Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2021 i National Geographic Traveller Food

Abbie Kozolchyk As a child whose idea of a delicacy was supermarket junk food, I failed to notice my hometown, Tucson, was a culinary gold mine. Not until I’d moved away from Arizona — and UNESCO named it the US’s first City of Gastronomy — did I begin to suspect what I’d missed. Exploring the local Mexican food for this story left no further doubt. TUCSON, P 78 Sarah Shaffi Community is at the centre of food for me; I grew up cooking Pakistani recipes that had been handed down through the generations, and giving them a twist. It was great to hear about Icelandic chef Gísli Matt doing something similar, but with ingredients, methods and a cuisine that’s new to me. BOOKS, P 122 Ben Olsen It’s hard not…

4.08M TONNES THE AMOUNT OF GINGER GROWN GLOBALLY IN 2019, OF WHICH INDIA PRODUCED 43% (1.78 MILLION TONNES) 1 METRE The height to which ginger plants can grow. Their leaves grow to around 15-30cm 651kg The weight of the largest-ever gingerbread man, baked by a team from Ikea Furuset in Oslo, Norway on 9 November 2009 992 THE YEAR GINGERBREAD IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO EUROPE BY ARMENIAN MONK GREGORY MAKAR. HE LIVED IN FRANCE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND TAUGHT PRIESTS HOW TO BAKE THE DISH 14th The position the ginger nut came in a 2020 study to discover the UK’s favourite biscuit 1,300 THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF SPECIES IN THE GINGER FAMILY, INCLUDING COMMON GINGER, CARDAMOM AND TURMERIC 1850s The decade in which Irish doctor Thomas Joseph…

THE EXPERTS Emiko Davies Tuscany-based cookbook author Elle Hunt freelance journalist Delle Chan food writer and editor Craig and Shaun McAnuff cookbook authors Where can I take a cooking class in Tuscany? Emiko Davies: There are some great classes to help you learn how to harness the secrets behind Tuscany’s wonderful food culture. Raffaella Cova (lunchwithraffaella.com) is a private cook who offers classes in her historic home in Montalcino for an experience that feels like a day among friends: eating, cooking and drinking together. She’ll create a custom menu based on your level and preferences — it might be fresh ravioli filled with ricotta and local veg, or hand-rolled pici (thick spaghetti), followed by a seasonal dessert. In a charming garden in the centre of Florence, the young and talented…

S ERVES 4 TAKES: 1 HR 35 MINS INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil4 duck legs½ bunch thyme1 onion, finely sliced600g sauerkraut, drained50g tomato puree200ml chicken stock green chillies, sliced, to serve (optional) METHOD 1 Heat oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Massage 1 tbsp of the oil into the duck legs, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the thyme in a roasting dish in a single layer, then lay the duck legs on top and roast for 1 hr 15 mins. 2 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan set over a low heat. Gently cook the onion for 5 mins, then add the sauerkraut, puree and stock and stir to combine. Cook for 10 mins more. 3 Carefully remove the dish from the…

If you were to think of the world’s most ambitious kitchens, Alchemist must surely be among them. It’s the type of place where you might be served a cryofrozen cloud of apple-and-marigold aromas, the taste of which you can chase but never quite attain (it fades as soon as the spoon passes your lips). It’s somewhere where you’re ushered into a pitch-black room before following a spotlight leading to a violinist who wouldn’t look out of place on an haute couture runway. Then, projected onto a planetarium-style domed roof are animated scenes of a throbbing circulatory system or a flock of caged poultry — the latter a comment on the treatment of animals. Dinner as theatre isn’t a new concept, yet at Alchemist, chef Rasmus Munk’s Copenhagen restaurant, it’s taken…

What do you most look forward to eating in winter? Things like lamb shanks, oxtail, slow-cooked curries with meat on the bone — no Indian would ever cook a meat curry without meat on the bone. And this is the time of year where you can get those really unctuous, marrow-releasing cuts of meat. That’s what I really have a passion for in the winter: my slow-cooked curries. You get that wonderful, golden veneer of fat on the top and it’s almost the colour of fire, reminiscent of warm evenings. Because you’re cooking with turmeric and paprika and chilli powder, those fiery colours rise to the top. When it’s grey outside, you want sunshine to emanate from the food you’re eating. What’s your favourite winter ingredient to cook with? Every…

