Eight Great Travel Stories About Food

04.28.09 | 4:06 PM ET

Food is, for many travelers, integral to the experience of a place. The flavors and textures we encounter color our journeys and linger in our memories. So it’s no surprise that food has been central to many of the stories we’ve published—from Terry Ward’s cinnamon roll-smuggling misadventures to Rob Verger’s Micronesian showdown with a plateful of dog meat. In “Confessions of a Chicken Man,” Doug Mack reminds us that we needn’t order the most exotic item on the menu to get a sense of place. Here are eight food-focused favorites from our archives.

Confessions of a Chicken Man
Doug Mack knows exactly what you think of him when he orders the blandest thing on a foreign menu. And he’s okay with that.

Smuggling Cinnamon Rolls
Terry Ward packed a couple of tubes for a trans-Atlantic flight. Then she encountered airport security.

The Delicacy of the Andes
In Peru, people go crazy for cuy. In the U.S., they’re household pets. When faced with eating them, Matt Villano confronts childhood memories, nausea and the costs of cultural immersion.

Eight Best Cities to Eat Street Food
Terry Ward lifts the lid on a few of the world’s tastiest places to eat the people’s cuisine

Dietary Aid Mission
A boy in Hong Kong missed his grape jelly. Maura Weber flew halfway around the globe to bring it to him.

The Pasta Nazi
Not long after moving to Rome, David Farley thought he had the city wired. Then he visited Al Cardello restaurant and met chef Angelo.

Eating Fajitas in France
He’s a Mexican food addict. He was suffering from withdrawal. So when Jim Benning happened upon the Tex-Mex restaurant in Lyon, he had to eat there. Never mind that he knew it would be awful.

The Dogs of Pohnpei
They roam wild on the Micronesian island. Their meat is also considered a delicacy. When one of his students offered him a plate, Rob Verger faced a decision.

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