It may come as a shock, but the UK public is obsessed with food. British food has a reputation as being a stodgy, greasy, bland accompaniment to beer — or nameless, boiled, blobby things served at school dinners (the possible exception being curries introduced by the large South Asian population). The past 10 or 15 years have greatly changed what's available to eat here, however, and the diversity of people's diets is very much reflected in, and abetted by, the supermarkets. More

In the old days, fasting before Easter was part of the Swedish tradition. To be able to survive fasting during a time of year when Sweden is coldest, dark, and snowy, it was important to stock up on calories. One way of doing this was through a pastry called the semla, also called "fastlagsbulle." It had everything required for a food item whose main purpose was to help us efficiently store calories: white flour, plenty of sugar, and plenty of fat. More

Banana ketchup is one of the greatest examples of the Philippines' enthusiasm for adopting foreign ingredients and adding its own tropical flair. An analogue to tomato ketchup, banana ketchup is made from mashed bananas, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is dyed red to mimic tomato ketchup (and confuse first-generation Filipino-Americans who unwittingly dip their fries in this strange banana concoction). More

Puerto Rico celebrates the best holidays in the world — and the longest stretch, too. Our holiday season starts right after Thanksgiving and lasts until the middle of January with the Fiestas de San Sebastián. Locally, we call them Navidades, and, to me, it's the best time of the year to visit Puerto Rico. More

This savory snack traditionally prepared in the south of France is made by mixing together a thin batter of chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt, all ladled onto a hot cast iron plate (ranging from dinner-plate size to more than a meter in diameter), where it is spread to the edges much like a crépe. It's then grilled in an oven (wood-fired being the preference) for 20 to 30 minutes, where it develops a nicely charred crust, and is then served by cutting it into strips. More

A 51¢ (10,000 VND) breakfast banh mi consists of grilled pork, fried egg, sautéed onions, cucumbers, pickled carrots & radish, and cilantro. A spread of pate with a squirt of sweet chili sauce and soy sauce season everything inside. Pork is grilled next to the cart and eggs are fried to order. The fresh ingredients are all assembled in a light crusty Vietnamese baguette right in front of your eyes. More

Most breakfast foods in South India are eaten hot and are pretty filling — to get your day off to a good start. They're high in carbohydrates, like most breakfast foods in the world, but are usually savory rather than sweet. They're all delicious, and many of them are pretty healthy, too. Here are some of the most common. More

A typical breakfast in Rome is usually cappuccino e cornetto. No need to explain what a cappuccino is, but a cornetto is a sweet croissant, sometimes glazed on top. More

Greeks tend to need a breakfast that will jumpstart their day. Serious coffee is in order. Opening your bleary eyes after a long night out to see a briki, the typical Greek bronze coffee maker, bubbling away on the stove is a glorious sight. Along with their small but potent coffees, Greeks like to have a small biscuit, a koulouraki or, even better, a foinikaki, a Phoenician biscuit made from honey, orange juice, and flour. More

Perhaps the most iconic breakfast in Taiwan is 燒餅油條 (shao bing you tiao) combined with soy milk. The first being the brilliant combination of a baked pocket of dough and a fried cruller prepared in ammonia bicarbonate (yum), and the latter being, well, milk from soybeans. More