SERVES: 12 BUNS TAKES: 45 MINS PLUS 1 HR RISING INGREDIENTS 175ml whole milk, plus 50ml for soaking the saffron13g active, dry yeast granules or 25g fresh yeast75g caster sugar0.5g saffron (finely grind in a pestle and mortar and soak in 50ml of milk before using, to get the yellow colour as strong as possible)½ tsp salt100ml Greek yoghurt1 egg, beaten100g butter (soft, at room temperature)400-500g of strong bread flour Handful of plump raisins METHOD 1 Heat the milk to around 35-37C, then add the yeast granules and, if using dry yeast, around 1 tsp of the sugar. Cover and set aside for 15 mins until the mixture bubbles (skip this step if using fresh yeast as you won’t need to wait for it to activate). Pour into a stand…

What does winter food mean in relation to Korean cuisine? In Korea, it gets bitterly cold in the winter, so there’s a long tradition of warming comfort food. It’s a culture of soup (you’ll find it on the table during almost every meal), although my favourite winter dish, sundubu jjigae, is actually a silken tofu seafood stew. It’s spicy and often comes with kimchi in it, and when it’s brought to your table in a bubbling clay bowl, you crack an egg into it, mix it in and it cooks right in front of you. What’s your favourite winter ingredient? Pumpkin and butternut squash. Just roasted or perhaps a butternut squash soup. Or in a nice, big puree that’s been spiced with some ginger and garlic. What dishes do you…

SERVES: 4 TAKES:20 MINS INGREDIENTS 4 cans light beer1 tbsp ground cinnamon1 tsp cloves3 eggs, separated2 tbsp light brown sugar2 tbsp honey1 tbsp vanilla extract1 tbsp brandy METHOD 1 Put the beer, cinnamon and cloves into a pan and set over a very gentle heat, stirring constantly. Once warm (but not hot), cover, remove from the heat and allow to infuse with the spices for 10 mins. 2 Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Blend the yolks with the sugar in a separate bowl until creamy. Once the yolk mixture is smooth, add the honey. 3 Blend the egg yolk mixture with the whisked egg whites, then start to slowly pour the mixture into the warm beer (four hands are better than two…

The prawn’s head is wedged between my finger and thumb, its pink-red antennae flitting in the hot salt breeze like blood-stained ribbons. I slurp the shell dry, and it tastes of the sea mixed with saffron and garlic. It’s the taste of southeastern Spain; the taste of my childhood. I don’t remember the first time I ate a prawn head straight from a paellera (a large, circular paella pan). I grew up in a dusty beach town 30 miles north of Alicante, where Sundays were spent sitting on plastic chairs, toes buried in the sand, eating yellow rice bulging with seafood plucked from the Mediterranean. The image of a child chomping on a prawn’s head, mouth saffron-stained like a crazed clown, sounds like the stuff of nightmares. But to me…

If you needed an emblem for a typically British Christmas, the plum pudding would probably be it. Love it or hate it, this currant-freckled sphere — better known as Christmas pudding, and often adorned with holly — is an instantly recognisable festive icon. The British have a sentimental attachment to this dessert. A dark, sticky mass of dried fruit, suet, breadcrumbs and spices, it’s a proper rib sticker; Christmas just wouldn’t seem right without its solid, reassuring presence on the table. Perhaps one of the reasons the dish remains so popular — despite many professing not to like it — is the fact we have such a longstanding relationship with it. Plum pudding can trace its origins back to at least the Middle Ages, when it had a less sturdy…

Stanbuli Hidden behind the facade of a 1950s hair salon, Stanbuli (slang for residents of Istanbul) is a tribute to Turkish meyhanes (traditional taverns). Inside, amid marble tabletops and vintage wallpaper, the food is a procession of wonderful meze (pictured). Try dishes such as blue mackerel sandwich on a house-made bun, or grilled sardines with tarama (cod roe dip). stanbuli.com.au Nour Putting a modern spin on classic Lebanese flavours, Nour’s menu incorporates ingredients from the Middle East and beyond. Try dishes such as grilled pink snapper with caramelised tahini and black garlic or Wagyu skewer with biber salçası (Turkish red pepper paste) and Armenian pickled cucumber. It’s all served in a chic, minimalist space with mid-century accents. noursydney.com Emma’s Snack Bar Small, cheap and casual, this hip neighbourhood bar in…

