Anyone that knows me most likely knows I love food. Whether it be my mom's sweet and spicy chili, my grandma's famous chocolate chip cookies, my aunt's amazing baked beans (to be honest, everything she makes is amazing), or my favorite Mexican restaurant, these are just some of the foods I love.
However, there is so much more food than one has on a weekly basis. One of my favorite things about traveling the world is getting to try different foods and local delicacies. For picky-eaters, this may be their worst nightmare, but I'm always excited to try new food. Throughout my travels thus far, I've had the privilege to eat and try a wide array of food from all over the world. While in some rare cases I have come across some not-so-great tasting food, for the most part, the food has been absolutely delicious.
Here is some of my favorite food from around the world:
Brazil – Açaí
Açaí has recently gained popularity here in the United States but has long been popular in Brazil where it’s naturally found. One of the best things about açaí in Brazil? It’s not nearly as expensive as it is in the US!
Brazil – Churrasco
“Churrasco” means barbecue and oh is it delicious. Whether steak, chicken, lamb, pork, or any other meat, it’s all guaranteed to make your mouth water. At Fogo de Chão, the meat is served rodizio style which means the waiters come to the tables with a skewer of meat and a knife and cut the meat off directly onto your plate. I highly recommend visiting a churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse) at least once.
Brazil – Coxinha
Literally meaning “little thigh”, coxinha is deep fried dough shaped into the shape of a chicken thigh and is traditionally stuffed with shredded chicken. I found it to be a great street snack and had at least one a day while in Rio.
Brazil – Creme de moranga
Creme de moranga is a Brazilian dish made with pumpkin and has a creamy soup-like consistency. Sometimes it’s made with meat as well which is the way I had it (pork, smoked sausage, bacon, pepperoni, etc.).
Brazil – Farofa
Farofa is a toasted cassava (shrub native to South America) flour mixture that is typically toasted with various ingredients like butter, salt, garlic, onions, etc. Served alongside a meal, you can eat it on its own as a side or sprinkled on the meal. Garlic farofa was my favorite.
Brazil – Feijoada
Feijoada, a bean stew, is a national dish of Brazil and is made with black beans, a variety of meat such as pork trimmings (ears, nose, feet, etc.) and sausage. My first experience eating feijoada was at a birthday party on a farm in Brazil. While getting my serving of feijoada, I was offered the pig’s nose that I could see floating but opted for one of the feet. That was the safer option, right?
Colombia – Cholado
Cholado is a traditional drink from the Valle del Cauca region of Colombia. It’s made with ice, fresh fruit, and condensed milk and is amazing! Some common fruits that are used include banana, strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, starfruit, etc. It may have been one of, if not the, best drinks I’ve ever had.
France – Crêpe
Crêpes are a very thin pastry filled with a variety of fillings. There are two types of crêpes: sweet and savory. Sweet crêpes are typically filled with fruits, syrup, chocolate, or Nutella. On the other hand, savory crêpes are filled with ingredients such as various meats, cheeses, eggs, mushrooms, etc. If you can’t decide which to try, I recommend trying both.
Germany – Currywurst
Currywurst is a fast food consisting of steamed and then fried pork sausage. They’re then typically cut into slices and seasoned with curry ketchup and curry powder on top. They’re also usually served with fries and in my opinion, mayonnaise is also a must!
Germany – Döner Kebab
While technically Turkish, döner kebabs are super popular in Germany and especially in Berlin where they’re known for their döners and currywurst. A döner is a kebab made of meat that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and then shaven off. While each restaurant is slightly different, generally it’s wrapped in a flatbread and filled with meat, various vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers), cheese, and various sauces. It’s a must-eat if you visit Berlin!
Germany – Käsespätzle
Spätzle is a soft egg noodle that is used in several dishes. Some say the noodles are more like pasta and some say they’re more like a dumpling. This specific spätzle I got was “cheese spätzle” so I would say it’s like macaroni and cheese.
Germany – Weißwurst
Weißwurst, literally “white sausage”, is a traditional Bavarian sausage made from minced veal and pork back bacon. They’re typically brought to the table in a large bowl with the cooking water. There is a skin on the sausage that has to be removed prior to eating and there are two ways you can remove it. The traditional way, zuzein, is to cut the end of the sausage and suck the meat out. However, the more popular way, how I was taught, is to cut the sausage lengthwise and then roll the sausage out from the skin using a fork.
Italy – Gelato
Gelato, or Italian-style ice cream, is different than ice cream in that it contains less fat, less air, and more flavoring. The traditional flavors of gelato are vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, pistachio, cream/custard, and Stracciatella. However, there are an endless amount of new modern flavors.
Japan – Eel
These eel skewers were so tasty! The meat was so tender that it just about melted in your mouth. It was literally finger-licking good!
Japan – Ramen
Ramen in Japan is much better than the ramen associated with college students in the US. Ramen is Chinese-style wheat noodles in a meat or fish broth. It’s typically flavored with soy sauce or miso and can have various toppings such as pork, seaweed, or green onions.
Japan – Sushi
Sushi is vinegared rice mixed with other ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, or fruit. While an ingredient may be raw fish, the word sushi itself doesn’t mean raw fish (raw fish is called sashimi which is also good).
Mozambique – Mandioca
Mozambique has a ton of delicious food so it's hard to pick just one. With that being said, mandioca is very popular in Mozambique. There are various ways to eat or cook it and it also varies by geographic region. In the picture is "sweet mandioca", but I prefer fried mandioca. I say that fried mandioca is like french fries.
Panama – Patacones
Patacones are twice-fried plantains and are easy to make. Take an unripe, green plantain and peel and cut into slices. Second, fry the slices on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden-colored and then remove and pat to remove excess oil. Next, pound the slices flat using something like a plate or cup. Finally, fry the slices again until crisp.
Spain – Cochinillo asado
Cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) is a two to six-week-old piglet fed on its mother’s milk that is traditionally roasted whole. I ate this dish at Sobrino de Botín in Madrid, the oldest restaurant continuously running in the world (since 1725).
Spain – Paella
Paella is a rice dish from the Valencia area of Spain. There are many versions of paella but typical paella consists of white rice, green beans, white beans, meat, snails, and seasonings.
Do you have a favorite international food? If so, let me know in the comments below.
