Travelling, and tickling your taste buds

So far in my travel ramblings feature, I have covered a wide range of topics from owning your own private island, to the benefits of going long haul. This month I decided to focus on one of the things I think is one of the highlights of travelling - discovering new tastes.

On a recent trip to Peru, I came across the dish in the photograph above - 'aji de Gallina'. It's a delicious, traditional Peruvian chicken stew in a sauce that can only be described as spicy, nutty and cheesy! It was my first meal in the country, and was the start of a love affair with the food of South America.

Food can be a very important part of enjoying a trip to a new country. When I return home I sometimes try and replicate dishes I've experienced on my travels - it's almost as if I'm trying to take my taste buds back to where I experienced the food!  I come back from the Caribbean with bottles of hot pepper sauce. I return from Portugal with all sorts of piri piri marinades to test out on chicken. 

However it doesn't always have to be food that excites you on holiday. Sometimes the simple things in life - like sipping a cold beer on a hot day can fill you with pleasure. My family and I constantly try to reenact the scene from the 1958 movie 'Ice Cold in Alex' when we're in a hot country....desperate for a sip of cold beer. Have a look at the scene in question on youtube, and try it out on your next trip! 

What are your best food and drink experiences on your travels? What's the one flavour/dish that takes you back to a country you've been to? Leave your comments below; on my facebook page or on twitter @TravelLightbulb.