Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2024 i National Geographic Traveller Food

Nola James Spending the weekend eating crayfish, oysters and abalone and talking to local chefs and fishermen… For many Tasmanians, that’s not an unrealistic idea, such is the island’s small scale and prolific output. I’ve lived in Hobart on and off since 2008, and every time I’m by the waterfront I pinch myself. It’s too gorgeous to be real. TASMANIA, P. 48 Ren Behan I take pride in my Polish heritage, which is rooted in strong cultural traditions and deep family values. The Christmas Eve feast is my favourite meal of the year, so I loved sharing Poland’s festive dishes, inspired by the forest, land, field and sea, along with our sense of community and hospitality. COVER STORY, P. 36 Peter Yeung From tasting iguana stew made by Indigenous communities…

BACKGROUND The first written mention of stollen, from 1329, describes a long bread made of flour, water and oil. Around 1430, though, a baker called Drasdo from the city of Torgau made what can be seen as a real ancestor of modern stollen, as it was enriched with butter. Today, there are over 300 types. FILLINGS & FLAVOURINGS Stollen is enriched with butter and other dairy such as quark, yoghurt or cream. Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts), fruit (raisins, currants, sultanas, candied fruit and peel), seeds (traditionally poppy) and spices such as cardamom and nutmeg are a given. Marzipan is an optional extra. RAISING AGENT A pre-ferment (flour mixed with milk and yeast a day ahead) is common, but a sourdough starter can also be used. Quarkstollen, a variety using quark…

When I was young, my parents had a couple of decanters of sherry in the drinks cupboard — the norm for their generation, it seemed. It would be poured ceremoniously on the rare occasions we had guests, which meant it stayed open for weeks. But this certainly isn’t the best way to enjoy sherry. Traditionally a Spanish summer go-to and a festive favourite for Brits, sherry has steadily gained ground as a year-round drink, escaping the confines of tapas bars and becoming more common in restaurants. It’s a drink that deserves a place in the spotlight. The word ‘sherry’ can only be applied to wines that are made in the so-called ‘sherry triangle’ at the southernmost tip of Spain, in the towns of Jerez, Sanlúcar and El Puerto de Santa…

Eleanor Ford’s black rice with black cardamom SERVES: 4 TAKES: 1 HR 20 MINS PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING INGREDIENTS 200g black glutinous rice4 black cardamom pods, lightly bashed40g palm sugar, shaved (or more to taste) FOR THE TOASTED COCONUT CREAM 150g desiccated coconutpinch of fine sea salt METHOD 1 A day in advance, wash the rice well in several changes of water, picking out any grit or husks. Leave to soak in cold water overnight to soften the fibre-packed hulls. 2 Also the day before, prepare the toasted coconut cream. Boil a full kettle. Heat a frying pan and toast the desiccated coconut, stirring, until it takes on a deep, toasty brown colour. Tip into a heatproof blender with 1.25 litres of the recently boiled water. Soak for 20 mins, then…

ONIONS Torres’s take on French onion soup (above) is a homage to the enormous onions grown in the restaurant’s vegetable plot. The skins are baked for a long time until they become very soft, while the onion flesh is boiled down until it becomes creamy, and the water it was cooked in becomes a sweet, oniony infusion. These are served with a crispy biscuit, also made of onion. CHOCOLATE Torres works with a women’s cooperative in Guatemala, from which the cacao is sourced, to make his own chocolate dessert. The cacao seeds are toasted alongside branches from the restaurant’s vineyards, which impart some of their aroma. The seeds’ skins are then removed by hand, before the cacao mass is blended together and a little bit of sugar is added. POTATOES…

In northern Greece, souvlaki refers to small pieces of meat on a skewer, while in southern Greece it generally means skewered meat (pork gyros or beef patties) wrapped in pitta flatbread with the likes of tomato, onion and tzatziki. This recipe calls for the meat to be skewered and chargrilled, and accompanied by a flatbread. You can choose whether to wrap it or not — and whether to make pork skewers, beef skewers or both. You’ll need 10 or 20 metal skewers, depending on what you decide. MAKES: 10 OR 20 SKEWERS TAKES: 40 MINS INGREDIENTS 1.8kg Ibérico pork presa, trimmed800g prime ribeye, boned and trimmedlemon juice, sea salt flakes and dried oregano, to seasonwarm flatbreads, to servetzatziki, tomato and onion, to serve (optional) METHOD 1 Cut the Ibérico pork…

