateaubriand. Yet, despite this oxymoron-esque lifestyle, one thing has remained constant — my love of worldly exploration and an inherent need to taste every last bit of it.

I still believe that the best place on earth is my grandmother’s kitchen in Princeton, West Virginia, where she, well into her upper-nineties, whipped up the best fried pies and coconut cake you’ve ever tasted. Yet, while granny’s comfort food remains unbeatable, I still spend my days infatuated with what the rest of the world has to offer.

Whether I’m noshing fresh-fried conch fritters at a roadside stand in the Turks and Caicos, nibbling blocks of Spam musubi while ogling the fresh Saturday morning produce at the Hilo Farmer’s Market or learning how to make Salade Gascogne (an explosion of poultry consisting of grilled duck breast, foie gras and duck confit) with chef/cookbook author Kate Hill in rural Southwest France, like many of you, I am compelled to taste my way across the globe, and I hope you’ll join me for this exciting and delicious ride.

It’s been said, that there are those of us who travel, and those of us who travel to eat. For gastronomes like myself, planning an entire vacation around what to eat and where is the norm. So for all of you food junkies out there, I plan to highlight an array of culinary activities such as cooking schools, food and wine immersion opportunities, food-focused resorts, cruises, even sustainable farm visits. And you can bet I won’t be leaving out off-the-beaten-track treasures such as backstreet markets, paper plate dives and mobile cart munchies. From truffle hunts to salmon fishing, I hope to bring you the best of what’s tasty and where.

I won’t be leaving out those who travel frequently for business or pleasure either, including folks who seek the very latest in restaurant news and reviews, both on the ground and in the air. For my “Mile High Dining Club” installments, I’ll cover the latest trends in taste, whether you’re kicking back in first-class or clutching your knees in coach.

For those looking to further their culinary travel education, I’ll be adding a “How-To” feature. From how to sniff and sip your way through Napa to avoiding an untimely death when eating Fugu, a Japanese pufferfish, I hope to share with you some great insider tips and tricks.

Bottom line? This column is going to fun, lots of fun, and I can’t wait for you to join me as we explore the many exciting tastes, textures and aromas that our world has to offer.

—Kendra

10 passengers we love to hate: Day 2 — bringing a warm meal on the plane

by Scott Carmichael on

Today’s annoying passenger is a tough one – I’d love to hate them more, but their annoying behavior is not entirely their fault.

Still, passengers who think it is cool to bring a huge bag of warm food on the plane are high on my list of airplane pet peeves.

Sure, they are probably hungry, and they need to bring their own food, as the airline won’t be feeding anyone. But many of these passengers bring really smelly food.

I’ve sat next to someone on a 6am flight who thought it would be fine to bring a massive breakfast platter on board. He had the works – eggs, bacon, sausages, hashbrowns and breads. The whole plane smelled of his breakfast, and many of the passengers were clearly annoyed.

Is it that hard to find a less smelly snack that early in the morning? International flights are worse, especially when the airport sells a large variety of really smelly foods. Next time you are waiting in line to order a meal for your flight, first check your watch to see if you have enough time to eat before you board, if not, then order something that is least likely to annoy your fellow passengers. If that is not an option, then you’d better have enough cash to order food for the entire plane.

Read about ALL the passengers we love to hate.

Differences in dining – Welcome to America!

by Scott Carmichael on

Welcome foreign readers (yeah, we know you read us!). Chances are, you’ve been reading the news, and with a little bit of luck, you’ll take advantage of a favorable exchange rate, and come pay us a visit this Summer.

If so, here are 10 things we do differently in this country when it comes to eating (and drinking) out.



Free soda refills



In the vast majority of establishments, you’ll only have to pay for your first soft drink. Unlike Europe, where a refreshing beverage is usually served tepid, we like to fill up on ice, and provide complimentary refills on drinks.

Most fast food restaurants will let you tap your own drink, and unless there is a sign specifically banning free refills, go ahead and fill up.

Smart people will wonder why stores sell small, medium and large drinks, when you can essentially get the same amount of drink for a lower price. That my friend, is the right way to think! And before you ask – no, you won’t get free refills on beer, and if you do, please let me know where that was!

