Exploring Culture Through Food

Paella, chifrijo, baleadas, oh my! 

Sounds tasty, right? I am sure a lot of people can relate to the fact that there is an amazing part of traveling and that is…….THE FOOD!!!! As a huge foodie, having visited over 13 countries, I have tasted loads of different and delicious foods. 

From paella in Spain, to rice and beans in Costa Rica, to fondue in Switzerland, you name it. 

Many people will eat and try many dishes without really pondering their origins. Why do certain foods have certain names? Certain ingredients? Certain preparation methods? I feel like when we start to ask these questions, we start to truly understand culture. 
Whether exploring the vibrant food markets of Mexico, or eating dinner in a quaint trattoria in Rome, each dish represents history, culture, and community. When I think back to all my wonderful trips I have taken, my fondest memories always seem to be related somehow to food. The stories told over the dinner table, the smells wafting through the kitchen as I enjoy the cooking class I am taking in Spain, the conversation I am attempting to start in my broken German with the waiter in Berlin. 

There is a saying that goes “food is a lens for culture”, and I couldn’t agree more. Next time you travel, ask the locals about their traditional food and watch their faces light up. People love to bond over food, telling stories about how a corn tortilla is not as simple as one may think. How this staple food sustained their ancestors for thousands of years and how traditions still live on today. So, next time you’re in Italy, try the homemade pasta, in Mexico, try the traditional pozole, and in Thailand the infamous pad thai. Don’t forget to speak the infamous language of…..food.