Food and Drink Archives - Europe Up Close

Food Safari: Slurping Swedish Oysters

Published/Revised August 4, 2019 By Guest Contributor This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Food Safari: Slurping Swedish Oysters The secret to the best oysters and mussels in the world is quite simple, says Septuagenarian fisherman, Lars Marstone. First, they need to grow in water that stays frigid year-round. Then you must eat them within minutes of plucking them from the sea. Here on the craggy Bohuslan coast of western Sweden, both criteria are easily met in their Swedish ... Read Full Article

10 Traditional Polish Food Dishes You Must Try When You Visit Poland

Published/Revised July 30, 2019 By Guest Contributor This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The Best Traditional Polish Food That Isn't Pierogi Polish food is widely eaten around the world thanks to globalization and the many Poles living overseas. They bring with them their culture and glorious food. People think of traditional Polish food as being heavy, meat-and-veg type meals. The ones you want to enjoy in winter. This isn’t completely wrong. But how many traditional Polish dishes ... Read Full Article

Food Travel – Mastering the Art of French Eating on a Barge Cruise

Published/Revised February 9, 2019 By Maria Haase This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Food Travel for Pros French Cooking on a Barge Cruise Are you a foodie? I am too. Some of my food travel vacations are based solely on the iconic foods and drinks that I can find in a certain country or region. For some people, food is simply a way to put energy into their bodies, but for me, it is a way to relate to people, their culture, and even their history. There is so much you can learn ... Read Full Article

FICO Eataly World – A Foodie Heaven in Bologna

Published/Revised November 22, 2017 By Claudia Flisi This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

FICO Eataly World- A foodie heaven in Bologna Disneyland for foodies. That’s an accurate description of FICO Eataly World, Italy’s latest and largest food attraction, which opened on November 15, 2017, just outside Bologna, Italy. What is FICO Eataly World? FICO stands for Fabbrica Italiana Contadina (Italian factory farm); the name is a play on words, because fico in Italian means ... Read Full Article

Paella Recipe: Eating Spanish with The Ravenous Traveler

Published/Revised August 5, 2014 By Mattie Bamman This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Getting to know a foreign country through its traditional flavors is a whole-body experience. In Spain, the scent of sofrito—a mix of garlic, onion, peppers, and tomatoes sautéed in olive oil—can open the mind to Spanish culture just as quickly as a visit to Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Throw in a carefully made seafood stock, Spanish paprika, and Valencian-grown rice, and you’re getting closer ... Read Full Article

Spanish Ham: Jamón Serrano and Jamón Ibérico

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By Marilyn McFarlane This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Every restaurant in Spain (except for the few vegetarian places) serves ham. Not just any ham, not thick slices of Virginia country ham, nor Italian prosciutto style—no, the ham in Spain has its own very distinct flavor and tradition. Spaniards take great pride in their Jamón Serrano and Jamón Ibérico. On a recent visit to Madrid, we tasted ham in crusty rolls, ham in tapas snacks, ... Read Full Article

A Tapas Tour of Northern Spain

Published/Revised May 18, 2019 By Katie Hammel This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Tapas. Pinxtos. Or less formally, little bites of Spanish goodness. There are plenty of reasons to go to Spain; tapas just happen to be the tastiest. In northern Spain, typical tapas styles and the dishes that represent them can vary widely, as can the protocol for ordering and eating them in different regions. Here’s a primer on enjoying these small bites in three northern ... Read Full Article

Spain’s Best Culinary Experiences

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By Katie Hammel This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Spain is a culinary wonderland as diverse in tastes as it is in landscape and culture. From the hot, dry south of the Andalusia region to the hilly northern Basque country, Spain offers delicious delights at every turn. Here are some of the top tastes to try when visiting Spain. Rioja Wine Spain’s famous wine region is a can’t miss destination for any wine lover. There are over 500 wineries ... Read Full Article

Wine Touring in Spain’s Rioja Region

The Rioja region (in the north central part of the country) is Spain’s most famous wine-producing area. While there are over 500 wineries in the area, many are no-nonsense operations that haven’t yet caught on to the idea of wine tourism. Few have websites or offer tours and the majority that do require advance reservations, especially for a tour in English. For this reason, wine ... Read Full Article