Category: Food

I once found myself in a tiny Italian bar, attempting to blend in with the locals during aperitivo hour. Picture it: me, awkwardly hovering over a plate of olives, trying to decipher the subtle art of looking nonchalant while sipping a Campari spritz. I realized then that I was nothing more than a tourist in […]

Olive oil tasting. The phrase alone used to make me want to roll my eyes so hard they’d get stuck in the back of my head. Picture this: me, a scrappy journalist from a mountain village where the only oil we cared about was for frying up potatoes, suddenly thrust into a circle of people […]

I remember the first time I stepped into a Michelin-starred restaurant, feeling like I’d wandered into a surreal art installation masquerading as a dining room. You know the type—where the waitstaff glide rather than walk, and the table settings look like they were arranged by NASA engineers. It was supposed to be a gastronomic pilgrimage, […]

I’ve always thought of myself as someone with an adventurous palate—until I found myself crouched on a plastic stool in the heart of a bustling Hanoi street market, staring down a bowl of something that, quite frankly, looked like it might still be moving. It was a moment of truth. Would I embrace the chaos […]

Ever found yourself at a rustic Balkan table, staring down a dish so intimidatingly robust, you could swear it’s sizing you up too? I have. And let me tell you, it wasn’t pretty. Picture this: me, a so-called seasoned journalist, ready to tackle the culinary delights of Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia. Instead, I found myself […]

I once found myself in a charming little fromagerie in Lyon, feeling like an impostor at a party where everyone else knew the inside jokes. The air was thick with the aroma of aging dairy, and there I stood, trying to decipher whether the label said ‘delicious’ or ‘hazardous to your health.’ Cheese tasting in […]

Ever found yourself in a foreign land, clutching a menu written in hieroglyphs, desperately scanning for anything that doesn’t involve mystery meat? Welcome to my world. Picture this: I’m in a quaint Spanish eatery, convinced that ‘ensalada’ means I’ve finally found refuge. Spoiler alert—it’s actually a sad bowl of iceberg lettuce with a lone tomato […]

Ever tried snapping a quick photo of your breakfast in a bustling train station, only to end up with an image that looks like it was taken in a dimly lit dungeon? Yeah, me too. There I was, standing over a sad-looking croissant, trying to capture its flaky splendor while the world rushed by. People […]

Ever found yourself staring at a menu in a foreign country, eyes glazed over, like you’re deciphering ancient hieroglyphics? Yeah, that’s been me more times than I care to admit. There I was, in a dimly lit Parisian bistro, trying to order what I thought was a delightful chicken dish. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t chicken. […]

I first tasted Portuguese port wine in a dimly lit tavern in Porto, lured by the promise of liquid history in a glass. Or maybe I was just trying to escape the incessant rain that seemed intent on drowning the city. Either way, there I was, a skeptical journalist with a palate more accustomed to […]