Guiding Stars » Travel

Another Health Lesson from Italy

proofer — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:19:35 +0000

John’s recent post on his travels to Italy reminded me of a few things I noticed when I was over there. Italians are very different from Americans in some ways, and it's definitely worth contrasting the two cultures when thinking about public health issues. If I had to guess why there is less obesity, I would agree with John’s points about fresh food and activity, and also add this: Italians have much lower stress than Americans.

Bella Italia – The Healthy Influence of Fresh Ingredients (and Physical Activity)

John Eldredge — Wed, 18 May 2011 23:33:49 +0000

My wife Arabella and I recently returned from a trip to Italy to visit our 21-year-old son, Macgill, who has been studying in Rome for the semester. We had traveled to Italy once before and knew that we were going to be in for some great eating experiences. We were not disappointed! What really distinguishes the local cuisine in Italy from American fare is the consistent use of fresh ingredients and the reasonable portions. Add in the fact that Italians walk more and sit less and you can see how we might learn something about health from them.

Lobster, By Any Other Name…

Irina Fosa — Thu, 12 May 2011 09:21:38 +0000

Easy to discover in the old port area, East coast living means fresh seafood. And this is not only a touristic hook or a food staple, it's part of local culture and pride. Mainers take special joy in cracking lobsters open and savoring the succulent, sweet, pink-colored flesh, and so have I at my very first lobster bake.

A Locavore Tourist Epiphany: Finding Meaning in Finding Food

Erin Dow — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:41:18 +0000

Like any well-meaning but clueless tourist schmuck, I found myself tempted to Google “Florida Keys food” before my trip there last week. My trip was intended to be the perfect foil to my 18-day winter catering gig at the very top of Maine last month. Sun-drenched and breezy, the Keys were everything I imagined. I felt like an extra in a Jimmy Buffet video while hanging out on the lanai in a sarong, and constantly checking tiki bar clock—the clock with nothing but the number five. That part of the trip was blissfully—and fortunately--predictable. The dining plans? Not so much. Though I had some great recommendations from friends and blogs, I was a little mystified by the Keys. I knew good things awaited me, but I had a mental block about how to best avail myself of the possibilities.

Traveling and not letting the train fall off the tracks

Amanda O'Brien — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:28:43 +0000

We try to watch what we eat and be healthy. We have our routines and meals reasonably planned out. When we travel, the routines and diets we are accustom to can be completely derailed.

Here are a few ideas to keep fitness in mind when you are on the road...

Thailand: Come hungry

Melanie Hansen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:01:42 +0000

If you’re into food, I’m not sure there’s a better travel destination than Thailand. From a culinary standpoint, this country is a goldmine. Not only is the food here delectable, it is also astonishingly affordable. I arrived in Bangkok in mid-December, weary from two months of travel in India. Within moments, however, the culinary delights of this new country had me reinvigorated.

Before I even checked into my hotel, I began sampling the street foods - pad Thai, mango sticky rice, fresh fruit shakes. The sheer volume of fruit in Thailand is enough to make your head spin. Mango, banana, pineapple, papaya, watermelon… the list goes on and on. I began to feel incomplete if I went a day without a fresh fruit shake.

My travels in the “Land of a Thousand Smiles” took me to all the usual tourist spots - Bangkok, the islands in the south, and Chiang Mai in the north. If you ever get to Thailand and are as fanatical about food as I am, then the Sunday Night Market in Chiang Mai is not to be missed. They close down Ratchadamnoen Road to traffic and pedestrians can stroll from one end to the other, buy a silk scarf or other regional handicraft, and sample an array of local foods from sweet to savory.

On the savory end of the scale, there was grilled corn-on-the-cob, skewered fish and chicken on the grill, pad Thai made-to-order, and a unique selection of deep-fried insects. I never got daring enough to try these, but friends who did said they were simply “crunchy.” I’ll take their word for it.

My travels through Southeast Asia will take me briefly back through Thailand. Needless to say, my stomach is already grumbling in anticipation. So if you’re looking for a food-based holiday, consider Thailand...

To travel is to eat

Melanie Hansen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:06:11 +0000

If you’re anything like me, then you believe that one of the main reasons to travel is to experience new cuisines. I’ve had my fair share of variety on this trip so far, and I haven’t even left India yet. I began my culinary adventures at an ashram in Varanasi, where the food was reliable, but not very exciting. By the end of my month-long stay there I was happy to leave curried vegetables and white rice behind. Since then I’ve sampled many other kinds of Indian cuisine. This country is enormous, so it’s not surprising that there is a wide variety of food.

Even though I’ve not traveled to the south, dishes from this region are delicious, dosas in particular, a kind of crêpe filled with potatoes and other vegetables. I am also now a full-fledged fan of Tibetan cuisine, which I discovered in Mcleod Ganj, home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. There is one restaurant in particular there, Gakyi, which serves momos (dumplings) to die for, and Tibetan brown bread that I now crave daily. I tried to ask for the recipe, but to no avail. Guess I will have to experiment when I return home.

On more than one occasion, I have been told that Kashmir is a must-see destination, and Kashmiri food alone was enough to convince me. Favorites from this region include Kashmiri naan, naan filled with dried fruit and nuts, and Kashmiri tea, a delightful concoction of tea, black or green, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and a hint of saffron. This I have been shown how to make by my Kashmiri friends, and I plan to make it a staple of my diet upon my return.

One of the best ways to learn about a culture is to experience its cuisine. It is also a great way to connect with people. Everyone eats, and there is nothing like sharing a meal to bring people from all walks of life together. So as you travel, don’t forget that to refuse a meal or a taste of something new, you might also be missing out on a chance to connect with new friends. Bon appétit!..

Keeping nutrition in focus while traveling

Melanie Hansen — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:23 +0000

When I decided to come to India for a month, I didn’t really think about the food. Well, that’s not entirely true; I worked for weeks to kick up my spiciness threshold, ordering 3 or 4 out of 5 stars in restaurants. I was prepared for the spice, but I wasn’t prepared for the utter lack of whole grains. Everything here is white - rice, bread, you name it...