Some of my favorite food experiences were learning about food and culture directly from the source. Food is such an important part of every culture and there is always something we can learn. These may seem basic for some of you serious cooks and travelers out there, but for me these were really meaningful experiences.
Learning Pizza Making in Italy
There are so many different types of pizza, and I guess I’d say I pretty much like them all. But learning pizza making tips and practicing on a wood-fired oven in Tuscany was an amazing experience. Even within Italy, there are a ton of different types. In the class I took, I learned some surprising real life tips that break some traditional rules about Neapolitan style pizza but got amazing results. I definitely learned a lot that I’ve brought back to up my home kitchen game.
Making Homemade Tortillas in Mexico
We actually ended up hiring a chef to come over to our AirBnB to help us with this one, and it was totally worth it. It was such a privilege to learn from someone who has probably made thousands and thousands of tortillas in her life. I don’t think she was too impressed with my work but it still tasted great to me.
Hunting for Truffles in Croatia
OK this one blurs the lines because technically I didn’t cook this meal. We went on a group trip out to the woods in northern Croatia, which is a well-known spot for sourcing excellent truffles (only a couple of places in the world grow them so well). We got to see the dogs finding a spot where a truffle was growing and starting to dig them up. When we got back with the truffles, the lady at the farm made a huge pan of scrambled eggs with truffle mixed all into them. It was amazing and definitely a tip I brought back when a special breakfast is called for.
