On & Beyond Culinary Delights

Having a bad day? Whatever it is that ails you, sometimes, there’s nothing that will soothe your soul quite like comfort foods.

Whether you consider yourself a foodie or not, food is part of your daily routine.

Romanian cuisine is hearty, flavorful, and heavily influenced by the peoples that the area has come into contact with. Major influences have come by way of the Ottoman Empire as well as the Greeks. For example, the Turks brought meatballs and meat filled cabbage rolls (“sarmale”) with them; whereas the Greeks came with the moussaka (“musaca”). 

Are you looking for awesome ideas to help you plan your next great adventure? In order to truly make the most of your travels, keep in mind that you can only grow and enrich your life by doing something you have yet to try. 

My love for Greece dates back to my first years as a freelance writer and was a direct result of my years working in a travel agency. My job used to involve meeting and talking to service providers in Greece. It didn’t take very long for me to fall in love with the country and, once I set foot there myself, my love became even deeper.

For many food lovers, Anthony Bourdain may just have had one of the coolest jobs ever. He got to explore different countries, learn about their culture, meet interesting people, and constantly enjoy tons of scrumptious food. 

With today’s fast-evolving society making travel more accessible than ever, it’s hard not to see another side of the world. A great part of that advantage is discovering different types of food from other countries. 

They say that the best experiences are those that catch you by surprise. Well, on my recent visit to Bali, the breathtaking destination dubbed as ‘the Island of the Gods’, I was treated to an unexpected yet unforgettable culinary adventure. 

Two years ago I had a very rude awakening. The first time I measured my glucose levels, I found out I was pre-diabetic. I was age 45, had been a nutritionist for 5 years and was eating what I thought was the healthiest diet on the planet: all organic, local, home cooked and Paleo foods. But something was not right. I was gaining weight. I was always hungry. I also had joint and lower back pain.

If you too are a big fan of “MasterChef”, one of the most popular cooking shows on television, chances are you’d remember its first and only blind contestant, the formidable Ms. Christine Ha. You may also recall that this lovely Vietnamese American chef, had defied all odds when she was named the reigning champion of season 3.