What are the main activities travelers usually do? Photographing? Hiking? Visiting museums? Maybe! However, one thing is essential for all travelers - eating. Although it might be unnecessary to taste local food, food lovers try to experience local dishes and look for a place where the national cuisine is served. When other travelers are interested in the best countries to visit, sea food lovers may look for the best Asian countries to visit or search for the best countries to visit in Europe.
What are the best countries to visit?
If you are interested in which countries are the best for travel, you will get many answers. There are many countries for food lovers, such as Italy, Japan, India, France, etc. You can find enough cafes for food lovers in the cities of these countries. Nevertheless, tastes are not subject to argument. If you are one of the seafood lovers, you may look for the best Asian countries to visit because they do it better. If you like to taste something spicy, you can either visit India or Mexico, or Georgia. Here you can find everything about the five best countries for food lovers around the world.
Italy
Italy at the top of my list of the best countries to visit in Europe because no other country could export so many of its dishes abroad. From the antipasto to pasta and pizza to dessert, everyone knows and loves Italian delicacies. Since Italians use few products for their dishes, they pay more attention to their exquisite quality. Pasta, which is especially popular among children, is just an intermediate dish that is served after the antipasti, often grilled, pickled vegetables, specialties of cheese or sausage. This Mediterranean cuisine uses olive oil, fresh herbs, and vegetables, also fish and seafood. The further north the traveler goes, the more often meat and dairy products are served. I recommend trying risotto, gnocchi, or a minestrone (a vegetable soup) in addition to the pasta. To the main course, specialties include Saltimbocca Alla Romana (veal schnitzel with ham and sage), Fritto di Porcini (fried porcini mushrooms), Ossobuco Alla Milanese (Milanese-style veal shank), and Pesce Spada Alla Siciliana (swordfish). Particularly delicious Italian desserts are profiterole, panna cotta, sorbetto, zabaione, and, of course, tiramisu. In each region, as always, your wine goes best with regional specialties. The well-known include Chianti and Barolo.
India
Curry is probably the first thing that comes to mind when we are talking about Indian cuisine. A blend of spices is an important part of Indian cuisine. However, this is not the yellow powder, but a mixture of spices made anew every day, mixed from different components in every Indian family, and can also vary from dish to dish. The Indians call this masala. An Indian curry is similar to a ragout and is served with rice or bread, depending on the region. It originally comes from Tamil cuisine. Of course, Indian cuisine varies greatly between Sri Lanka and the Himalayas, and the different religious backgrounds and castles also influence vegetarianism and the renunciation of beef and pork. Therefore, chicken is popular in almost all regions and is often processed in curry or as tandoori.
Mainly, however, dairy products and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas serve as protein suppliers. In the north of India, where food lovers go, you can enjoy moderately spicy specialties with dairy products, nuts, goats, or lamb, as well as dishes from the tandoor. The filled dumplings samosas are incredibly aromatic. In the east of the country, dessert fans, in particular, get their money's worth. You can try the aromatic rice pudding Khir or the Sandesh confection. They get fish and seafood, as well as fresh vegetables and fruit in tropical South India. Here you should also try the various biryanis (rice dishes) and sambars (spicy lentil dishes). Beware, the South Indians like to eat spicy and seasoned with chilies, Kerala pepper, and ginger! In West India, you will encounter a varied, strongly spiced cuisine that likes to use legumes. The most popular dishes include chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken with rice, fish or lamb curry, vindalho, lassi (a yogurt-based drink), chapati with lentil and carrot curry, biryani and pakora, and bread such as naan, puri or masala dosa and side dishes such as pickle, chutney or paan.
Japan
Like the French and Italians, the Japanese pay strict attention to their products' quality and freshness. To underline each product's taste, they use very little oil and spices compared to other East Asian countries. That is why I consider Japan as one of the best Asian countries to visit. No other capital in the world, not even Paris, has as many star restaurants as Tokyo. At the same time, life expectancy in Japan is remarkably high, which is attributed to the extremely healthy diet of the Japanese. The essential ingredient of every main course is rice, which the Japanese call "han," "ii" or "meshi" (which also means meal) in its cooked form. The accompanying side dish is called "okazu" and often consists of fish and seafood in an island nation. To try out the different types of fish in their purest form, sushi is particularly ideal. The Kobe and Matsusaka cattle provide particularly fine meat. Stone grill dishes and teriyaki (marinated meat) are also delicious. A Japanese variant of the Indian curry is called "kare" and is as popular dishes as others.
France
Since UNESCO officially declared France's cuisine an intangible World Cultural Heritage, it has been official: Gourmets do not miss out on holiday in France. This country is also one of the best countries to visit in Europe for its gastronomy. French chefs have 628 Michelin stars, and even the average French citizen spends around three times as much money on food as its neighbors. The French cuisine and the production of the multifaceted range of ingredients look back on a long tradition that has been cultivated for centuries and also characterizes abroad. The western kitchens have also adapted to the menu starter, main course, and dessert of the so-called "haute cuisine," which can be extended to up to 10 times and more. Although we highlight the baguette and the French cheese combined with a good bottle of red wine, the French have much more to offer. With a wide range of different regional kitchens, everyone can find something. You will find high-quality and perfectly prepared meat as well as a suitable bottle of the best wine in every French region and for all kinds of budgets. The south's Mediterranean cuisine also uses vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines and likes olive oil, garlic, and aromatic herbs. Fish fans get their money's worth with bouillabaisse in Marseille or the north's coastal regions with seafood and fish dishes. Noble truffles, foie gras, await you in the Perigord. Fans of the hearty cuisine can choose between Alsace, which offers sauerkraut, sausages, pork specialties, and southern France's rural areas, where tasty stews cassoulet made from beans, bacon, and meat.
Morocco
Finally, I bring some oriental exoticism to this list: Morocco promises the curious traveler Moorish architecture and contrasting landscapes and lively bazaars and a food lovers cafe with oriental delicacies. Colorful stands with almonds, olives, legumes, dates, and vegetables enchant the senses, as do those with fragrant spices and herbs (cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, and saffron, fresh mint and coriander, as well as mixtures such as Ras el-Hanout and Baharat). The North Africans like to combine these with fish and seafood or lamb and spice it up with the spicy harissa chili sauce. Couscous (wheat, millet, or barley semolina) is particularly popular and served as the basis for a wide variety of dishes, but especially for the tabbouleh starter and various main courses with braised vegetables and meat in a spicy sauce. The so-called tajine, which is prepared in the same name's clay vessel, is an extremely sociable dish. It consists of a large plate with a conical lid at the top of which steam can escape through a hole. Tagine dishes are very aromatic and juicy. Usually, the entire family gathers around the plate and eats straight from it with three fingers and flatbread. Tajines can be made based on meat like chicken and lamb, but fish is also popular. Our favorites are chicken, lemon and olives tagines or lamb tajines, and caramelized quince. The North African desserts are particularly sweet because they are soaked in honey. An Arabic tea with fresh mint rounds off the meal in an authentic way.