SERVES: 4 TAKES: 1 HR 25 MINS INGREDIENTS 2 tbsp rapeseed oil1 onion, diced1 carrot, diced1 celery stalk, diced250ml dry cider25g dried kelp or kombu3 cloves garlic, peeled2 bay leaves a few sprigs of thyme500g mussels, scrubbed clean500g clams, scrubbed clean FOR THE CHOWDER 15g butter1 onion, finely chopped600g potatoes, cubed2 leeks, diced250ml double cream300g pollock fillet, skinned, boned and cut into small chunks TO SERVE chopped dill finely milled nori METHOD 1 To make the stock, heat the oil in a large pan set over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 10 mins until starting to caramelise. Pour over the cider and cook for a couple of mins. Pour in 1 litre water and add the seaweed, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Bring…

SERVES: 4-6 TAKES: 1 HR INGREDIENTS 600g carrots60g honey20g thyme6 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife120g butter20g fresh pine needles or thyme leaves thyme oil, to serve FOR THE SAUCE 500ml fermented carrot juice1 tsp xanthan gum125g butter METHOD 1 Heat oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. Arrange the carrots on a baking tray and toss with the honey, thyme, garlic and butter. Season with salt. Roast for about 45 mins, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and toss with the pine needles or thyme leaves. 2 Pour the fermented carrot juice into a small pot and cook over a medium heat until reduced by half. Add the xanthan gum and butter and blend with a stick blender. Season with salt. 3 Drizzle the…

OUR PICK THE LATIN AMERICAN COOKBOOK Virgilio Martínez produce from across this vast region. From the tropical islands of Mexico to the tip of Argentina, Virgilio Martínez’s latest cookbook offers up recipes from all over Latin America. Martínez, the chef-restaurateur behind Lima’s acclaimed Central, is known for his reverence for Peruvian ingredients, and here he takes that one step further to celebrate the best Recipes are interwoven with the histories of particular ingredients, from beef tongue to sea urchins, offering an overview of how colonisation, geographical variety, immigration and creativity have shaped Latin American cuisines. You’ll also find stories about certain dishes and the traditions that have arisen around them, such as the Guatemalan practice of bringing fiambre, a cold salad, to cemeteries on All Saints’ Day. Among the 600…

What kind of food did you grow up eating? Home-cooked Indian meals, which were always served family-style. I grew up eating a lot of vegetables cooked in Indian spices. Meat and seafood were a weekend indulgence. What are some of your favourite Indian dishes? I love a good coconut milk-based South Indian stew, served with fermented rice appams; Sindhi-style chickpea flour and tomato curry served with basmati rice and double-fried potato fritters tossed in spices; and a Rajasthani-style spicy yogurt curry served with millet rotis and lots of ghee. How do you like to cook at home? I enjoy cooking a blend of cuisines, using ingredients locally available in India. I work with a lot of vegetables and find ways to bring out delicious flavours using them. I absolutely love…

When it comes to winter, it’s all about your approach. Sure, there are those who think of it as simply Christmas, followed by the two darkest months in the calendar — a burst of excitement, succeeded by a period of treading water. But there are also those of us who view it through the glorious prism of food, as a time of comfort, creativity and indulgence. From Nisha Katona to Richard Corrigan to Tom Kerridge, the chefs and writers who’ve contributed to our cover story have something in common: an unbridled passion for the colder months and the gastronomic opportunities they bring. In part, they’re tapping into the pleasures of seasonality and the joys of wintry ingredients such as parsnips, beetroots, Jerusalem artichokes, game, quince and Seville oranges. And partly,…

