One of the highlights of any trip abroad is a chance to experience the cuisine of the region. When time is short a well recommended restaurant that prepares local favourites is a good bet. If you have longer, and are a true “foodie” I would suggest you start at the fresh market. There is a sense of community, of being part of the neighbourhood, when you interact with locals and the market is a great place to do so. The closer you get to the people and their culture the richer your travel experience becomes.
Whether in a permanent location or itinerant throughout the week, most guidebooks and tourist information centres will have a list of locations and times for the market in any city.
While travelling in Valencia Spain we stumbled upon their Central Market during a walk through the historic core of the city. It was later in the day so the market was not as crowded as I am sure early mornings can be. Fascinated by what it had to offer, we strolled around until the last stall was packed away and the vendors started glaring at us like only those tired from a long day of labour can do.
We started with the fish vendors, easily located by the smell. Not unpleasant if you love seafood, the pungent tang of today’s catch can be quite stimulating. The fare was piled on chipped ice, handwritten signs in Spanish indicating what and how much it was. Since we cannot read Spanish the signs didn’t help us identify what we were looking at as much as our own experience did. Lobsters of various sizes, shrimp and scampi, oysters, clams and mussels are universal. There were countless varieties of fish, available whole or fileted, that were new to us but a quick run of the name through Google Translate usually helped. Everything seemed bigger here than at home and we would have
loved the chance to sample, well…everything.
There were produce vendors selling spring artichokes, strawberries and asparagus, a charcuterie offering cured meats and fragrant bakeries laden with fresh bread. For the very brave the butcher was selling favoured meats; whole chickens and turkeys, with heads and legs attached, pig’s heads, feet and tails, and the same from goats. If you usually buy your proteins neatly packaged this may be off-putting, but the norm in this culture. There were eggs too, and not just chicken, but goose and ostrich as well.
Whether you were brave enough to purchase the ingredients for a home cooked meal, or tried a few tasty items for a cold picnic, or for simplicity sake bought a prepackaged meal, the lure of these fresh and local options is heady.
If we are planning to stay in one place for more than a couple of days we will rent an apartment so we have the capability of cooking our own meals. Not only is this a good budget tip, but a great way to take advantage of the fresh and local foods of the region you are exploring. Most major cities have studio or efficiency apartments as well; one room with a stocked kitchenette. This is even cheaper than a full apartment for shorter stays or in more expensive destinations.