Say That You Had a Year...
This idea comes from last night's episode of No Reservations, with Anthony Bourdain. For part of the episode we saw him trying out various places that might serve as good homes, since he had been thinking of potentially moving his family to Vietnam for a year for the experience.
So, the question is: If you had a year and could live in any *one* place to really get to know the culture and especially the food, where would you go and why?
For me, I had been thinking about this, and it is a toss-up. On the one hand, I would love to learn more about Japan's food culture - how it developed, what it means, how to make it all (the real way), et cetera. However, on the other hand, after living in Malta, I have a strong passion to try to keep those foodways alive, and would love to live there again for another year and learn about the food and the history and try to preserve those traditional meals and treats that I fear are being displaced by all of the English tourists that seem to swarm the country these days.
What about you?
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27 Comments:
I would love to take my whole family and spend a year in France, changing the way we eat casually and formally, learning how to cook old dishes that have been forgotten.
Oh and going to the market daily to see what is there. That would be a dream come true for me (and my cheese-loving-obsessed dh)
Peony at 1:43PM on 03/10/09
So, the question is: If you had a year and could live in any *one* place to really get to know the culture and especially the food, where would you go and why?
Italy!! Too many reasons to list!
caramel at 1:51PM on 03/10/09
France, Italy, and then Poland.
moibec at 2:03PM on 03/10/09
Spain. No question. Basically, I'd shop the markets and find what's fresh, and then go to my apartment and cook. I'd love to do this for each major city in the world.
Juman23 at 2:06PM on 03/10/09
Hands down - Italy, especially around the Tuscon region.
Karencooks at 2:17PM on 03/10/09
Italy...absolutely. From the coast, to the hillsides, to the countryside...the seafood, the produce, the cured meats and stinky cheeses...the wine....good lord in heaven, I'd be there now if I weren't so fiscally challenged.
juliebugsmama at 2:48PM on 03/10/09
I agree...with all of you! After watching the episode I asked my fiance the same question, and he said "Japan - for the food, but the people there aren't too nice to Americans...so probably somewhere in SE Asia". I would enjoy somewhere along the Mediterranean - Italy, Spain, France, Greece - don't make me pick just one! :-P
lo82070 at 2:59PM on 03/10/09
Picking just one is rough. I am Italian and my cooking tends to lean that way anyway so I would have to say Italy. But if the plane got diverted to Spain or Greece I'd be OK with it.
joeqboo at 3:06PM on 03/10/09
Germany. I could work on my speaking and still shop and eat well.
FoodieSearching at 4:18PM on 03/10/09
Sichuan.
Lorenzo at 4:30PM on 03/10/09
For me it would be either Italy, France or Spain... too hard to decide on one. So how about doing like the girl on Eat Pray Love and spend 4 months in each country... Love it!!!!
MadelynRodriguez at 5:10PM on 03/10/09
France would be my number one, no question. Italy next, and then probably Spain. I don't think we disagree on those three countries as being top picks.
And I have to add (though this risks making me sound like that girl) that I would absolutely love to move to somewhere out in the country within the United States and live for a year off the land, growing my own food and learning about real American, down-home-style food from the people that have cooked it and have eaten it their entire lives. I feel like I don't know a whole lot about true, old American food, and that much of what I do know has been shaped by media and my limited experiences thus far.
pearl at 7:30PM on 03/10/09
(@PearI, don't worry, I'm going to sound like "that girl" too lol)
I would go back to Italy, but not Florence -- Fiesole, a little town about 20 minutes away, at the end of the bus line. Florence was wonderful but the grocery stores were too convenient and too many people spoke English! I'd love to supplement the Italian dishes that my gradnfather taught me and that my mother just "knows."
kfarrel3 at 8:05PM on 03/10/09
barcelona!
pooch at 9:00PM on 03/10/09
Ireland. I would love to spend a year at a sheep farm and learn to make real Irish cheese.
India would be a close second, followed by New Zealand, and a stint there in wine country.
ErikaWaz at 9:13PM on 03/10/09
Singapore. I spent 6 months there in spicy, culinary heaven.
meglo91 at 9:59PM on 03/10/09
Germany - I can't get enough bratwurst. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
cickert at 11:47PM on 03/10/09
Italy, definitely.
gourmetgal at 12:11AM on 03/11/09
I can't imagine going to a country for food. The major fear for me going to the places i want is what the heck do people eat there... lol. I guess if I had to choose, either Italy because our american italian food is so different I am curious, or Thailand because I don't know enough about their culture and it seems interesting and bright.
blizcheetah at 12:41AM on 03/11/09
Mexico, Italy and France.
pjracz10 at 6:09AM on 03/11/09
Isreal - and we're doing it! Actually 2-3 years, but I'm loving learning Mediterranean cooking. Next on the list would be France, where helpfully, my husband's company also has an office - not sure what my family would say to "losing" me on another foreign assignment, though...
cowprintrabbit at 7:18AM on 03/11/09
While my initial reaction was either Spain or Italy, a little thought led me to Germany. Sausage, Cheese and all those Lagers. But then the real me spoke up and my final answer is Belgium. The best chocolates in the world, Pomme Frites, the waffles and so many truly magnificent beers. If the Monks can devote their lives to making beer and cheese, the least I could do is spend a year appreciating their efforts.
beersnob at 8:13AM on 03/11/09
portugal then spain followed by italy greece and ireland and scotland. Thats 6 yrs but would be sooooo worth it!
huneybumper at 8:34AM on 03/11/09
My first thought is Italy as that is my background, but Spain would be nice as DH can speak the language. My favorite foods are Mediterranean based and both countries would fall into that catagory. Although Thailand and Singapore sound facinating.
This question is a tough one!!!
finsbigfan at 9:22AM on 03/11/09
The UK for sure.
FrostyGhost at 1:56PM on 03/11/09
Turkey. Excellent Mediterranean food, but a little bit different.
bialy at 8:32PM on 03/11/09
I would be torn. I'd love to do what a friend of mine did, and just move to Aix-en-Provence and study cooking for a year, or I'd go to Italy and do the same. Upon very brief reflection - yeah, I'd go with Italy.
chisai at 10:21PM on 03/11/09