"There aren’t many capital cities where you can go 10 minutes out of town and be in the snow, or under a waterfall,” says skipper Tomas Thiele as he steers our canary yellow touring boat down the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. You can tell Tomas grew up in Tasmania because he can pronounce D’Entrecasteaux. I’ve lived here for years and I still can’t. He also knows where to find two highly prized exports. Purchased locally, sea urchin sells for A$275 (£140) for 100 grams, and abalone for A$450 (£230) per kilogram, so plucking them straight from the water holds high appeal. It’s just after 11am when we dock at Partridge Island, an hour from the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, which serves as a lunch stop for Pennicott Wilderness Journeys’ seafood tour. It’s…

13th century Reblochon is invented when farmers in the Thônes Valley use excess milk they aren’t selling to turn into cheese. 1705 The word ‘tartiflette’ is mentioned in Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois, written by chef François Massialot. 1980s Restaurants in the Alps reportedly start serving a dish known as ‘tartiflette’ to skiers and visitors. Late 1990s Le Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon publishes the first ‘official’ recipe for a modern tartiflette. 2001 Skipass.com adopts the slogan ‘In Tartiflette We Trust’, using it on merchandise, securing the dish’s legendary status. 2022 UK restaurant chain Côte introduces tartiflette to its winter menu, bringing the regional dish to Britain’s masses. 2023 The world’s largest tartiflette is produced in Grenoble. Weighing a ton, it contains 220 wheels of reblochon.…

ALL IS QUIET IN THE MARKET THIS MORNING. IT’S 8AM AND APART FROM A COUPLE OF BOYS STICK-AND-LINE FISHING OFF THE DOCKSIDE, THERE ARE FEW SIGNS OF LIFE IN BEQUIA’S HARBOUR. “Yeah, it can be a slow start on Saturdays,” says Ruth. Some much-needed R&R for me, perhaps. Yesterday evening, when the final ferry of the day deposited me into Port Elizabeth from the neighbouring island of St Vincent, things were lively. Stalls lining the boardwalk to Princess Margaret Beach were touting coconuts, souvenirs and soursop ice lollies. Spiced rum punch was being pumped out of waterfront bar Rendezvous Lounge, along with a reggae version of Neil Diamond’s I am… I Said at a volume so loud it could be felt as much as heard — only to be bested…

Brutalisten Each dish at Brutalisten is crafted from a single ingredient (although salt and water are allowed). This experiment may raise eyebrows, but the skilled chefs have risen to the challenge, creating pared-back but inventive plates of flavourful tomatoes, a duo of monkfish and the signature dairy cow tartare. brutalisten.com Ekstedt Everything at chef Niklas Ekstedt’s Michelin-starred restaurant is cooked over fire — whether it’s a wood-fire pit or charcoal grill. Guests begin in the kitchen with oysters touched by flames, before settling in to the dining room for standout dishes like seaweed-fired langoustine and juniper-smoked reindeer. ekstedt.nu Aira In a two space waterside location on Djurgården, Aira has Michelin stars and a sleek and airy dining overlooking an expansive open kitchen. Chefs in tall white toques prepare the exquisite…

Frome, on the northeastern edge of Somerset, is a surprisingly grand town with a down-to-earth feel. The hilly centre’s winding, cobbled alleyways and streets — many of which are pedestrianised — offer the perfect opportunity to while away an afternoon in boutique clothes shops, cafes and second-hand book stores. There are cute stone cottages and the impressive Church of St John the Baptist. As locals like to point out, Frome has more listed buildings per capita than Bath. For a small town, it punches above its weight when it comes to eating and drinking, too. Several independent vendors have moved in since the pandemic, many making use of producers in the wider region for the likes of cheese, cider and meat. The monthly Frome Independent market attracts visitors from far…

