Top 7 Best Countries in the World for Foodies

Photo: Wikipedia

Food has long been one of the best ways to understand the culture. The dinner table is where customs are born. Where friends, families, and lovers meet to create memories. Many religions revolve around food, with the Gods appreciating food offerings.

We’ve put together our top 10 countries for food, as well as our favorite dishes from each so that you can plan your foodie travels this year.

1. Japan

Japanese cuisine can be challenging for those, who are used to the food being cooked and soaked in grease. However nowhere else will find much seafood as in Japan: Sushi, sashimi, unagi, and sake… we all know this.

Besides food make sure to experience the tea ceremony, which is such an essential part of the local culture. This cuisine is not only about products and recipes, here a lot is about their indigenous culture and traditions. It is not surprising then that they made the whole world eat with chopsticks instead of knives and forks. You can feel strange with these:

Tempura – the Japanese contribution to the world’s love for deep-fried foods.

Wagashi – sweets, made of red bean paste

Unagi – eel

Soba and Udon – types of Noodles

Tonkatsu – deep-fried pork cutlets

Must-Drink in Japan: Yakitori beer, Sake, Tea

2. Italy

Photo: lacucinaitaliana.it

Italian cuisine must be number one in the world. Pasta, pizza, and ice-cream. However, in Italy, everything will taste ten times better since Italians use an abundance of freshly picked ingredients, herbs, seasoning, olive oil, and the magic touch provided by the chefs, who have been inspired by the hundreds of years of tradition.

Favorite Italian Dishes:

Abbacchio Alla Romana: Roman-style roast lamb.

Bucatini all’ Amatriciana: The hollow pasta

Pizza

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina: The Florentine Steak

It’s best served with a carafe of red wine.

3. China

Photo: topchinatravel.com

The food in China is one of the best cuisines in the world. China is unique in that it’s one of the best countries for food with incredible fruit and produce and yet, people who haven’t been there hardly know what Chinese cuisine really is.

Anyone who has been to China will quickly notice that there’s a complete lack of chow mein, sweet and sour pork, and fortune cookies. These were all adaptations made by Chinese chefs in foreign countries to make their dishes more palatable for western tastes. You can try:

Guo Bao Rou: “sweet and sour pork”

Sichuan Hot Pot: The piping hot broth is kept simmering in the center of the table while raw ingredients like thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli, potatoes, egg dumplings, tofu, and seafood are dunked into the soup to cook.

Soup Dumplings: Called Xiaolongbao, these dumplings are from the Jiangsu province of China and are usually filled with pork.

Liangpi Noodle: This cold noodle dish hails from the Shaanxi Province and is doused in delicious chili and sesame oil sauce and topped with thinly sliced cucumbers, sesame seeds, coriander, and fresh chili.

4. Spain

Photo: forkontheroad.net

The country boasts probably the most versatile Mediterranean cuisine. From lavish seafood dishes to world-famous bacon delicacies, from Arab inspired cuisine to the finest wines. Food is an inherent part of the versatile Spanish culture, which must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

Must-Try Spanish Dishes:

Pinchos: Many people already know that the word “tapas” refers to small Spanish plates, but even smaller finger-foods are the Spanish pincho, which originated in northern Spain. The word “pincho” literally means “spear or stick” which refers to the toothpick that’s poked through the dish to hold it all together.

Paella: This dish is originally from Valencia and some people say it comes from the Spanish words “para ella”, which literally means “for her”. This is because paella is a Spanish dish typically cooked by the men on Sundays for their women. While most Westerners only know the seafood version, the true traditional Valencia paella is actually made with rabbit, chicken, and sometimes duck (no seafood).

Tapas: Slightly larger and more famous than pinchos, and equally delicious are the Spanish tapas. These small plates are perfect for holding you over before dinner. Spanish people eat very late, no earlier than 10 pm, so for tourists, tapas are a great way to eat some snacks while you’re waiting for dinner restaurants to open.

5. France

Photo: snippetsofparis.com

We all know France for being a gourmet capital. Well, seems like it deserves this title. Croissant with a little cup of coffee in the morning – it’s a must-do in France.

All the food best-sellers come from here: baguettes, macaroni, praline, Madeleines, pain au chocolat, raisin brioche bread… The list is enormous. Onion cake and fish soup sound weird, but the French know how to make it delicious as well. When visiting France, you mustn't ignore:

Charcuterie – all varieties of meat, sausages, ham, etc.

Roquefort – famous blue cheese. Although it smells like old socks, the taste is worth all the aromatic inconveniences.

Bouillabaisse – fish soup.

Tartar – raw meat or fish, served with olive oil and flavors.

Croque-Monsieur – the best breakfast that you could ever imagine. It is a toasted sandwich with fried egg, ham, and melted cheese in between bread.

Must-Drink in France: wine, wine, and wine.

6. Thailand

Photo: unileverfoodsolutions.com.sg

Like many other Asian cuisines, Thai cooking uses rice as a basic ingredient for the majority of dishes. The word “food” in the Thai language means literally “to eat rice”. Furthermore, it has 5 main tastes, which you may meet in almost every dish. These are sour lime, savory fish sauce, hot chili, salt, and sweetness (usually added by palm tree).

Thai food has quickly become one of the most popular international cuisines and you can find a Thai restaurant in pretty much every country, so it’s not surprising that some of our favorite dishes are the most well-known. When visiting Thailand, eating is one of the top things to do…enjoy!

Famous Thai Dishes:

Pad Thai: Salty, sweet, spicy, and sour, it has all the tastes covered. With bean sprouts, peanuts, chives, and lime squeezed on top, it’s easy to see why this is Thailand’s most famous dish.

Massaman Curry: South Thai curry is typically made with chicken and potato mixing the subtle flavors of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg, and mace.

Tom Yum Goong: This spicy Thai soup with shrimp is another classic.

7. Mexico

Photo: mashed.com

Another place where foodies can indulge themselves in an inexhaustible feast of flavors, colors, spices, and music. Head out to vibrant Mexico City, which bursts with intense smells, tastes, and sounds. If you want to keep it at low key, go to a resort on the coast of California Sur and enjoy the food on the sandy beach, while watching a sunset.

Mexico can really provide around experience for the senses: not only food is rich with blends, but the culture, people, and nature are so inspiring.

Mexican Best Foods:

Ceviche: Small chunks of fish mixed with diced chilies and onions and sprinkled with salt and a tart blast of lime, Mexican ceviche is one of the best in the world.

Tacos El Pastor: A giant vertical pork rotisserie crisps on the outside before being shaved into thin strips and placed on a corn tortilla with a variety of toppings.

Cochinita Pibil: A Yucatan specialty consisting of pulled pork shoulder braised and marinated in an achiote paste, orange juice, and lime mixture and then traditionally cooked underground wrapped in banana leaves inside of a “pib”.

Quesadilla – a wrap with avocado, meat, chili pepper, and beans.

Empanadas – fried flakey pastry stuffed with chicken, beef, or cheese.

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