Words About Things

One of the best things about traveling to new places is experiencing the cultural differences: new smells, new sounds and best of all new tastes. The moment you step out of the airport or train station you are bombarded by new and unknown sights and sounds. The ‘culture shock’ of being somewhere so different to what you have previously experienced can leave a lasting impression on you.

When I visited India I ate a lot of street food from the stalls which are all over cites like Delhi and Mumbai. It might seem risky to eat food from a stall on a busy, dusty street (after all a stall doesn’t need to maintain a reputation like a restaurant does) but street food is surprisingly safe. Most of the street food in India is cooked or reheated to order in very hot oil, any bacteria doesn’t stand a chance.

When I travel I eat as much local food as I can because it is a great way to get to know a new place. Even on my flight to Mumbai I was already tucking into a nice curry. Typically the best places to buy food are not the ‘tourist friendly’ restaurants but where the locals eat – the more obscure the better in my experience. There is no point eating westernized versions of exotic dishes, you can get that at your local take away! Although there are risks involved in trying local food in certain countries (lets not get graphic, you know what I’m talking about) it you are careful you should be okay.

Some popular Indian street foods include:

• Aaloo Tikki These are patties made up of mashed potatoes and masala deep fried in oil. They are served typically with a curry called Chholey (chick peas). They are popular in winter in North India. Chaap is a version of potato patties dipped in flour batter and deep fried. They are served along with onion and beet slices. They are referred to by this name in the Eastern part of the country. One can obtain chaap on local trains travelling to and from Kolkatta. The word “chaap” is probably a corruption of “chop”.

• Poori-Subzie(or Bhaajee) This is available mostly in North India, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The curry (subzie) consists usually of potatoes in gravy. Sometimes, especially in the southern part of the country the potatoes do not have gravy and the poories are exclusively made up of refined flour (maida).

• Chai-faen This term refers to tea with a roasted biscuit called “faen”, possibly a corruption of “fan” which the shape of the biscuit resembles. The biscuit is also called “khaaree biscuit” in other parts of the country. This is available in North India, especially in Uttar Pradesh in cities like Agra and Mathura.

• Vada pav is an example of West Indian street food. Masala chai,: a spiced tea, is also for sale. A syrup-covered deep-fried sweet is sold in the North as jalebi and the South as jangiri. It is generally cheap and available throughout India.

Whilst Italy, France and Spain are typical destinations for a foodie holiday I would thoroughly recommend taking your taste buds to India. Take a look at the video below to get an idea of the Indian street food experience.

Not that long ago it seemed like Coffee was considered a Bad Thing. We were encouraged to give up caffeine and drink unfeasible amounts of water in order to have more energy and clearer skin. Now it seems like there are quite a few health benefits to wake up juice and it could be considered a vital part of a balanced diet.

According to Wikipedia coffee can reduce the risk of:

Alzheimer’s and Dementia
gallstones
Parkinson’s disease
Gout
Cirrhosis of the liver

It has also been shown to increase short term recall and IQ (presumably this means it can increase your performance during an IQ test, rather than actually make you cleverer). It has also been proven that Coffee does not have a dehydrating effect: ‘current evidence suggests that caffeinated beverages contribute to the body’s daily fluid requirements no differently than pure water does.’

A recent study has found that consuming 400mg of Caffeine a day (about 2 and a half cups) could lower your risk of suffering a heart attack.  Dr Carrie Ruxton who undertook the study even suggested that children be given Coffee and Tea as it “could be better for them than juice”. Personally I wouldn’t want to have to deal with a child experiencing a caffeine buzz but I can imagine it would be better for them than Ribena which if I remember rightly is about 95% sugar.

The Germans clearly know how to have a good time. They might not be known for their sense of humor but they certainly seem to like their beer. Oktoberfest 2009 has officially begun after the Mayor of Munich declared ‘Ozapft is’ (the beer is tapped). The event is due to recieve 6 million visitors this year making it the biggest beer festival ever.

Girls at Oktoberfest 2009

The first Oktoberfest took place on October 18, 1810 as a celebration of the marrage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese Charlotte Luise of Saxony-Hildburghausen (with a name that long the vows must have taken a while).

During the 16 day fesitval visitors will be able to sample heroic amount of beer and sausages often served by the legendary Oktoberfest girls. During the 2007 festival 6,940,600 litres of beer was consumed along with 909,765 ½ litres of Lemonade.
This year there are at least 15 iPhone applications to help you on your way including a drink ordering dictionary and a Blood-Alcohol-Calculator. I wonder if there is an app to help you retreave your iPhone from the portaloos?

More photos from Oktoberfest 2009 after the jump…

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