When asked to share my thoughts about food and travel for this column, it at once brought to mind what author Matt Ridley says in his book The Origins of Virtue.
“ The most fundamentally selfless and communitarian thing we do is to share food. It is the very basis of society.” And, what better way to make friends than to share food.
Food transcends barriers and through this we make social connections. And, I’ve made heaps of friends through food. It is food that inspired me to set up my business – food travel.
I’m one of those who would travel far and wide for a good meal. Doing the touristy thing really doesn’t excite me the way food and wine sampling do. Mention that such and such place has a lovely, delicious morsel and I’m out the door.
Food is Fun! And the more you look for food, the more you notice your whereabouts and remember that special moment or occasion.
Of course you must have a good traveling companion. Don’t take someone who is allergic to a bunch of things or is lactose intolerant, suffers heartburn at the sight of a chilli or hives when biting into an oyster. Among my worst companions are those with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Sorry, they leave me irritable.
I remember some years ago a friend and I were in Zurich and all I wanted was to sample a cheese fondue with a glass of wine and she said she hated cheese. So I let her sit there and watch me. Did I feel mean? Nope! I was there to eat and eat I did. The café was in a small alley behind the main city street. I noticed the cobbled stones in the alleyway and bluestone walls only after I had my fill of the fondue.
In Vienna three years ago I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Sacher-Torte for afternoon tea. Mind you we spent a couple of hours sight-seeing that day but the highlight was that wonderful melt-in-your mouth chocolate cake from the Hotel Sacher no less.
The Original Sacher-Torte has been the most famous cake in the world since 1832 and the original recipe is a well-kept secret of that hotel. We learned that the sacher-torte here is produced from its original recipe. The base is a chocolate cake, thinly coated with really yummy apricot jam and covered with chocolate. The original Sacher-Torte tastes best with a portion of unsweetened whipped cream, complemented perfectly with a “Wiener Melange” (coffee with milk) from the Original Sacher Café.
Roll over Beethoven, show me the apple strudel now!
On regular trips to Melbourne I always recommend sticky date pudding from Miss Marples Tearooms up in the quaint mountain retreat of Sassafras in the Dandenongs; and of course Koko Black’s hot chocolate at any one of the many chocolate boutiques in and around Melbourne. On the beachfront there is always Donovans for some of the best barbecued seafood.
Not too long ago, a foodie trip organized by Slow Food Movement in Melbourne saw 60 of us traveling up to Mildura (557 kilometres north-west of Melbourne) renowned for fine food and wine.
During the eight-hour drive up we feasted on stone fruit (plums, peaches and nectarines) plucked from the trees, cashewnuts (from this town of Wederburn grown by a Malaysian), lemon slices and homebrewed beer! For dinner we tucked into saltbush lamb and fresh yabbies. The dinner was laid out on a long table which stretched the length of a dried salt lake. We even tasted salt from the lake. Yup it was very salty.
Mildura is a charming oasis by the Murray River. The area is often referred to as the Mediterranean in the outback, with its picturesque citrus groves and vineyards, endless sunshine and a city with a cosmopolitan feel.
In Bali, our most recent gourmet tour saw us searching the markets for buah keluak and special herbs to bring back. No one was too interested in the museum tour. All they wanted was food and more food.
Have food will travel. Seize the day!
About foodies ’n’ friends
"Food is the greatest missionary for peace," says Ms. Hannah Abisheganaden, Director/Principal of foodies 'n' friends. It is the depth to which cuisine from the various communities in Malaysia has blended, that so impresses Ms. Abisheganaden. "That is something worthy of sharing with the world, "she says.
Our Mission Bringing people together in friendship, through the universal sharing of food. foodies 'n' friends view of food is comprehensive. We cater to food at three levels:
- Food as basic need
- Food as indulgence
- Food as cultural exchange
Hannah Abisheganaden
Director/Principal
A journalist, food and restaurant writer, and experienced cook, Hannah has worked extensively in Malaysia and Australia. Hannah was the food coordinator for Her World magazine from 1976 to 1989, where she was founding coordinator of the Her World Cookery Club. She has compiled numerous cookbooks for Her World. In Australia, she has written for The Age Good Food Guide and The Age Cheap Eats Guide as well as restaurant reviews for Epicure, the food guide in The Age newspaper in Melbourne, and the Herald Sun food guide, and Mietta's Eating and Drinking in Australia. She has also been a judge for the Asian Food Festival in Melbourne. She still contributes food and wine articles to various local publications.
The company was set up in Kuala Lumpur in May 2001 organising gourmet tours within Malaysia, from Malaysia to other parts of the world and from overseas to Malaysia. The company also conducts cooking workshops, undertakes event management, editorial services and public relations.
