Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2025 i National Geographic Traveller Food

Leyla Rose As an Indonesian who grew up eating tempeh, I thought I knew everything about it. But writing this story introduced me to new ways of preparing this curious ingredient — it had never crossed my mind that it could be used in desserts. It’s exciting to watch its popularity grow as Lombok’s food scene begins to flourish. LOMBOK, P. 36 Helen Iatrou My mother’s skordalia — a garlic dip enjoyed year-round in Greece but especially with fried cod on Greek Independence Day — is strong enough to torch taste buds. I loved chatting with taverna owners about the walnut version traditionally made in Macedonia — a rarity on menus these days.  COVER STORY, P. 26 Anastasia Miari I’ve loved exploring Greece via its food and discovering that it’s…

Like most Chinese people, I grew up with tofu as a staple — as common as eggs and rice. With its mild flavour, it takes on the taste of whatever it’s seasoned or cooked with, and is also very forgiving and easy to handle. Chinese legend has it that tofu was invented by Prince Liu An during the Han Dynasty, and whether or not that’s true, it’s been consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In a process not dissimilar to cheese-making, it’s created by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid blocks of varying softness — silken, soft, firm and others. While it’s widely used in East and Southeast Asian cooking, in the West tofu has historically been perceived as a meat substitute and less…

Manon Fleury approaches being a chef the same way she does fencing. “Gastronomy is often presented as a job in which you compete against others — but in reality, it’s not at all,” says Fleury, who, prior to opening her Paris restaurant Datil, was a member of the French fencing team. Demanding schedules, adrenaline and the ultimate satisfaction that comes with success can be found in both disciplines. But it’s teamwork that’s important above all else. “What I advocate for at Datil is helping one another, kindness and respect — values that can also be found in sports — while going above and beyond, a requirement in upscale gastronomy.” Building a healthy work environment was one of the main concerns when Datil opened in 2023. Although the kitchen follows a…

When does the dish date back to? Ancient Megara, a region of central Greece, on the Corinth Isthmus, was famous for its garlic and onion production in the fifth century BCE. Greece’s first skordalia is believed to have its origins in these ancient times, when it was known as mittotos and comprised garlic, olive oil, boiled leeks, egg and fresh cheese. Today, skordalia shows a similar reverence for the edible bulb, the recipe combining garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon or vinegar, with either boiled potatoes or stale white crustless bread. The pungent garlic dip is a staple of every Greek home and almost all tavernas throughout the country. How is it made? Every region does it differently. In the Ionian Islands, for example, Venetian rule is evident in the…

Beef rendang is typically eaten with rice, but the tempeh version is quite filling, so I recommend serving it alongside a green salad with piquant dressing, or with cooked vegetables of your choice. Leftovers can be frozen (add a little more coconut milk when reheating if it’s looking too dry), but the recipe is also easily halved. SERVES: 10 TAKES: 2 HRS INGREDIENTS 6 shallots, sliced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 5cm piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped 6-10 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 5cm piece of galangal, peeled and chopped 2 litres coconut milk 1.2kg tempeh, cut into 2cm cubes 1-2 salam leaves, bay leaves or kaffir lime (makrut) leaves 1 lemongrass stem, bruised 1 tsp salt, or to taste METHOD…

SERVES: 8-10 TAKES: 2 HRS 5 MINS PLUS COOLING INGREDIENTS FOR THE MERINGUE 250g egg whites (6-8 eggs, depending on size)½ tsp cream of tartar400g caster sugar2 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp white vinegar2 tsp cornflourpinch of salt FOR THE CREAM 400ml double cream150g mascarpone50g icing sugar1 tsp vanilla extract FOR THE BERRY FILLING 500g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries), washed, patted dry2-3 passion fruit (optional) METHOD 1 Use a plate or cake tin around 24cm in diameter to trace a circle on a sheet of baking paper. Place the sheet ink-side down on a large baking tray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 150C, fan 130C and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. 2 For the meringue, place the egg whites in…