Quince might not be the easiest thing to get your hands on as part of the weekly shop, but this oddly shaped, golden-yellow fruit is an absolute corker of an ingredient and one I love to use, both in our Cornish restaurants and at home. Originating from Turkey and Southeast Asia, quince has long been used in cooking — it was popular with the Romans and the Ancient Greeks (who associated it with fertility). And although the fruit needs plenty of sunlight to flourish, it’s perfectly possible to grow it in the UK as quince trees love moist ground. Admittedly, it’s not the most inviting fruit on first impressions: it has tough skin and its sour flesh is inedible when raw. But peel the skin (a regular vegetable peeler will…

SERVES: 4-6 TAKES: 3 HRS, PLUS A FEW HOURS MARINATING INGREDIENTS 1.35kg goat, cut into 3-4cm chunks5 tbsp curry powder1 tsp ground ginger1 tsp ground allspice2 tsp ground turmeric4 tbsp vegetable oil1 large onion, chopped4 garlic cloves, finely chopped400ml can coconut milk3 spring onions, sliced large handful fresh thyme sprigs8 baby potatoes, peeled and halved1 scotch bonnet pepper METHOD 1 Put the goat in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of the curry powder, the ginger, allspice, turmeric, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Stir, cover and marinate in the fridge for a few hours (ideally up to eight hours). 2 Heat the oil in a large pot set over a medium heat and add 1 tsp of the curry powder, along with the onion and garlic. Cook…

TAKES: 30 MINS SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS 1 tsp oil4 bacon rashers, cut into1cm strips (optional)2 tbsp beurre noisette3 shallots, peeled and diced into 5mm pieces40g carrot, trimmed, peeled and diced into5mm pieces80g celeriac, trimmed, peeled and diced into5mm pieces400ml game stock500g venison tenderloin, cut into 5-10mm strips2 tsp icing sugar1 tbsp tomato puree3 tbsp port150ml heavy red wine1 tbsp dried white mushrooms1 tsp crumbled gingerbread150ml single cream1 tbsp plain flour1 tbsp juniper berries3-4 cinnamon stick shards1 tsp marzipan, cut into small pieces1 strip unwaxed orange zest1 garlic clove, halved¼ tsp instant coffee granules METHOD 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet and fry the bacon strips (if using) on both sides until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper. 2 Heat 1 tbsp of the beurre noisette in a…

MAKES: 1 LARGE TERRINE TAKES: 2 HRS 20 MINS, PLUS SEVERAL HRS SOAKING A ND CHILLING INGREDIENTS 100g stoned prunes3 tbsp port350g unsmoked rindless bacon rashers150g venison liver, trimmed and cubed (use pork liver, if you can’t find venison)250g very fatty pork belly, cubed½ onion, finely diced2 garlic cloves, grated½ orange, zested4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped3 bay leaves, very finely chopped4 juniper berries, finely chopped1 egg50g white breadcrumbs200g pheasant breast, venison loin or pigeon breast (or a mix), cut into 3-4cm-wide strips, as long as possible METHOD 1 Put the prunes in a bowl and pour over the port. Leave to plump up for several hrs, or overnight. Drain, reserving the port. 2 Heat oven to 150C, 130C fan, gas 2. To make the forcemeat, roughly chop half…

THE PERFECT OMELETTE A distant cousin of Albert Adrià’s legendary liquid olive, Munk’s exploding omelette is a gleaming, wobbly globe the size of a strawberry, made with a cream of egg yolk and comté. It’s held together only by the thinnest of membranes, so that once in the mouth it erupts, releasing a butter-hued slosh of rich filling. 1984 Riffing on George Orwell’s 1984 as a comment on data harvesting, this volleyball-sized model of an ever-watching eyeball is placed onto the counter in front of diners, its hollowed out pupil filled with a spoonful of white asparagus cream, pistachios and raw hamachi (a Japanese fish) marinated in lime and olive oil. The pupil is overlaid with imperial oscietra caviar and fish-eye gel. DOUBLE TROUBLE Invasive to the Baltic and North…

