Have Food, Will Travel

This summer I was able to take almost a month off and travel to Switzerland and Africa. As you can imagine, food is a big part of my travels and I seek out food experiences that reflect the local culture wherever I go.

I enjoy learning how foods eaten in each area have been impacted by historical and cultural influences. For example, in central Africa three of the main components of the diet—maize, cassava and plantains—were introduced from other parts of the globe (the first two from the Americas, the latter from Southeast Asia). The multi-cultural Swiss have German, French and Italian traditions reflected in their menus.

I also like to taste the foodstuffs the locals are especially proud of. It’s no surprise that in Switzerland that included milk chocolate made from (what the Swiss consider to be) the superior milk of Swiss cows.

Food markets are a special favorite of mine. They provide a glimpse of everyday local life and hospitality. How else would I find out that women don’t butcher chickens in Ethiopia, instead relying on their male relatives, or the helpful live chicken market vendors if they live on their own.

Exploring local restaurants is always a pleasure but participating in hands-on cooking classes takes things to another level, even if my Ethiopian injera batter pouring skills could use a little work.

Food travels often provide the opportunity to try something new—although that’s getting harder and harder to do with the globalization of food products. I’m constantly seeking out unknown fruits and vegetables, asking questions about street food and squinting at the fields passing by the bus or train windows to see if I can recognize what’s growing.

Unfortunately, my travels also provide a first-hand view of how fast food and convenience foods are replacing traditional foods. For example, in Zambia I asked about the moringa tree (one of the Valley’s high-nutrient African imports) and was told that the local people really don’t gather it as much as they used to. And in the larger cities fast-food restaurants are seen as a sign of progress.

Although I’m usually laser-focused on our local food, it’s enlightening to take a look at the bigger global food scene now and then. And all the better to appreciate our local bounty.