Established in 1879, Gotoken restaurant, in the city of Hakodate, is one of Japan’s oldest purveyors of yōshoku (Western-style food). In 1901, chef Tokujiro Wakayama went to train at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, where he learned to make ‘British’ curry, which became Gotoken’s signature dish. Its Meiji Set is a throwback feast showcasing old-school yōshoku cookery. As well as curry and rice, it features a variety of side dishes, including crab croquettes, soup and a little cake. SERVES: 4 TAKES: 1 HR 30 MINS INGREDIENTS 30g butter20g beef dripping1 onion, finely chopped2cm piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped1 garlic clove, finely chopped¼ banana, diced¼ apple, peeled and grated2 tbsp Japanese or curry powder (hot or mild or a mix of both)½ tbsp garam masala1 tbsp turmeric5 tbsp mango…

OUR PICK BARCELONA CULT RECIPES  Stephan Mitsch The Catalonian capital is home to a vast and varied food culture, bringing together the best ingredients from land and sea. Mitsch, a German writer and part-time tour guide, has lived in Barcelona for more than 15 years, documenting the city’s ascent to its current position as a great culinary destination. In the new compact edition of his cookbook and travelogue, he escorts readers around its streets, stopping at rustic wine cellars, teeming markets and hidden kitchens. Recipes for small plates include croquettes with cecina beef and leeks, prawns in garlic sauce and pureed salt cod. Some of the larger dishes, meanwhile, highlight multicultural influences, including artichokes — introduced during Moorish rule — in a potato gratin, and chicken and seafood draped in…

I’VE BEEN DINING AT… Avery in Edinburgh. Chef Rodney Wages serves up an imaginative and delicate tasting menu, including incredibly moreish tortellini in brodo and æbleskiver, a Danish-style, doughnut-like pancake filled with brown crab, grilled broccoli and roasted garlic. Nicola Trup, editor I’VE BEEN DISCOVERING… Common Breads, a new Lebanese bakery in London. The menu is a delicious homage to the street food of Beirut; standouts include the tangy and cheesy manouche with za’atar, and ka’ak — flatbread topped with sesame seeds. Farida Zeynalova, associate editor I’VE BEEN COOKING WITH… Payst sauces — 12 different base pastes for stir-fries, dipping and curries — from Sebby Holmes’s London restaurant, Farang. They’re a fun, smoky, sweet-sour sidestep from flavour norms and each comes with a simple recipe at payst.co.uk Sarah Barrell, senior editor…

Feasting means different things to different people — at least when it comes to the menu. While a traditionally British Christmas meal means turkey and all the trimmings, in Finland it’s roast ham, smoked fish, pickled beetroot salad and veggie casseroles, and in Goa, you can expect sorpotel, a spicy pork stew. The one constant, though, is that food is there to be shared. Feasts take place year-round, though, not just at Christmas. So, while our cover story does feature Poland’s festive spread (a meat-free array of soups, fish dishes and desserts), we’ve also selected some of the world’s best communal dining experiences taking place throughout the year. Burns Night in Scotland, Swedish Midsummer and Nowruz, the Persian New Year, all make an appearance — along with recommendations from our…

Tio Pepe Fino The popularity of Tio Pepe guarantees quick turnover and therefore the freshness that’s vital for fino. Perfect with almonds, olives and anchovies, it has a comparatively low alcohol content, at 15% vol. £13, or £6 for a half bottle. ocado.com Carvajal Oloroso En Rama Oloroso is normally associated with sweeter styles, but this delicious ‘en rama’ (meaning it’s ‘raw’ and unfiltered) sherry is warming, spicy and dry. Great with cecina smoked beef, smoked venison and biltong. £21.95. ultracomida.co.uk Waitrose No. 1 Torre del Oro Palo Cortado Sherry Palo cortado is a lesser-known sherry, similar to a dry amontillado in style, but with a flavour of salted caramel and roasted hazelnuts. Lovely to sip with almonds and a nibble of manchego. £13.99. waitrose.co.uk Williams & Humbert As You…