“I’m not really a farmer,” Renee Delaney tells me sheepishly, despite our surroundings clearly suggesting otherwise. Nearby, a chorus of grunting piglets wallow in a mud bath, overlooked by a pen of miniature goats. “All this started life 10 years ago with just one tomato plant, which I brought to put food on the table as a single mother,” says Renee. She gestures, with an arm covered in botanical tattoos, at her 19-acre plot at Small Scale Farms. An abundant tapestry of potato fields and vines bowing under the weight of juicy ripe tomatoes unfurls towards a distant red barn, which is home to the farm shop, painting a glorious picture of rural idyll. Canada’s Niagara Region, in the province of Ontario, encompasses a verdant patch of vineyards and orchards.…

The story of Lisbon’s culinary evolution over the past decade is one of homecomings. Portuguese chefs, having sought their fortunes in the great kitchens of Europe, were drawn home by saudade, that uniquely Portuguese concept of longing. And together with other homegrown and overseas talent, they’ve fuelled a gastronomic sea change in Lisbon, insisting on a lightness and daring that defies the conservative culinary leanings of the past century. Today, Lisbon’s restaurant scene is as as cosmopolitan as you’ll find anywhere in Europe. With brasserie Santa Joana, molecular master Nuno Mendes has returned to his home city to offer a modern twist on Portuguese flavours — rich morsels such as grilled chicken hearts with pica pau sauce; and ocean-fresh dishes, from tuna belly to juicy red shrimps. And at Ofício,…

OUR PICK DALMATIA  Ino Kuvačić With more than 3,600 miles of coastline, Croatia’s Dalmatia region is intrinsically tied to the sea. This is apparent in its cuisine, where fish and seafood plucked directly from the Adriatic reigns supreme, whether it’s delicately sweet and silky oysters or smoky grilled sea bream. Melbourne-based restaurateur Ino Kuvačić — originally from Split, Dalmatia’s largest city — believes the flavours of his homeland deserve to be celebrated. In his latest cookbook, he transports readers to the cobbled streets of the region’s medieval towns, offering more than 100 recipes, most of which are designed to be shared. Classic dishes such as brudet (seafood stew) and splitska pašticada (Split-style beef with red wine, prunes and apples) take centre stage, while small plates, including kozice s pršutom (prawns…

Discover the gourmet flavours of Contrada, the Michelin starred restaurant nestled in the heart of Castel Monastero — a luxurious five-star resort set within a historic medieval monastery, just minutes from Siena. Embark on a unique culinary journey through the traditions and beauty of the Chianti region and savour signature creations by Chef Davide Canella, such as fusillone with black kale pesto and snail Genovese, or eel ravioli with veal jus, green caviar and garum. Loc. Monastero D’Ombrone, 19, 53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga SI | Tel: +39 0577 570570 reservtions@castelmonastero.com | castelmonastero.com | @castelmonastero…

Vibrant salads of sun-ripened tomatoes, crunchy cucumber and tangy cheese. Unctuous dips paired with fresh bread. Gently spiced meat, seafood and veggie dishes. Greece is one of the world’s great gastronomic destinations, full of the flavours of summer — so, in this issue of Food, we’re giving you the lowdown on six of the country’s iconic dishes. Check out our cover story (p.26) to find out what to eat — and where. Since launching Food in 2018, we’ve garnered numerous awards, both for the magazine itself and for our editors and contributors, who’ve travelled far and wide in search of the world’s tastiest dishes, pioneering chefs and fascinating food cultures. You’ll find all that and more in this issue. Don’t miss our interview with chef Manon Fleury, who’s fighting for…

“We sit in the shade of the guinep tree and I give guests a drink of liquid gold,” says Gina Empson of xocolatl, a vanilla-spiced cocoa drink. “Aztec king Montezuma served it in a golden chalice. It was rare, precious and luscious.” Swiss-British Gina speaks enthusiastically about the visitor experience at her organic vanilla farm in Nevis — a key part of which is the chance to drink vanilla-infused xocolatl, or ‘liquid gold’. Things have changed a lot since 2019. Back then, living in Switzerland, Gina couldn’t place the 36sq mile volcanic island on the map. But her partner had the chance to continue his work as a surgeon in St Kitts and Nevis, so the couple visited the dualisland nation and became so enchanted with it, Gina decided to…

