Phoenix, a city known more for its blistering summers than its culinary scene, surprised me with an array of taste experiences that could rival any gastronomic capital. My adventure began on a Thursday, a day I dedicated to exploring the city’s diverse food landscape, starting with lunch at the famed Pizzeria Bianco. Here, amidst the rustic charm and the gentle hum of conversation, I savored a Margherita pizza. Its simplicity was its triumph: a tangy tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil leaves on a perfectly charred crust, paired with a bottle of Chianti that whispered of Tuscan hills and sun-drenched vineyards.
Category: Dining & Restaurants
Big Easy Eats: A Weekend Of Eating In New Orleans
Welcome to the lively streets of New Orleans, where the good times roll and the food is as spicy as the jazz in the air! Let’s dive into our whirlwind adventure through the Big Easy, where every bite tells a story and every sip is a toast to the city’s rich culture.
Fun With Food
One of the fun things about traveling to new countries is trying the food, and everyone has a different tolerance for new things. I have friends that will eat anything, in any country, with no concerns. I have another friend who packed a duffel bag full of Pop-Tarts to eat for every meal while was on vacation in Cozumel for a week. To each their own. It’s one thing to try something new when you’re at your favorite Mexican restaurant at home. It’s completely different when you’re trying random street food in Southeast Asia. Sometimes you have to push yourself a little, and you may be pleasantly surprised. Other times you may realize that you should have trusted your gut and gone to McDonalds.
Pad Thai- The National Dish That Almost Wasn’t
Quick: Name a Thai dish that almost everyone is familiar with. Got one? You probably were thinking of Pad Thai (of course, it’s the name of this post, so that was an easy guess.) Pad Thai is officially known as the national dish of Thailand. But it’s history is much more recent than you’d think.
Foreign Foods
The purpose of travel is to expand your horizons. Whether you travel to the museum in your hometown or whether you wake up dry beneath the African sky, just you and your Swiss Army knife, you’re stepping outside of your normal life and learning a little more. Maybe you learn about a new culture, a new political perspective, a new life philosophy, or maybe you just learn something new about food in a new country.
Córdoba, Spain
I found myself in Córdoba purely by laziness. I was supposed to go from Valencia to Granada, but it turned out that the trip is at least 8 hours. Rather than spend a full day on the train, I opted to split the trip into two days, stopping in Córdoba for a bit in between. And I’m glad that I did.
Dining In Florence (some more)
Let’s face it; you’re in Florence. You’re going to eat. A lot. Since you’re not finished eating, why would I be done writing about the food?
Dining In Florence
When you think of Florence, you think of Tuscany. When you think of Tuscany, you immediately remember that it’s the heart and soul of Italian cuisine, from seafood that’s so fresh that it’s practically still blinking to steaks so tender that they melt before they hit your tongue. Pastas cooked perfectly al dente, gnocchi so light that they feel like little pillows of air, and sauces so simple yet so deep in flavor that you remember that this is what food is supposed to taste like; good ingredients cooked by people who actually care about food.
Cooking In Tuscany
I recently completed 4 weeks of cooking through the Accademia Riaci in Florence, Italy. While I feel like I learned a lot, there were a lot of pros and cons to the program that I need to vent about, so grab a glass of wine and get comfortable. This one’s going to take a while.
The Argentinian Experience
What would you say to an evening of tasting local cocktails paired with tasty bite-sized snacks, followed by a class on how to make traditional empanadas, then a damn fine steak and some great wine, and then you wrap up the evening with a delicious dessert. How’s that sound?