Regula Ysewijn’s rijstevlaai MAKES: 1 LARGE TART TAKES: 2 HRS 20 MINS PLUS RESTING AND OVERNIGHT CHILLING INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE PUDDING 1.5 litres full-fat milk⅛ tsp each of cinnamon and rosewater (or 1 vanilla bean, split)140g pudding rice or risotto rice2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk50g caster sugar20g unsalted butter, melted1 tbsp icing sugar FOR THE PASTRY 250g strong (bread) flour100g unsalted butter, softened25g caster sugar7g instant dry yeast½ tsp salt METHOD 1 To prepare the rice, put the milk, cinnamon and rosewater (or vanilla bean) and rice in a saucepan. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 40 mins, stirring occasionally. When the rice is tender, uncover the pan and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool slightly. Remove the vanilla bean (if using), then cover…

What is it? Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a 3,000-year-old celebration of spring, rooted in Zoroastrianism. Usually beginning around 20 March and lasting 13 days, it’s celebrated across Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and Central Asia, as well as in Kurdish, Turkic Uyghur and Parsi communities. Festivities typically involve gatherings of friends and family, street festivals, bonfires and folk music. In Central Asia and Afghanistan, traditional games are popular, while in Iran, spring cleaning marks the start of celebrations. But the common denominator is food. What’s a typical feast like? Most spreads include a haft-sin, a display of seven ingredients starting with the letter ‘S’ in the local language. Each symbolises a concept — such as health (garlic), patience (vinegar) and beauty (apple) in Iran. You can also expect a tray…

As my bike rattles downhill, the wide fields of southern Sweden’s fertile Söderslätt plain, yellow with rapeseed flowers, stretch out to the right. To the left, the Baltic Sea has just slipped out of sight. When I arrive at Malin and Christian’s century-old brick villa, it’s already clattering with preparations for the feast. Malin and her seven-year-old daughter Edith have been picking the flowers and greenery that will decorate the midsommarstång, or maypole, and I’m immediately marshalled into scrubbing potatoes. New potatoes, dug up from the garden, are central to Malin and Christian’s feast. “You don’t normally have hot food at Midsummer: it’s about potatoes and herring,” Malin says. The home-grown produce feels fitting for this festival, which originated when Sweden was an agrarian society — it not only marks…

Lucinda Try biodynamic and natural wines, with glass options on verbal rotation. A blackboard menu of small plates highlights seasonal ingredients such as crayfish and courgettes. lucindawine.com Molto This wine bar/bottle shop owned by the Lubiana winemaking family has local labels like the award-winning Tolpuddle chardonnay and Stefano Lubiana’s sparkling rosé, excellent with oysters. molto.wine Sonny The queue for this 20-seater is worth the wait. Its exceptional blackboard wine list ranges from, say, a steely Tassie riesling to blushing Sicilian rosé, with a short selection of snacks. sonny.com.au Ogee This slick North Hobart bistro is the only venue other than Omotenashi serving prized Jon’s Reserve oysters while the wine list celebrates local talent, the likes of Utzinger, Anim Wine and Bubb and Pooley. ogeehobart.com.au Institut Polaire A bar that’s also…

Along with raclette and fondue, tartiflette is one of Savoie’s most famous dishes. This is the version ski resorts have made famous; it fairly closely follows the ‘official’ recipe of the Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon — and there’s no denying it’s delicious. SERVES: 4 TAKES: 40 MINS INGREDIENTS 750g potatoes (a red variety, between waxy and floury, is best), peeled and cut into 1.5cm pieces150g smoked bacon lardons30g unsalted butter1 onion, finely sliced100ml dry white wine3 tbsp creme fraiche (or 6 tbsp if you have no double cream)3 tbsp double cream (or 6 tbsp if you have no creme fraiche)olive oil, for fryinga half-wheel (approximately 250g) of reblochon cheese, cut horizontally (keeping the rind on)green salad, to serve METHOD 1 Heat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6. Simmer…

