As the weather gets cooler and the nights draw in, our attention turns to trying out new heart-warming dishes to soothe the soul. From Cali-Baja in San Diego to tacos in The Islands of Tahiti, celebrate autumn with our top 13 picks of culinary experiences around the world.
Peaches in Palisade, Colorado
Palisade, a small town in the west of Colorado, has a history of growing peaches as far back as the 1890s. Between June – October, the long sunny days and blue skies in Palisade allow for the peaches to develop a rich, sweet flavour. Autumn is the best time to purchase peaches; visitors will find them in the many supermarkets, street vendor stands and farmers markets around the town. www.colorado.com
Cali-Baja cuisine in San Diego, California
Known for its expansive beaches and laid back vibe, San Diego also has a distinct culinary scene, formed out of the merging of two powerful influences; fresh Californian fare, using local ingredients (namely fish and vegetables) and inspiring cooking techniques, and Baja cuisine, combining Mexican food with Mediterranean flavours. Cali-Baja cuisine is available in abundance across San Diego, whether visitors are in search of high-end dining experiences or affordable street food. www.sandiego.org
Discover the European Region of Gastronomy 2021 – Slovenia
Slovenia has established a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting new culinary destinations and in 2021, the city was named European Region of Gastronomy based on its foodie-related offers, projects and programmes combined with the development of sustainable living and quality of life. Located in the green heart of Europe between the Alps, Mediterranean Sea, Karst and the Pannonian, Slovenia’s culinary scene takes inspiration from its landlocked neighbours as well as Slovenian landscapes and culinary traditions. This combination of four geographically very different areas contributes to the rich and diverse culinary offerings across the country not to mention its garden to table philosophy, new Green Cuisine label and michelin-star awards – Slovenia currently holds seven and is home to the female chef Ana Ros who holds two stars. tasteslovenia.si/en/
Paella in Valencia
Celebrated annually on 20 September, World Paella Day shines a spotlight on the most universally renowned dish in Valencian gastronomy. Each year the southeastern Spanish city celebrates the event with a Paella making competition inviting chefs from all over the world to compete and create the most exciting and innovative Paella dish that year. There are many Paella trails available to experience throughout the city and not to be missed is a visit to L’Albufera Natural Park where paella was said to be invented. A meal of humble Valencian origin that has transcended all borders, there are approximately 8 million yearly searches on the internet, making Paella the fourth most sought after dish on the planet. www.visitvalencia.com/en
Fresh off the dock seafood in Florida’s Paradise Coast
Fresh seafood is in abundance across Florida’s Paradise Coast, served in award-winning and independent restaurants, locally owned cafes and high-end resort restaurants. Unofficially crowned as the ‘Stone Crab Capital of the World’, the annual Stone Crab Claw Harvest Festival takes place at the Historic Old Naples Waterfront in October and the weekend sees live music, family-friendly activity and fresh off the boat seafood with locally harvested stone crab claws. The harvest season runs from October – May and in order to harvest the most desirable part of the crab, fishermen detach claws at the joint and throw the rest of the crustaceans back. Stone crabs have the ability to regenerate their claws every one to two years, making this Florida’s most coveted sustainable food source. www.paradisecoast.com
Fried Chicken Trail & ‘Dirty Balls’ in Sacramento
Farm to fork isn’t a passing fad in Sacramento – the region has been an agricultural powerhouse for more than a century, boasting a year-round growing season, ideal climate and a mouth-watering bounty of crops. However, visitors to California’s capital can embark on something a little more indulgent – a delicious, mother-cluckin’ adventure on the incredible Fried Chicken Trail. Sign up for the pass and enjoy some of the best fried chicken in Northern California at these 11 stops. If that wasn’t enough, visitors can also stop by Culinerdy Kitchen for their signature ‘dirty balls’ – deep fried brussel sprouts topped with cheese and fried jalapenos – as seen on favoured by chef Tom Kerridge. www.visitsacramento.com
Michelin-starred sushi in West Hollywood
Sushi Ginza Onodera hosts two Michelin stars serving quality Edomae style traditional sushi with fish that is imported from Toyosu Fish Market and delicious rice from Niigata prefecture tinted in red vinegars. Hidden among a host of high-end boutiques, Sushi Ginza Onodera offers light-filled space, resplendent with Japanese elegance and knowledgeable staff. The nigiri are a clear highlight here including tiger shrimp with miso, sea perch seared for a hint of smoke and a duo of anago with shanso and yuzu zest. The signature matcha- and coconut-panna cotta is a must to finish with. www.visitwesthollywood.com
Twisted Burgers & seasonal brews in Yosemite Mariposa
1850 restaurant in Yosemite Mariposa is best known for its “twisted burgers”. These range from a classic burger to a Sloppy Jake’s, a double-burger Cowboss and an incredible 50/50 bacon-beef burger. One of the most famous burgers served here is called “The Bootjack”: a fresh, hand-formed burger topped with thick applewood-smoked bacon, beer-battered onion rings, cheddar cheese and signature homemade BBQ sauce. Wash down with one of their many flagship and seasonal brews such as the El Portal Hoppy Lager, the Bridalveil Honey Blonde Ale and the Big Boss Blueberry Milkshake. www.yosemite.com