SERVES: 4 TAKES: 30 MINS INGREDIENTS vegetable oil, for frying260g chickpea flour¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda1 tsp ajwain seeds1 tsp nigella seeds1 tbsp white poppy seeds300ml ginger beer (the fierier the better)1 ½ tsp salt1 lemon, juiced1 tsp ground coriander1 tsp ground cumin¼ tsp chilli powder1 onion, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic, crushed150g broccoli, stems and florets cut into bite-sized pieces2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander chutney or raita, to serve METHOD 1 Pour 5cm of the oil into the base of a wok or deep frying pan and set over a medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 180C (make sure it doesn’t overheat). Alternatively, fill a deep-fat fryer with oil, according to manufacturers’ instructions, and heat to 180C. 2 While the oil is heating, put the flour, bicarb, ajwain,…

SERVES: 4 TAKES: 2 HRS INGREDIENTS 1.2kg red mullet4 medium-sized potatoes, cut into large, round slices5 litres fish stock1 bulb garlic, cloves finely chopped1 red pepper, four strips sliced and the rest finely chopped300g chopped tomatoes2 dried ñora peppers, finely chopped two pinches of saffron6 tbsp alioli40ml extra virgin olive oil450g high-quality paella rice METHOD 1 Make four cuts on each side of your fish, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 1 hr. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in the fish stock for 1 hr. 2 Clean the salt off the fish, then boil it for 15-20 mins in the same stock you used for boiling the potatoes (don’t discard the stock afterwards, as it’s also used for the sauce and rice). 3 To make the salmoretta, tip almost all…

Sydney’s cliffed eastern fringes are home to a string of pristine beaches, but you can’t visit the city without popping on some sunscreen and your bathers (swimwear) to try surfing at the best-known of the bunch: Bondi. And beyond the waves, this suburb offers plenty of smart dining, too. All good mornings in Australia should start with a flat white, and you’ll find a first-rate version at beloved beachside joint Porch & Parlour. Detour along the beach and arrive early to avoid the queues at Bills, the phenomenally popular cafe by Australian chef Bill Granger. Choose from breakfasts including soft shell crab with kimchi fried rice or gravlax with poached eggs, and try Bill’s spiced bloody mary if you need a little kick. Meander through the backstreets of Bondi and…

A riverside setting, Royal Regatta and unbridled access to the Chilterns countryside are all good reasons to come to Henley-on-Thames — but they’re not the only ones. This pretty, 13th-century market town on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is also home to a thriving food scene. Here, top restaurants are tucked between historic pubs and independent shops, fusing international influences with the region’s agricultural riches. Chef-turned-restaurateur Luke Garnsworthy — previously chef de partie at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal — chose Henley as the setting for a second branch of his fine dining concept, Crockers. Restaurant with rooms Crockers Henley (henley.crockersuk.com) opened on Market Place, the town’s central square, in August 2020. Here, Luke serves modern British and pan-Asian cuisine, along with robatayaki (charcoal-grilled) dishes highlighting local…

I’VE BEEN DINING AT… The Barbary Next Door, the little sister to The Barbary restaurant, in London’s Neal’s Yard. Highlights of the Middle Eastern/North African-inspired menu included a delicious take on Tunisian fricasse and a tangy, citrussy sea bass crudo. Nicola Trup, deputy editor I’VE BEEN DRINKING… One of my favourite cocktails, the jungle bird. All the best attributes of rum, Campari, pineapple juice and lime come together in a refreshing, complex blend that’s way too easy to drink. Zane Henry, project editor I’VE BEEN USING… Cured egg yolks instead of parmesan. I bathe them in salt before rinsing and then drying them out in the oven on a very low temperature. Grate them over pasta dishes, salads or soups for an umami kick. Lauren Gamp, art editor I’VE BEEN…

TRADITION ‘Gua bao’ is a Taiwanese phrase that translates as ‘cut bun’. When steamed and filled, each bun symbolises a full purse, so businesses in Taiwan usually celebrate the end of the lunar year with platters of gua bao as a way to usher in prosperity for the coming year. FLOUR You can use plain flour, but the bao will turn out slightly denser or bouncier, and won’t be as white as those made using Chinese low-protein flour. Specialist Asian supermarkets sell bao flour; the best has a protein level of 7-8%. Alternatively, try a mix of plain flour and cake flour. FILLING Traditionally, gua bao are filled with slow-braised pork, fermented mustard greens, coriander and ground peanuts — the only real option is whether you go for fatty or…

