National Geographic Traveller Food
Summer 2021National Geographic Traveller Food focuses on where to go, what to see and how to explore the world via unique culinary experiences. Its writers talk to producers, suppliers, farmers, chefs and restaurateurs, and this authentic storytelling is accompanied by so-good-you-can-almost-taste-it photography. Whether it’s uncovering the truth behind a gourmet trend, sharing delicious recipes or taking readers on the bumpy journey from farm to fork, the magazine champions sustainability and celebrates local cultures. Across its pages, National Geographic Traveller Food serves up the latest culinary experiences, shares insight on cultural contexts and offers practical advice, from deconstructing classic dishes and ‘breaking bread’ with families across the globe to meeting the food world’s new pioneers.
in this issue
british oysters
The basics With their plump, sweet and salty flesh, oysters are a delicacy the world over. And in the UK, we’re blessed with a bounty of these bivalves, particularly around the South East (where the Kentish town of Whitstable has become synonymous with the oysters caught nearby), as well as in the South West and western Scotland. Oysters have long been costly to consume, but we may be about to see a swing back the Victorian era, when they were cheap and plentiful. With restaurants closed during the pandemic, and post-Brexit rules keeping a lot of seafood on our shores, Britain has a glut of oysters and, as a result, they’ve become more affordable. Wright Brothers and Farmdrop have been selling them for £17 a dozen, while Ocado offers Loch Fyne’s for…
liquid gold
Olives and grapes are the only two things that grow in this rocky, very rural part of Chianti. When my father-in-law brought Pornanino, an abandoned 17th-century Tuscan vineyard estate, he decided to plant olives. His retirement project quickly produced more oil than our family could consume, so we sold it to friends and the business grew from there. We make extra virgin olive oil using a traditional ‘first cold press’ method that’s almost lost. Of Tuscany’s 120 or so producers, only a handful use millstones to press. Our method is how the Romans would have done it, but using a motor rather than a donkey to turn the millstone, and then pruning, picking, pressing and bottling by hand. We’re chemical-free. The value of extra virgin olive oil is largely assessed on taste,…
three to try in adelaide
Eat at … Africola This buzzy spot serves African-inspired plates made from local produce. Dishes include hiramasa kingfish with chickpea papadum or goat’s curd stuffed medjool dates. Drink at … Pink Moon Saloon An alpine-style cabin, Pink Moon Saloon’s menu specialises in local beer and inventive takes on classics, such as the House Highball: blended Suntory, lemon kombucha and soda. Shop at … Adelaide Central Market Take an eco-friendly rickshaw tour around the city before sampling food from the best local artisan producers at this lively multicultural market.…
polish carpathians
Shepherds like Jaroslaw Buczek can be responsible for herds of up to 600 sheep, although typically as few as 100 will belong to them — the rest are entrusted to their care for the summer by local farmers. The shepherds negotiate with local landowners the use of fallow land, where the sheep graze on grass, flowers and herbs — a diet that gives their milk a distinct taste. The best-known mountain cheeses are oscypek, golka and redykolka. All three smoked cheeses are made using the same method — sheep’s milk is curdled, then the curd is formed into balls and placed in wooden moulds — but each has a different shape. Bundz is also popular — a fresh, mild cheese, which, if matured and milled with salt, can be turned…
three more: scottish restaurants with rooms
THE BONNIE BADGER, EAST LOTHIAN Tom Kitchin’s smart spot serves hearty food — the beef wellington and cullen skink are highlights — in the stables of a 19th-century inn. Doubles from £195, B&B. bonniebadger.com THE PEAT INN, FIFE Serene interiors meet Michelin-starred food at this eight-room retreat. The menu includes wild roe deer with potato beignets. Doubles from £240, B&B. thepeatinn.co.uk 21212, EDINBURGH The seasonal, five-course dinner menu at this city townhouse changes weekly, but many dishes have a French slant. Doubles from £195, B&B. 21212restaurant.co.uk…
on the table
I’VE BEEN EATING AT… Cafe Bao, the new London opening from the founders of the Bao chain. As well as fluffy bao buns (try the lobster and crayfish or panko daikon), the menu features original fusion dishes such as baked ham hock congee pie. Nicola Trup, deputy editor I’VE BEEN DRINKING… Avallen. For all its environmental credentials, this ‘bee-positive’ calvados has wormed its way into my affections for other reasons — specifically, how refreshing it is when mixed with decent tonic and tons of ice. It’s a great summer drink. Glen Mutel, editor I’VE BEEN COOKING FROM… Cook This Book by Molly Baz. Not only does every recipe sound delicious, but the graphic design and typography is eye-catching, with QR codes throughout linking to how-to videos. My favourite recipe so far is the one for…
