Local food

“Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria's mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.” 
― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

I first heard of Anthony Bourdain watching T.V.  He is an American chef who has travelled the world, and tried almost every dish imaginable. The critique he provides on dishes and cuisines may perhaps be biased, but it always seems like he encourages people to get out there and open their minds when it comes to food.

Trying a new dish in a foreign country may be a risk for some people. You can never be sure how spicy it is, if it suits your taste, and if you will like it all. Often one is afraid that a face expression of disgust might offend the host who has presented one with this dish. It becomes a complicated matter.

Travelling in “hermetically sealed” transportation and eating only in “Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds” may seem like an appealing option to many people. You get to see the countryside without having to step too far out of your comfort zone.  You still meet the people of the country, and have the opportunity to devote your attention to your surroundings, or do you?

Food is a vital part of any culture. It gives an outsider another perspective on the traditions, values, and beliefs of a foreign society. In India, for example, beef is not part of any traditional meals as the cow is believed to be a holy animal.  Travelling to a new country and not eating the local cuisine is slightly pointless.  Imagine going to Italy and not eating pizza. It is true that you can find pizza in almost every imaginable corner of this world, yet real Italian pizza, in Italy with Italians, is different.  

Missing out on the opportunity to taste a new food item, just because it means taking a step out of your comfort zone is no excuse. Whether you like the new food item does not matter, what does is that you open your mind and try it. It allows you expand your horizons and critique food, just like they do on cooking shows.

Trying a new dish will give you the opportunity to tell stories, and bond with the locals. Locals are usually amused by foreigners trying their traditional dishes, but it also shows them that you respect their culture and traditions. You do not have to eat the local cuisine every day, but try it at least once.

If one goes on holiday on a foreign country, one should not have predetermined opinions. Once one has been there, seen the country-side and the cities, met the people, and tried the food, should one form an opinion. Imagine if Europeans had never been willing to try the potato when it came from America. The world would be a very different place.

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