Historically, cava has been starved of affection in the UK, having been eclipsed by prosecco and never been seen in the same league as champagne. But why haven’t we taken to it more? Partly, it’s a question of price — it’s often almost too cheap, which has diminished the perception of quality. But taste is a factor; at times, I admit, I’ve struggled with its slightly coarse, too obviously yeasty flavour. However, upon revisiting it recently, I’ve been surprised how much the quality has improved. The Cava DO (designation of origin) was established in 1986. Before then, the term ‘cava’ was used for almost all Spanish sparkling wines. Today, most cava is made in the Penedès region, to the west of Barcelona, but it’s also made elsewhere — up in…

I come from a very foodie family. It’s just a sort of constant obsession, like: what are we going to eat? Where are we going to eat? What time are we going to eat? It’s a sort of long, continuous problem. To some extent, it’s also in my blood, because my grandfather ran curry houses in Leicester in the ’80s. So food, particularly Indian food, is deeply ingrained in my family. I didn’t realise until I was a bit older that it’s not normal to eat okra constantly. When I go home, my mum dry-fries okra. That really is my idea of comfort food. Prawns taste different in Kerala. It’s because you’re eating them just after they’ve been plucked out of the ocean. My grandmother lived and died in Kerala, so…

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When the days get shorter, we Scandinavians tend to cocoon at home. We bake, we cook, we dream of lighter days. It’s all about hygge —taking time to be with the people we love and be kind to ourselves. To me, winter food is slow food. It’s hearty food, like our meatballs, with thick gravies and slowly cooked red cabbage. It’s cinnamon buns and home-baked cakes, often using the last of the apples and winter fruits. It’s the food to get you through the darkness — the stuff that brings you comfort. One of my favourite things to bake with during Christmas is saffron. We only ever use it during December, and only for sweet cooking and baking. It’s most commonly used in lussebullar, a saffron-infused brioche roll, but it…

SERVES: 6 TAKES: 1 HR INGREDIENTS 100g white onion, diced100g carrot, diced100g celery, diced100g celeriac, diced100g leeks, diced knob of butter olive oil, to sauté1.5 litres vegetable stock125g pancetta lardons, rind removed, finely chopped125g sausagemeat, removed from casing100g parmesan cheese, grated3 garlic cloves, grated finely½ bunch parsley, chopped½ bunch basil, chopped150g fresh sprouting broccoli crusty bread, to serve METHOD 1 Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan set over a high heat, then add the onion and carrot and cook for 1 min. Add the celery and butter and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the celeriac and sweat with a little salt and pepper until soft but not coloured, around 5 mins. Pour in enough stock to just cover everything, then simmer on a high…

Winter smells like the pots bubbling away on the stove. In Eastern Europe, they often include sauerkraut stew and beetroot borscht — both with an underlying, pungent aroma of dried, wild mushrooms — plus meaty broths, earthy grains and comforting dumplings. There’s often a cake in the oven, too, or at least a rye bread or yeasty buns — smells that fill the house with joy. Eastern European winters are harsh, so food helps to lift the spirits. In my kitchen, beetroot takes centre stage this time of year, with cabbage also playing a big role. Apart from borscht, in Poland we often eat beetroot puree with our Sunday roast. You boil and puree the beetroot, then make a roux and fry the puree with this, seasoning with salt, pepper,…

ARROZ DEL SENYORET, CASA FILO One of Alicante’s most popular rice dishes, arroz del senyoret is a seafood rice creation where everything comes peeled and boneless. Translating to ‘gentleman’s rice’, the dish was invented for gentry who didn’t like getting their hands dirty. Casa Filo cooks its version over an open fire and serves with the restaurant’s legendary, hand-blended alioli. restaurantecasafilo.es ARROZ CON MAGRO Y VERDURAS, NOU MANOLÍN Magro y verduras, prepared with acorn-fed pork and vegetables like red pepper, cauliflower and chickpeas, is another favourite among alicantinos. The caldo — a broth of slow-cooked pork ribs, garlic and saffron — is key, and few places do it better than Nou Manolín. grupogastronou.com/nou-manolin ARROZ MELOSO DE RAPE Y ALMEJAS, CÉSAR ANCA RESTAURANTE & BARRA You’ll need a spoon for this…

