Food, Glorious Food

Travel has been greatly curtailed during the Covid pandemic. Gas and airline ticket prices haven’t made things any easier now that we’re learning to live with everyday Covid safety measures. And yet, I have been traveling this year as have so many others.

One of my goals on any trip is to learn about the local food. I’ve eaten Harkarl (putrified shark) in Iceland, liver mush in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, poi in Hawaii, haggis in Scotland. My husband has not tried any of these delicacies. But, I want to experience new places with all my senses.

Some of these cuisine experiments have been great. It turns out that liver mush is essentially fried liverwurst, something I like. However, haggis will never be on my plate ever again. I’ve tasted whale, sea urchins on a boat fresh from the sea, beef tongue. Of course, there are lots of things I don’t like - asparagus, lima beans, licorice, beer. But, I’ve tried them all.

The world and its myriad cultures are to be admired and better understood by immersing yourself in them as much as possible. When we travel, we see, hear, touch, smell and, yes, taste our new surroundings. Food is a wonderful avenue for learning about each other. Food is quite literally a melting pot for embracing our neighbors.

So…dig in, enjoy (or not) and become a more global citizen.