Sometimes, it’s life’s smallest pleasures that pack the biggest punch.
Ask any food enthusiast, culinary hobbyist or gourmet dabbler about their most memorable travel moments, and you’re almost certain to get some tales of gastronomy.
The power of a single taco or carefully crafted cocktail to transform a moment–or a whole vacation!– is very real. Is it the fresh, local ingredients? The excitement of an unexpected flavor fusion? The centuries of practice to produce the perfection of a regional staple?
Perhaps it’s not just food–it’s the chef who puts her own personal spin on a traditional staple, the ritual of the Japanese teahouse, the communal consumption of the Moroccan tajine. We think the late great Anthony Bourdain hit the nail on the head when he said “Food is everything we are. It’s an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It’s inseparable from those from the get-go.”
While every place has its very own culinary flair, we’ve listed our Top 5 trips below for those who truly love a food-based experience:
Our Wonders of the Sacred Valley itinerary is sure to satisfy even the most insatiable foodie. In the last decade, Peru has emerged as one of the world’s best culinary destinations. The mix of flavors and dishes reflects both the eclectic array of cultures that have inhabited Peru in the last 500 years along with the varied landscapes that make up this country. We’ll dive headfirst into some of the best cuisine in the region. Enjoy an unforgettable culinary experience alongside the Sumar family at Hacienda Sarapampa, overlooking the breathtaking Sacred Valley. Taste the traditional flavors of Peruvian cuisine during a gourmet picnic lunch in the mountains. And sample pachamanca, cooked in a traditional Peruvian earth oven once used by the Incas.
Perhaps most notably, we’ll enjoy a special lunch prepared by Manuel Choqque, dubbed the “Potato Whisperer,” a man who is revolutionizing the field of gastronomy through one of Peru’s most abundant crops. Peru produces almost 4,000 varieties of potato, and Choqque has harnessed over 300 of them, utilizing their subtle differences to produce award-winning potato wines.
Hands-on, communal dining experiences are popular in Japan. From grilling your own okonomiyaki (savory pancake) to shabu shabu (hotpot) to the infamous sushi-go-round, meals are often interactive. Small, intimate restaurants called shokudo or izakaya are found on almost every corner. Preparing and consuming together is an integral part of Japanese culture.
Discover Corps travelers go a step further, tracking some of Japanese cuisine’s most iconic staples from the source. Visit Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market, where you’ll learn to identify a wide range of freshly caught species. Next, you’ll learn from a local sushi chef just how these specimens become the delicacies on your plate. You’ll learn the basics of sushi preparation and lunch on your creations. We won’t just sip in a traditional Japanese tea house–first, we’ll explore rural Wazuka’s tea fields to fully appreciate the journey of the tea leaf.
In Thailand, street food is king! Did you know that the beloved noodle dish Pad Thai is traditionally served not in a formal restaurant, but from street carts? From fried rice to skewers of every meat imaginable (including insects!), barbecued fish to delectably sweet sticky rice with mango, travelers visiting Thailand are faced with an array of options in the marketplace of every region. In Chiang Mai, you’ll see Sai Oua (northern Thai sausage) and in the southern islands, fresh-caught seafood is found in abundance.
Depending on which DC Thailand trip you embark upon, you’ll may learn the pillars of Thai cooking in a small class in Chiang Mai, where you’ll prepare one of the region’s signature dishes. The rural elephant sanctuary that you’ll call home for the majority of the trip is known for its fresh, flavorful meals (pictured above)–in fact, many travelers have declared their meals there the best in Thailand! Those heading to the islands will take their own cooking class at the elephant sanctuary at which they volunteer, creating a different dish more common in the southern region.
Preparing food can be more than just a chore or a profession: it’s a ritual, a way of connecting and learning. In Oaxaca, Mexico, traditions surrounding food help to keep a thriving ancient culture alive.
One of our group’s first orders of business in Oaxaca is breaking bread with women in the community. We’ll learn more about how food–the gathering, harvesting, preparing, and serving–sustains the community here, in more ways than one. After a trip to the local market to source our ingredients, learn to prepare a symbolic dish. Squash blossom soup, pictured above, is unique to the region and a tasty testament to using many different parts of a plant. We’ll also get to witness chocolate-making methods that have survived the centuries.
Flavor seekers, this one is for you! Morocco’s central geographical placement and history has made fo. Moroccan cuisine is deeply shaped by the country’s rich cultural heritage, where Berber, Arab, Jewish and French influences come together to create a unique and flavorful culinary tradition. The Berbers introduced staple ingredients like couscous and olives, while Arab traders brought spices such as saffron, cumin, and cinnamon, which form the backbone of Moroccan dishes. Jewish communities contributed to the development of sweet-savory combinations, like those found in tagine and pastilla. The French colonial period also left its mark, especially in baking and the use of pastry. This cultural fusion has produced a cuisine that is both diverse and harmonious, reflecting Morocco’s history and its position as a crossroads of various civilizations.
Tagine, which refers to both the colorful ceramic dish and the food prepared within, is perhaps Morocco’s best-known spread. Simple preparation and complex flavors make for an irresistible combination. We’ll scour the marketplace of Marrakech for ingredients, and learn to assemble a variety of traditional dishes with a practiced chef. Take your knowledge (and perhaps a souvenir tagine!) home with you, and practice putting your own personal spin on Moroccan cuisine for friends and family!