Saturday, May 12, 2018

FOODIE /TRAVEL SPECIAL ................Foodie Cities: The Top Gourmet Journeys You Can Take Around Asia


Foodie Cities: The Top Gourmet Journeys You Can Take Around Asia

Besides simply traveling to marvel at the sights and sounds of each city, increasingly so travelers are looking for customized trips that cater to the foodie in them. Whether directly or indirectly, part of this growing interest can be linked to the rising trend of food and drink festivals that have attracted both locals and tourists in the region.
With a myriad of rich and exotic cuisines around the world, one’s trip nowadays is never complete without a gourmet itinerary that'll ensure the best culinary experience. So if you're planning your next trip to Asia this year and love savoring local food, here are just some of the best gourmet journeys you should take up.

Japan (Tokyo & Kyoto)

Nishiki Market, also known as Kyoto's Pantry, offers a variety of food essentials, as well as clothing and other daily needs.
When we think of Japan, rice, miso soup, sushi and seafood almost immediately come to mind. Besides that, seafood and vegetables are also often deep fried in a light batter to become what they term as tempura. Noodles such as soba noodles and udon are also a common speciality with restaurants serving up different variations based on seasonal ingredients. 
With the Jacada Gourmet Tour of Japan, you'll get to experience Japan's gastronomic delights with a travel itinerary that'll take you through some of these key highlights. Starting off in Tokyo, you’ll learn how to pick the freshest catch at the famed Tsukiji fish market before attempting to make your very own sushi and soba noodles. Not forgetting, you'll also join a traditional tea ceremony to learn all about the age-old practices of tea in Japan.
Next up in Kyoto, Japan’s well-preserved imperial city, you'll enjoy a different take on Japanese cuisine. Besides visiting the renowned Fushimi sake breweries, you'll join a private culinary class and learn all about a traditional 'Shojin' meal typically eaten by Zen Buddhist monks. Lastly, while in Kyoto, a visit to the bustling Nishiki market is a must where you'll find plenty of locally-produced food items like skewers, Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi. Before it all ends though, there will also be a quick stop to Osaka, known as the "Kitchen of Japan" for a taste of their celebrated street food.

Thailand (multi-city tour)
Thai cuisine is often known to be made with a delicate balance five flavors: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy. You can also expect various dishes to have strong aromatic notes with a slightly spicy taste, all of which has made Thai cuisine popular among tourists. Some famous dishes nationwide include tom yum soup, pad thai (rice noodles served with peanuts and chili flakes), and basil chicken.
For this multi-city tour, you'll join Thai chefs from the Blue Elephant and Amita Cooking Schools, and partake in several different activities that will take you on quite the culinary journey into Thailand's vibrant cuisine. From a street food tour of Bangkok's specialities to visiting the world-famous Damern Saduak Floating Market, no day will be left unoccupied. Besides that, you will also take a vineyard tour while riding on an elephant's back, visit an oyster and mussel farm for your own pick, and learn some secrets of Thai seafood dishes. 

Vietnam (from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh)
Vietnam is no doubt a melting pot of cuisines waiting to be discovered and relished. Its cuisine is often considered one of the healthiest for the limited use of oil and generous use of fresh herbs and vegetables. Typically it also incorporates ingredients such as fish sauce, shrimp paste and soy sauce.
One of the most popular dishes, also Vietnam's national dish, is known as pho (a broth with rice noodle, herbs and meat) and this is usually made in slightly different variations across the regions. For region-specific dishes, in Hanoi, you'll find bun cha (rice noodle with grilled marinated pork), while in Ho Chi Minh, dishes take some influence from the French. Here you'll find banh mi (a baguette-like sandwich) as well as ban xeo (a savory crepe).With this Flavors of Vietnam tour, you get to spend ten days immersed in the country’s culinary scene, sampling everything from delectable street food to gourmet fusion dishes and meals from specific regions. You'll also go behind the scenes and learn what goes into these mouth-watering dishes through visits to fresh food markets and trying your hands at cooking classes. 
To top it off, you'll get to put on a farmer's hat, join a local family at their farm and get right into it plowing the fields for a better understanding of Vietnam’s agriculture industry. 

Australia (Tasmania)
Tasmania is unique in the sense that it has only recently been enjoying a foodie culture of sorts. With most items locally-produced, a lot of the ingredients are incredibly fresh and go from farm to table relatively quickly. Food is typically focused on seafood with items like salmon, oysters and scallops. The cool climate also makes Tasmania an ideal spot for wine and cider production, responsible for some of the leading brands in Australia.
For the Tasmania Gourmet Food Safari, while you'll only be staying in one spot on Hobart’s beautiful waterfront, the six days tour will nonetheless introduce you to all sorts of Tasmanian food and provide a behind-the-scenes look into how it's made. Each day will be a journey of discovery to meet producers, chefs, winemakers, cheese-makers, foragers and many others who're involved in creating a great meal from start to end. So expect lots of lively chats, personal one-on-one interactions and good old fun. 
Besides that, you'll also get to discover art and wine at MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, taste freshly shucked oysters, and have hands-on experiences with putting together some of the dishes. All in all, it's an Australian culinary journey worth experiencing. 

Tarandip Kaur
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarandipkaur/2018/04/27/foodie-cities-gourmet-journeys-you-can-take-around-asia/#5c2ee99a6aff

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