Rick Stein’s favourite Clam Chowder in SLO CAL
Pismo Beach, located in SLO CAL, is often called a “Classic California” beach town and for good reason. With surfboards bobbing in the water, a bustling pier and ‘mom and pop’ shops galore, this sunny untouched paradise feels plucked straight from an old California postcard. Where better to tuck into some deliciously creamy clam chowder! When chef Rick Stein visited California for his BBC travel series he made a bee-line for the sandy shores of Pismo Beach to try Splash Cafe’s rich clam chowder and get the full SLO CAL experience. www.slocal.com
Shuck shuck shuck in San Francisco
San Francisco’s Ferry Building is a vibrant gathering of local farmers, artisan producers, and independently owned and operated food businesses, and the spot to soak up San Francisco’s world-class food scene. The star of the show is the Hog Island Oyster Company restaurant, where guests can enjoy an assortment of raw oysters on the half-shell, a traditional oyster stew, steamed clams, and clam chowder, all farmed and sorted by hand in the tiny hamlet of Marshall, just north of the city. www.visitcalifornia.com
The humble potato, elevated Aspen style
Aspen and Snowmass Village have burnished an international reputation for excellent restaurants and Ajax Tavern’s sun-drenched, mountainside patio is up there with the best. This spot, located in The Little Nell hotel, can be seen from halfway up the mountain and is great for people-watching; there’s no better seat in town. The truffle fries and Ajax wagyu double cheeseburger have earned their reputation as one of the go-to meals during a hard day’s skiing. The fries even have their own spot on the Food Network’s menu items and are so popular that there is a position in the kitchen known as “the fry guy,” who deals almost exclusively with potato prep. www.aspensnowmass.com
The world’s highest tequileria in Mammoth Lakes
After a day on the mountains guests head to Gomez’s. At an elevation of 8054′, and approaching over 1,000 bottles, this is the largest, highest Tequileria in the world. The full service Mexican restaurant, located in The Village at Mammoth, features amazing enchiladas and tacos, and the world famous Mammoth Margarita. Just don’t blame us for any sore heads the next morning! www.visitmammoth.com
Tahitian Tacos in The Islands of Tahiti
Tahitian tacos are inspired by the The Islands of Tahiti’s national dish poisson cru, a dish of fresh tuna marinated in lime and coconut milk. Tahitian chef, Heimata Hall of Tahiti and Moorea Food Tours, created this recipe after being inspired by his travels, combining the flavours of the South Pacific, with a classic Mexican dish. He makes his tacos on Tahiti and Moorea with locally sourced seafood and tropical fruits such as mangoes and coconuts. www.tahititourisme.uk
Pacific saury in Japan this autumn
Pacific Saury (sanma) is a kind of fish Japanese people eat in autumn because it is fatty and tasty in this season. People typically broil (Japanese style grilling) whole sauries with just salt, squirt a little lemon or yuzu, and a bit of soy sauce. Broiled sauries are usually served with grated radish. Besides broiling, you can also enjoy raw sauries (sashimi) if you can get fresh ones. www.japan.travel/en
Ishikawa cuisine: Kanazawa curry & Kaburazushi
If Japanese curry is a hit then Ishikawa’s Kanazawa curry must be a smash. Famous for a thickly rich brown sauce with a sweet caramel flavour to it, Kanazawa curry is served with deep-fried pork cutlet and shredded cabbage. Another popular dish in Ishikawa is kaburazushi which is a proper speciality, unknown to most people. A unique dish, kaburazushi sees salted yellowtail fish – and sometimes mackerel – wedged between pieces of pickled turnips and then packed full of koji starter stock for several days leading to a unique umami-imbued flavour. www.ishikawatravel.jp/en
Kyushu cuisine: Hakata ramen in Fukuoka
With so much flavour, depth and character, it’s no wonder that Fukuoka prefecture is the source of some of the country’s most popular dishes. Home to Hakata ramen, arguably Japan’s number one noodle, Fukuoka also features the gentle kick of mentaiko marinated roe, motsunabe, a beef and pork offal stew perfect in winter and the simple but distinctive flavour of takana meshi pickled mustard leaf rice and sesame oil. www.visit-kyushu.com
The food of Hachinohe
The Hachinohe Area has a great culinary scene. The surrounding countryside produces bountiful amounts of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains; the quality and taste of which is unmatched. Seafood is endless and often surprising for its sheer variety. The area has long been afflicted by cool summer winds that made rice cultivation frequently fail until modern strains of cold-hardy rice plants were introduced. Called the yamase winds in the local dialect, they caused the people of the area to have to utilize other staple foods other than rice to survive. This created a culinary tradition based on ingredients like wheat, buckwheat, and other alternatives, rather than the traditional Japanese rice-based culture. The influences of the yamase winds paired with the creative and spirited character of the people of Hachinohe have led to the creation of amazing dishes unlike anything else in Japan. www.visithachinohe.com/en/
(Information provided by blackdiamond.co.uk)