SONORAN HOT DOG El Guero Canelo’s take on this snack — a bacon-wrapped sausage topped with beans, onions, jalapeño sauce, mustard and mayo, tucked into a soft bolillo bun — won an America’s Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2018. It’s since become one of the city’s most iconic foods. elguerocanelo.com HORCHATA This refreshing rice drink is served at Mexican joints citywide, but among the few to make it from scratch is Seis Kitchen, where the queue is often as impressive as the beverage. The horchata, blended after the rice has been bathed in cinnamon for 24 hours, is well worth the wait. seiskitchen.com CARNE ASADA This thinly sliced and grilled (ideally over mesquite-fuelled flames) beef is the stuff of weekend gatherings in backyards and quick fixes at…

Gilles Bartholomo is the last master cooper operating in Armagnac. His barrels are made solely from Gascon black oak, using techniques stretching back generations. The oak adds its own characteristics to the complex spice and vanilla aromas of the armagnac stored within, and enhances the liquid’s amber hues. Gilles inspects the interior of each after its ‘toasting’ — an essential process in which the inside of the barrel is exposed to fire. Each finished barrel holds between 400 and 420 litres. However, while Giles supplies several distilleries in the area, Château de Pellehaut (opposite page) instead use barrels from the Limousin region. Armagnac Delord started producing some of the world’s great armagnacs in the 1930s. The distillery was originally founded by the Delord brothers, but it was their father, Prosper…

Named after the strong, female Cammeraygal leader of the Eora Nation at the time of European colonisation, Barangaroo represents one of Sydney’s most significant redevelopment projects of the past decade. Here, 54 acres of disused docklands have been transformed into a waterfront precinct of dining, parklands, high-rise offices and boutiques. Pick up a late-morning coffee at chic cafe Devon, with its eclectic menu spanning Japanese and retro Australian — expect dishes like miso-marinated king salmon with eel croquette, and coconut and lychee tapioca with freeze-dried mandarin. Walk it off along the foreshore to Barangaroo Reserve, clambering over the hundreds of huge sandstone blocks that have been placed here to repair the waterfront and return it to a more natural look after its years as an industrial site. Follow the winding…

THE PIONEER ANIAR The late-summer sun is sinking over Galway’s Westend and spirits are high among those swelling the bars on the banks of the River Corrib. I’m equally excited to be en route to Aniar, a restaurant that’s helped redefine the city’s food scene since it launched a decade ago — the Michelin star it’s held since 2013 making it one of Galway’s most sought-after reservations. Here, inside a sleek dining room lined with jars of pickled elderflower, wild garlic and alexanders, I get to grips with a tasting menu that showcases ingredients from Ireland’s west coast. “You have a great mix here between sea and land,” says co-owner and head chef Jp McMahon the next morning. “There’s Connemara on one side and east Galway on the other, where…

What would you say are the main hallmarks of Icelandic cuisine? In Iceland, the traditional cuisine, like everywhere else, was created as a result of the climate and surroundings. We have very long winters and short summers, so a lot of the focus is on preserving — methods to keep food for a long time — so salting, fermenting in sour skyr whey, smoking and drying were [traditionally] used a lot. Which Icelandic food traditions have influenced your cooking and the dishes you’ve included in your book? At the restaurant, we use a lot of preserving methods, especially drying, salting, smoking and fermenting — but we do this more for the taste they bring rather than to keep [food] for a long time. We cure and smoke various fish, but…

TAKES: 50 MINS SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS 900g pork belly, cut into 5cm chunks1 tsp vegetable oil1 white onion, chopped3 garlic cloves, minced120ml ají panca paste or chipotle paste1 medium tomato, peeled and diced1 tsp ground cumin70g toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped1 beetroot, peeled, cooked and chopped450g small potatoes475ml beef stock white rice and salad, to serve METHOD 1 Sear the pork in two batches, cooking it in its own fat in a pan set over a high heat. Cook for 4 mins on each side, or until golden brown, then remove from the pan and set aside. 2 Heat 1 tsp of the oil in the same pan, set over a medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 7 mins, then add the ají panca paste and tomato, stirring continuously.…