Callaloo soup This staple dish is made with dasheen leaves rather than the Chinese spinach used elsewhere in the Caribbean, along with meat and root veg such as sweet potato and cassava. A dash of coconut milk is added before serving for richness. The soup is seen as a powerhouse; stallholders in St Vincent’s Kingstown Market call to passersby advertising callaloo’s strength-giving properties. Jackfish & breadfruit The national dish showcases breadfruit, a fibrous vegetable that grows in abundance here. It’s traditionally roasted whole on an open fire, then peeled and sliced. Ubiquitous, and cooked into both sweet or savoury dishes, the fruit has an annual festival in August in St Vincent. Madongo dumplings This indigenous dish is made from native arrowroot flour, combined with coconut and spices such as nutmeg,…

Meatballs for the People You certainly won’t leave hungry after visiting this convivial joint in Södermalm (pictured above), which is nothing short of a meatball extravaganza. Diners choose from a dozen different options including boar, reindeer and vegan, all served with the traditional accompaniments of mash, pickles and lingonberries. Classic cocktails, meanwhile, are given a lingonberry twist. meatball.se Tradition A welcome escape from Gamla Stan’s busy tourist trail, this stylish Scandi restaurant is a worthy lunch or dinner stop. As the name suggests, the menu focuses on Swedish staples including hearty plates of meatballs, which are served with mashed potatoes, pickled cucumber and lingonberries. Also worth trying are the pickled herrings, potato dumplings and Arctic char, washed down with local beer or aquavit. restaurangtradition.se Operabaren This charismatic establishment opened over…

To experience Georgia’s cuisine is to discover the myriad of rich cultures that have permeated the country’s borders throughout the centuries — with influences from Iran, Asia, Turkey and the Mediterranean. Each region is home to distinct flavours, and even classic dishes such as khinkali (soup dumplings) and khachapuri (cheese-stuffed bread) vary from one part of the country to another. Yet it’s the shared values of “sharing, caring and socialising” that define the Georgian table, says Irakli Asatiani, executive chef at the Tsinandali Estate, a Radisson Collection Hotel. Discover Georgian dining at its finest by sampling six standout dishes that hail from across the country. 1 PKHALI FROM IMERETI Western Georgia’s region of Imereti is home to some of the country’s most creative cuisine. Pkhali is a vegan-friendly dip-like appetiser…

While the name ‘chamen’, which means ‘stir-fried noodles’, does appear on menus in other parts of the country, such as the Chinatowns of Yokohama and Nagasaki, this version of the dish is unique to Wakkanai city. Its appeal is irresistible in such a windswept, snowy climate: the incredibly thick sauce (ankake) insulates the veg, noodles and shellfish like a heavy duvet. SERVES: 2 TAKES: 10 MINS INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp oil80g pork, very thinly sliced (optional)½ green pepper, cut into large chunks½ Chinese leaf (napa cabbage), roughly chopped½ carrot, peeled and cut into thin planks2 portions of ramen noodles, cooked and draineda few pieces of dried kikurage (wood ear mushroom), rehydrated and cut into large chunks100g bean sprouts150g shellfish (such as prawns, scallops or squid)400ml light broth or water2 tbsp shoyu2 tbsp…

RIVER DEEP Danube Irina Georgescu Award-winning food writer Georgescu’s latest release traces the gastronomic culture along the Danube River, beginning in her homeland, Romania, then travelling south. She charts more than 80 mostly meat-free recipes, including potato stew with filo crust, and semolina milk soufflé. £28, Hardie Grant COMFORT FOOD The Flygerians Cookbook  Jess & Jo Edun The British-Nigerian Edun sisters’ first cookbook — named after their London street-food joint — is a homage to their heritage and their grandmother’s cooking. Expect traditional dishes plus twists on classics, such as jollof spaghetti, and agege bread and butter pudding. £22, Ryland Peters & Small FRESHLY BAKED Breaking Bao Clarice Lam Born in Toronto to parents from Hong Kong, pastry chef Lam combines Asian flavours with global baking techniques. She refashions centuries-old bao into…