Portion sizes

Yes – I’m fully aware that the United States is the source of many jokes about big portions and big people. We actually have ourselves to thank for that. Times are slowly changing, but there are still plenty of restaurants where the portion size is picked so it looks huge, not based on how much food one person actually needs.

The Doggy bag

The doggy bag picks up where the previous topic ended. Large portions are not served just to make you overeat – you paid for your food, so feel free to ask for a container at the end of your meal to carry any leftovers back home (or to your hotel).

Nobody will give you strange looks; quite the opposite in fact. You’d better have a good reason to leave food behind.

Tipping

Tipping is a really complicated topic, because it differs from anything you are probably used to. Tipping in most parts of the world is what you do to round up the check (cheque). If service was really good, you might even throw in an extra Euro or two.

In the US, tipping is what you do to pay your server, maître d’, sommelier or other hospitality worker. Your tip is their salary, as they most likely won’t be making anything over minimum wage, or less.

Refusing to tip, or tipping less than 15%, is what you do when your service was abysmal, not when you run out of money or don’t think it is worth it. When you order in a restaurant, keep in mind that you’ll have to add between 15% and 20% of your final bill for the tip. Tipping is not expected in fast food restaurants.

When you dine with a group, you’ll often be expected to pay a mandatory tip, which will be added to the bill. Unless service was horrible (in which case you should have asked for a manager), the restaurant will expect you to pay this. Sadly, the definition of “group” has decreased in recent years, and nowadays 6 people is usually where you start to be considered a group. The mandatory group tip is usually between 18% and 22%.

And if this wasn’t enough, you’ll be expected to tip the valet, cab or limo driver, bellhop and bar tender, and some people may even suggest you leave a tip in your room for the maid. The Internet is full of tipping resources, so to prevent an embarrassing situation, do a quick search for a crash course on tipping.

> > > Go to page 2 of “Differences in Dining – Welcome to America”

Take the Gadling challenge – army meal or airline meal?

by Scott Carmichael on
OR

Here is a fun challenge for you – I’m sure that anyone who has been served an airline meal has come across a dish that looked like it came right out of a blender.

The kind of meal that takes 5 minutes just to determine what exactly it is.

In this quiz, you get to pick whether the “delicious dish” is an army meal or an airline meal.

Army meals are often referred to as “MRE’s”, which stands for “Meal Ready to Eat”. The meals are usually freeze dried or preserved in a can, and can be heated using a portable stove, or more recently with a self-heating mechanism.

Airline meals are prepared in massive kitchens by people who probably bring their own food when they fly, because no matter how delicious it sounds on paper, the final product never really tastes (or looks) right at 35,000 feet.

I’ve had a couple of happy exceptions, mainly on Asian airlines who really know how to prepare a dish to taste like it was intended, no matter where you are.

So, do you think you can tell what was prepared for the army or what was prepared for airline passengers?

Done (or too lazy to finish the quiz)?

Click here to see photos of the answers!

South Africa on the Cheap

by Kraig Becker on

Earlier this week we learned how 2009 is shaping up to be the most affordable year to visit Africa ever and now it seems the New York Times agrees, saying that Cape Town has plenty of bargains to offer travelers willing to make the trip.

Cape Town, South Africa is amongst the more unique and interesting cities in the world. The city of 3.5 million people is a thriving modern metropolis, surrounded by some outstanding natural wonders, with amazing beaches, rolling hills, and sheer rocky cliffs making a dramatic backdrop along the city’s horizon. The region is also known for some of the best wines anywhere in the world, and of course, you can’t go to South Africa without taking in a safari.

The impact of the global economic condition on the South African currency is one of the major reasons it is now a more affordable place to visit. The value of the rand versus the American dollar is at its lowest point in more than five years, and inflation has caused prices to go up when paying in rands but down when using dollars, resulting in some excellent deals on hotels and meals.

The article recommends some of the better places to stay and eat, as well as what to see and do while in Cape Town. But the Times also has an excellent travel guide with even more great suggestions. The city is a great mix of culture and cuisine, with access to plenty of nearby outdoor adventures as well.

With the cheap airfares to Africa, and the strong dollar compared to the local currency, we’re all running out of excuses as to why we shouldn’t go!