Thanks to its rich clay deposits, Sifnos has become known as an island for ceramicists. Clay pots have been used to cook with for centuries resulting in dishes native to this wind-battered island, unique to the vessel in which they’re slow-baked. None is more Sifnian than revithada — a baked chickpea stew traditionally served on Sundays and made in a skepastaria, the small clay bowl dedicated to its cooking. Left in a wood-burning oven overnight, the ultra-soft chickpeas are infused with lemon and bay leaves, and these few ingredients achieve a perfectly comforting dish that sings with the zing of local citrus. What makes revithada so special is the time that goes into cooking it. Local cook Maro, owner of To Maro boutique apartments, stresses the importance of baking on…

Sweet as it tastes, this much-loved dessert has a bitter history. As is the case with both hummus and hamburgers, the pavlova’s birthplace is hotly disputed, with Australia and New Zealand each claiming credit for the idea of crowning towers of billowing meringue with clouds of snowy cream and tumbling fruit. Regular shots are fired back and forth across the Tasman Sea, most recently when a Kiwi energy company ‘declared war’ by installing an advert at Auckland Airport baggage reclaim stating: ‘Home is where the pavlova was really created’. Reactions on the other side of ‘the ditch’ were outraged: ‘Nice of them to promote tourism to Australia’ was one online comment. The feud goes all the way to the top, as then Kiwi prime minister Jacinda Ardern discovered when she…

 SERVES: 8 TAKES: 30 MINS INGREDIENTS a handful of washed, roughly cut garlic scapes (these stalks can be substituted with 3 large garlic cloves)15g basil, freshly picked33g black walnuts (can be substituted with hazelnuts or pine nuts)140g grated Guernsey heritage cheddar cheese (or parmesan) zest of half a lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste14 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp wine vinegar½ tsp honey sea salt and freshly ground pepper METHOD 1 Start with the garlic scapes (stem and flower head of a garlic bulb, in season in the UK, March-April). Fast boil the scapes for 90 secs and then plunge them into cold water. 2 Remove the scapes from the water and pulse in a blender or food processor with the basil, black walnuts (which can be lightly…

These medieval districts are the Lisbon of postcards. Vintage trams rattle past churches, washing hangs from Juliet balconies and every bend reveals a simple taverna. Start the day with something sweet at Casa São Miguel, a tea shop serving Portuguese treats from across the provinces. Pasteis de nata, Lisbon’s legendary custard tarts, are freshly made on site, but there are also rarer treats: carob balls from the Algarve and orange pie from Alentejo. Get your caffeine fix here, or wander uphill to Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, where a specialist coffee cart awaits most days. If it’s a Saturday or Tuesday, Feira da Ladra flea market sets up beside São Vicente de Fora. Both this monastery and the nearby National Pantheon offer spectacular rooftop vistas but the area’s crowning glory…

Hugging the River Thames at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, the well-heeled Georgian market town of Marlow, has attracted numerous authors over the centuries — Mary Shelley, TS Eliot and Jerome K Jerome all lived here at various points. Now, however, it’s a destination for food-lovers. Since Tom Kerridge opened his now two-Michelin-starred pub The Hand and Flowers (thehandandflowers.co.uk) two decades ago, Marlow has become known for its culinary scene — and while it continues to do a strong line in posh pubs, fantastic dining comes in all shapes and sizes here. Among the newest additions is a permanent residency for Ginger Wings (gingerwings.com), a chicken shop from Jack Blumenthal (son of Heston) at craft beer spot The Crafty Taproom on the High Street. Another is The…

This recipe is a very traditional way of cooking mushrooms and it makes a great lunch for cool days, served with pilau rice. In the days before refined white sugar, varenik — or grape molasses — was used as a sweetener in Croatia. The flavour is unique, with hints of caramel, fresh fruit, flowers and coffee. When I make a batch, it lasts me a long time, and I add it to salads, sauces, stews and sometimes soups. SERVES: 6-8 TAKES: 3 HRS 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 5kg red grapes2kg mushrooms (such as field or slippery jacks)5 garlic cloves, crushed250ml extra virgin olive oil1kg brown onions, thinly sliced100ml red wine vinegar1½ tbsp sugar100ml prošek (Dalmatian fortified wine) or port2 tbsp tomato puree½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish METHOD 1 For…