The Nice and Spice Box from Delli, the online food and drink marketplace. It’s more exciting than your usual Christmas hamper, with hot honey, scotch bonnet jam and spicy peanut butter. NT A subscription to Citizens of Soil, an organically farmed extra virgin olive oil company. The light and herbaceous batch from the Peloponnese, Greece, is perfect drizzled over lamb-stuffed aubergine. FZ A Brilliant Masala Box by Dipna Anand. I’m excited to see how my mum will use spices like turmeric and dried fenugreek leaves to enliven her Christmas turkey. Kelly McKenna, art editor…

Granita Eat this shaved ice for dessert, or loaded into a warm brioche for breakfast. It’s usually flavoured with almond or fruit such as lemon, but some bakeries use more unusual flavours such as prickly pear. Almond biscuits They’re available in numerous shapes, decorations and flavours, but the dough stays the same, made with almond flour, sugar and egg white. Cannoli Once a carnival treat, these deep-fried pastry cylinders filled with sweetened whipped ricotta and candied peel or other flavourings, are now eaten year-round.…

I had a well-developed palate at a young age. I was lucky to grow up in a place like Philadelphia — it has so many good food options. There were tons of outlets: Italian, Chinese, Jewish — I remember being obsessed with corned beef specials [a type of sandwich]. I even had sushi at a young age. My parents made sure I tried them all. Food has always been a cornerstone of our family. Both my parents cooked: my dad would make epic brunches, and my mom would [go all out] for the holiday meals. I loved her fried cabbage and her eggplant parmigiana. She also made this dish that was a quiche mixed with a soufflé — it was predominantly spinach, mushrooms and various cheeses. I wasn’t vegetarian or…

Emiko Davies’ onigiri MAKES: 4 TAKES: 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 60g smoked salmon vegetable oil, for cooking (optional)1 spring onion, finely chopped300g Japanese short-grain rice, freshly cooked and still warm1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds1 umeboshi (pickled plum), pitted and halved2 sheets of nori, halved lengthways (optional) METHOD 1 Cook the smoked salmon in a non-stick or lightly oiled pan for around 3 mins until opaque, pale and almost crumbly. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the spring onion and half of the rice. 2 Wet your hands, then rub a pinch of salt over them. Pick up about half of the salmon-rice mixture and firmly cup in both of your hands to give it a firm triangle shape with no loose rice. Set it down and repeat with the remaining…

Andrés Torres has strong opinions on sustainability. The war correspondent-turned-chef has seen enough of the world to know how vital it is to preserve the planet’s resources, and he has no time for empty gestures. “Sustainability is all the rage in restaurants all over the world,” he says. “But there’s a lot of bullshit out there. For me, sustainability is something very basic. It’s very simple.” His restaurant, Casa Nova, a farmhouse in the hills west of Barcelona, is a temple to slow, soulful cooking. Torres relies on age-old methods and the particularities of the region’s terrain, climate and cultures, using only what’s naturally abundant. Inspired by traditional and Indigenous communities he met during his many globetrotting expeditions, the chef combines ancient processes with exquisite modern execution. There’s baked potato…

The Poles have a long and romantic history of mushroom picking; Polish writer Adam Mickiewicz even wrote about it in his 1834 epic poem, Pan Tadeusz. But as you can buy all manner of wild mushrooms safely from local food markets these days, I’d encourage you to do that for this soup, which you can serve with cooked pearl barley to make another traditional dish: krupnik. For a meat-free version, leave the chicken out of the stock. SERVES: 8 TAKES: 2 HRS INGREDIENTS 1 large potato, peeled and cut into small cubes30g dried porcini or other dried wild mushrooms1 tsp vegetable oil1 tsp butter1 onion, finely chopped200g fresh chestnut mushrooms or mixed wild mushrooms, halved or quartered½ lemon, juicedsmall bunch of parsley, finely chopped100ml double cream or soured cream FOR THE…

Apokries is the preparation for the long fast. There are 10 weeks in total that we call the Triodion period; if we count backwards from Easter Sunday, we have seven weeks of fasting and before those are the three weeks of Apokries. During the first week of Apokries, it’s pretty calm — everyone is decorating. The second week brings parties and a day called Tsiknopempti, or Smoky Thursday, when we grill lots of meat. No meat is consumed in the third week of Apokries — let’s call that the week of dairy. We eat pasta with cheese, lots of pies and fried sweets like loukoumades, the popular fried doughnuts. It’s about family, food and celebrating life. Apokries is an important time for the Orthodox Church, although the religious aspect is…