SOLIHULL • HAMPTONMANOR.COM It’s hard to go wrong with chips and dips — at least at Kynd, where the ‘artichoke crisps, artichoke harissa’ is one of the best things I’ve eaten in ages. The ‘crisps’ — crunchy fried artichoke petals — arrive wedged into a luxurious mound of creamed artichoke, drizzled with herb oil and smoky harissa. I could easily devour the entire portion my friend and I have ordered to share. This dish is indicative of what chef director David Taylor and head chef Alex Hardy are going for at their new restaurant at Hampton Manor, outside Solihull. They take a lowwaste, farm-to-table approach and honour the produce they use — a mushroom croquette starter is another dish that, like the artichoke crisps, celebrates a hero ingredient, this time…

Treat yourself or a loved one to an annual National Geographic Traveller (UK) subscription and get 10 issues for £30, with free delivery to your door — plus a complimentary Hydro Flask worth £38. Visit CHECKOUT.NATGEOTRAVELLER.CO.UK/OFFERS and use code ‘DJUNE25’ or call 01858 438787 and quote code ‘DJUNE25’ T&Cs: Closing date for orders is 1 September 2025. The price shown is a UK Direct Debit offer. Your subscription will begin with the next available issue. If you do not cancel at the end of that period, the subscription will auto-renew by Direct Debit annually at £38. All subscriptions are non-refundable. The Hydro Flasks are subject to availability and for UK subscribers only. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery of the Hydro Flask. This is a limited offer and may…

I first came across Austrian wine around 30 years ago in San Francisco, of all places, at a restaurant called The Slanted Door that served Vietnamese food, with which I was equally unfamiliar. I was blown away by a fresh, peppery white called grüner veltliner — a wine made from a grape of the same name — along with how well it suited the dishes we’d ordered. Since then, it’s become hugely popular. Almost every supermarket has an own-label grüner and it’s still my go-to with most Southeast Asian food. Although it accounts for a third of Austrian wine production — approximately 70% of of which is white — grüner is not the only type in town. Austria also produces world-class riesling, generally drier than those from Germany, along with…

As a child, Sunday mornings were spent in the kitchen of my yiayia. My Greek grandmother — or yiayia — cooked in the whitewashed shack built by my grandfather to keep the scent of frying fish and spices away from the main house. Cloves and cinnamon spiked the air as a rich tomato sauce and beef short ribs simmered away, cooking for hours before the pasta it would be served with — thick bucatini or penne to soak up the richly spiced sauce — went into a separate pot. Pastitsada or ‘la pastizzada’ as the island’s Venetian colonisers called it, is a dish that’s been representative of Corfu for hundreds of years. Slow-cooked meat — beef, rabbit, rooster or, on occasion, octopus — is stewed in a deep-red tomato sauce…

SERVES: 4-6 TAKES: 1 HR, PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING FOR SALT COD INGREDIENTS 1kg plain or salt cod filletsoregano, for sprinkling500g good-quality tomatoes (if they’re not in season, use 1 heaped tbsp tomato paste)120ml olive oil2 medium red onions, roughly chopped3 large garlic cloves3 medium to large potatoes (around 600g in total)1 cinnamon stick½ tsp whole peppercorns5 allspice seeds5 cloves4 bay leaves100g Greek currants1 red pepper, roughly choppedbunch of fresh parsley, chopped with stems METHOD 1 If using salt cod, desalinate overnight in a bowl of water, rinsing several times. The next day, run each fillet under a cold tap and squeeze the water out. For plain cod, ignore this step. 2 Lay the fish flat in an ovenproof dish or tray, sprinkle with oregano and set aside. Preheat oven to…

1870s Thanks to widespread Germanic emigration, meringue-based schaum tortes make it as far as the American Midwest 1929 The first recipe for a large, meringue-based ‘pavlova cake’ is published in the New Zealand Dairy Exporter Annual 1953 The young Queen Elizabeth II is served pavlova by Queen Salote of Tonga TIMELINE 18th century Meringue-based desserts become fashionable among the aristocracy of Central Europe 1926 Anna Pavlova tours Australia and New Zealand so successfully that she returns to Australia three years later 1935 Herbert ‘Bert’ Sachse puts pavlova on the menu at Perth’s Esplanade Hotel 2009 New Zealand Prime Minister John Key describes the Australian claim to have invented the pavlova as “totally ridiculous”…

Just west of the historic centre, this arc of desirable neighbourhoods cradles some of Lisbon’s most fashionable shops and restaurants. Breakfast on wasabi eggs benedict on the leafy patio of Marquise. And if it’s a Saturday, head over to the organic farmers’ market at Parque Príncipe Real, which sells local honey, cakes and orange juice. Across the street, don’t miss EmbaiXada, a 20th-century neo-Arab palace turned indie emporium showcasing the work of national and local designers. The light interiors and pretty setting on the edge of Praça das Flores are the cherry on top of a playful sharing menu at Magnolia Bistrot & Winebar, whose highlights include a pork-filled brioche with comté and pineapple chutney. Alternatively, By Milocas, set within the Centro Cultural de Cabo Verde, celebrates the island cuisine…

What’s your connection with the Balearic Islands? In 1996, I settled in Barcelona and married a Catalan woman I’d met in London. A few years later, we visited Menorca for the first time. We fell in love with the island and, in 2014, bought a traditional 19th-century townhouse in Es Mercadal. Menorca has become a second home; I spend about four months a year there. Apart from having a great food store and weekly market, most of our neighbours have little gardens; when things come into season, people are always bringing over big baskets of lemons or figs. Meals rely heavily on local produce and preserves, and have fewer ingredients. I head to the fish market hoping rather than planning to buy a specific item. I know that what ends…

Moist, spongy and easy to make, the basic cake in the Balearics is known generally as pa de pessic, and calls for olive oil and yoghurt rather than butter and milk. With the important orange industry around Sóller, on the slopes of Majorca’s Serra de Tramuntana range, there’s little wonder that some zest and juice would find its way into this home staple. While it’s usually served after lunch or dinner, this cake is, for me, best for breakfast with my morning coffee. SERVES: 10-12 TAKES: 45 MINS INGREDIENTS butter, for greasing250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting120ml plain unsweetened yoghurt zest and juice (about 100ml) of 1 orange100ml mild olive oil or neutral oil1 tbsp baking powder3 large eggs, separated180g sugaricing sugar, for dusting METHOD 1 Heat the oven…

Take a winning mix of culinary influences, both Indigenous and international, mix it with global influences, and blend with the freshest ingredients from land and sea, and you get one of the world’s best food cities. Anyone who has eaten their way around this mountain-dotted coastal capital will know that its latest generation of chefs are as versed in French gastronomy as they are in the vibrant curries of Cape Malay cuisine. Here’s how to enjoy a long weekend sampling Cape Town’s rich flavours. DAY ONE: LOCAL PERSPECTIVES Start with a guided jaunt through the city centre with Cape Fusion, a locally led tour company that blends food with cultural insights. Expect to try South Africa’s national dish of bobotie — baked curried mince that’s layered, lasagne-like, with an egg-based…

I’VE BEEN CHECKING OUT… The Lygon Arms, a historic Cotswolds former coaching inn with elegantly trad rooms and dining by James Martin (don’t miss Wellington Weekends for the classic dish with all the trimmings). It also offers an array of activities — butter churning, anyone? Nicola Trup, editor I’VE BEEN TASTING… Hoop Chips, crisps made from sustainably grown Costa Rican plantain. Flavours include garlic, lemon pepper and cinnamon — and 23p from each pack goes towards supporting youth basketball clubs in London. Sarah Barrell, senior editor I’VE BEEN TUCKING INTO… BOXTAPAS!, a selection of delicious tapas ingredients sourced from small producers across Spain and delivered to your door. There are five boxes — classic, chorizo, seafood, vegetarian and gourmet — and products include green olive tapenade, Iberico pâté and Galician…