There’s a saying in the Alps: ‘In Tartiflette We Trust’. It can be seen emblazoned on T-shirts, hoodies and car bumper stickers across French ski resorts and beyond, in honour of the gratin-style dish that’s gained iconic status — particularly among apres-skiers. Admittedly, the merchandise is a neat bit of marketing from a ski website, which created the slogan a few years ago, but in the mountainous Haute-Savoie region, from which tartiflette originates, dedication to this hearty dish is genuine. “It’s a dish that’s synonymous with skiing holidays or a feast after a long trek in the depths of winter,” says chef Michel Roux Jr. “It’s the kind of meal that fills you with joy and calories.” Tartiflette is made with bacon lardons, potatoes and onion, splashed with a little…

In a city known for cutting-edge design, technology, fashion and music, it’s perhaps unsurprising that there’s a dynamic culinary scene to be found in Stockholm. From classic Swedish cooking to innovative Nordic gastronomy, the food culture of Scandinavia’s largest capital continues to evolve, as ambitious chefs experiment with tastes and techniques that are at the same time traditional and modern, local and global. Two decades ago, legendary chef Mathias Dahlgren was the first Swede to sign the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, a movement that swept the region, spurring experimental cooking based on seasonal and local ingredients. That ethos still inspires kitchens across Stockholm; however, today’s talented food entrepreneurs are taking contemporary Swedish cuisine in exciting new directions. Prestigious fine-dining venues are dotted around the city, and a dozen have Michelin…

Lillebrors Bageri The warm, buttery cardamom buns churned out by this small bakery in Vasastan aren’t only a contender for Stockholm’s best, but arguably Sweden’s. There’s often a queue outside ‘Little Brother’s’ door for the pastries, bread rolls and perfect sourdough loaves. lillebrors.se Stora Bageriet Wafts of cinnamon greet customers at this popular spot, which specialises in artisan bread and pastries crafted from organic, seasonal ingredients. Savoury bites such as toasted sandwiches and simple breakfast rolls are also on the menu. storabageriet.com Svedjan Bageri Green-tiled and bare-brick interiors create a relaxed Nordic vibe at this Södermalm bakery, making for an inviting place to sit and tuck into a cinnamon bun, flaky cardamom swirl or pain au chocolat. It also sells cheese from the owner’s parents’ farm. svedjanbageri.se…

What makes the food culture of Hokkaido unique? The blend of cultural influences. I was struck by the similarities to Wisconsin, where I’m from. There’s that Midwestern-style agriculture, focusing on crops like corn and potato, and dairy farming. During the Meiji Restoration from the 1870s, the Japanese government enlisted Middle European and Midwestern American agriculturalists to advise on Western farming methods, because these regions share a similar climate and terrain to Hokkaido. That’s why you can find old German beer halls like those in Milwaukee, some even serving German potato salad. A piece of home, but in Japan. And, of course, there’s the important influence of the Indigenous Ainu people, who migrated centuries ago from northern Russia. That’s why I wanted to spotlight Ainu food. I spoke to a lot…

This soup is an excellent way to use all the edible parts of the artichoke. SERVES: 4 TAKES: 55 MINS INGREDIENTS 4 artichokes½ lemon, juiced½ garlic clove, crushed2 tbsp olive oil25g butter2 onions, chopped400ml chicken or vegetable stock1 pinch cayenne pepper20g plain flour250ml cream2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley METHOD 1 Cut off and peel the artichoke stems and immediately drop them into a bowl of water with half the lemon juice. Remove the artichoke petals, peeling them down to the hearts, then remove the inner petals directly above the artichoke hearts. Immediately drop the petals into the bowl of lemon water to prevent them from oxidising. Remove and discard the fibrous chokes from the hearts. 2 Mix 1 litre water with the garlic, olive oil, remaining lemon juice and a pinch of…

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