Since I had a chance to lure you guys in with my Jamaican desserts and pastries article, I guess by now I should let you in on a little secret about Jamaican Drinks. And that is that they are proud produces of some of the most amazing and tastiest drinks in the world. In fact, you know how famous Peru is for their coffee, but
Getting to know Jamaica's exact location will help you discover why its offerings of deliciousness are so diverse. The tropical country of Jamaica is located in the West Indies of the Caribbean Sea, directly underneath Cuba and to the right of Mexico and to the left of Haiti. This country has been inviting guests from around the world to try its flavors, as well as
A Toast to the Champagne Houses of France (Image by Points and Travel) French Wine Regions: Champagne Region of France There are 10 major French wine regions in France, as for hundreds of years, France has lead the way for being the world's greatest producer of wines. The ten main regions are Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne, Côtes du Rhone, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Médoc, and Provence. Today, however,
Many people know the Dominican Republic for its luxury resorts and beautiful beaches and hotels, such as the gorgeous Casas del XVI in Santo Domingo. But there is so much more to the Dominican Republic than just its oceans and architectural beauty. In fact, the Dominicans have a rich European history that is a deep mix of both African and the native Taíno influences. Sure it has beautiful landscapes such as rainforests and
If you have not had a chance to visit the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, then have I got a treat for you! It's called Cesenatico and I had a chance to stay at gorgeous Hotel Cesenatico. Cesenatico is a port city located on the Adriatic coast of Italy. It is in the province of Forlì-Cesena, which is in the region of Emilia-Romagna, south of Ravenna. I
With a history that spans for centuries, Rome is a city that takes a lifetime to discover. No matter how many times I go to Rome, I always find something new. It seems to contain an infinite number of secrets and sights to behold. While many are well-known and are on the top of travelers’ bucket lists, this capital city has its share of secret places
When I found myself with the better part of a day to explore the medieval city of Perugia, I stumbled across a Perugia food tour. It was offered by Via Del Vino Food & Wine Tours. This four-hour tour, created by Susan Guerra, seemed just the ticket for the perfect places to eat in Italy. Now I confess to not being a connoisseur of great
South American food was one of my favorite types of food (specifically Chilean) until I came across Ecuadorian food! Having a husband from Chile, I loved those handmade meat and cheese empanadas that are so easy to pack in a lunch or to eat by hand. Pastel de chocolo, a beef/meat corn pie is also one of my favorites. So when I visited Ecuador for
Petra, Jordan By Night - A Practical Guide Petra by night is an after-dark, guided excursion down the Siq to the Treasury in Jordan's famous carved city. It gets mixed reviews on the travel forums and Tripadvisor about whether or not it is worth it to go while visiting Jordan. I thought it was an amazing experience and one worth doing, so don't let the
Ecuador is famous for its colorful indigenous markets. The most famous of them is in Otavalo, northwest of Quito. The Otavalo Market takes places every Saturday. The market has hundreds of stalls where locals sell their goods. This indigenous market is well known for weaving, thus selling scarves, hats, and sweaters. However, there are many indigenous markets in Ecuador, with Otavalo being the most well known
The Champagne region of France is like no other wine region in the world. The nearest vineyards are only an hour from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) on the fast TGV train to Reims. Reims is a perfect justification for a tour of the Champagne Houses in Reims, but don’t forget to walk around the city and enjoy its Gothic Cathedral, a UNESCO world
No matter what region you are in Italy, there’s one Italian treat that never fails to please the entire group: Gelato Italiano! But what is this Italian Gelato? Where did it come from? And what makes it so different than ice cream? Let's dig into this frozen treat and see what makes it so special. First of all, frozen creamy treats aren’t new. In ancient Roman times, Italians
I watched out the large rectangular window and the massive television screen blaring Italian on the wall at the same time. Glancing back and forth, I could see where each frame of the movie had been filmed. The main actor would walk into the door that I had just walked through and then up the stairs to the very room I was standing in. However,
I recently was on a trip to Lake Charles, Lousiana for Mardi Gras where I encountered the making of a King Cake! "A what, I asked?" Being from the South, you would think I would have heard of all the desserts out there but never had I heard those words before. There are some words related to food that we eat knowing nothing more than it tastes delicious!
Louisiana is known for many things: music, culture, but most importantly, cuisine! The foods of Louisiana are often on the spicier side and known all around the world as "Cajun Cuisine". The history of recipes and foods of Louisiana is an interesting one. There are influences from France, Spain, Africa, and India. However, there are parts of Louisiana that offer a more soul food-like experience. Where
Authenticity in food is a very fluid concept, especially when looking for authentic food from a specific country. Authentic Italian food to the baker on the corner in Tuscany could be different to the pastry chef down the street, much less the difference in different regions of Italy. In fact, the same recipe can taste different from chef to chef and all of them will
If you would have asked me a month ago what I know about Dutch food, I would have answered in 4 words – Black licorice! Gouda cheese! Thankfully, my curiosity is always at peak level, so when the opportunity came up to get the skinny on what’s cooking in this region with Eating Amsterdam Tours, I was all over that. This specific tour, the Jordaan
How will you be celebrating Día del Niño this year? I love to cook with my Ninos - Diego and Christian, to help celebrate them and in a small way, pass down some authentic Mexican traditions, even though they are not Mexican, but Chilean. Since we live in Arizona and have such a close connection to the Mexicans and the Mexicans traditions, this holiday means so
I was peering at him from the distorted window. His eyes smiled to his ears as I saw him wipe the sweat from his brow with the back of his wrist. He was ruggedly handsome, mid 50’s and had the roughness from years of manual labor. The lines on his face were deep and his skin tone told me he was a man who works
By Cacinda Maloney Exclusive Luxury Cava and Wine Tour In Spain On the grounds of the Exclusive Luxury Cava and Wine Tour In Spain If there is one thing I love about my travels, it is the architecture that I get to see in different countries. I love to see the shape and form of places and how families live within them. I
I spotted him as he came through the stone-white door carrying a giant, sparkling tuba (sousaphone) high upon his back. He was with his friends: the saxophone and the tenor sax. They were casually walking down the street as I entered the museum of Cogevi-Collet Champagne House in the champagne region of Ay, France. Little did I know, that hours later they would entice
Benazuza, Cancun, Mexico The mysterious drink appeared at the bar, sugar cane chunks immersed in a cocktail. The bartender instructed us to “chew the sugar cane to soak up the drink!” What a fun way to “drink a cocktail”, by not actually drinking it, but chewing the juice out! When foodies go on vacation, they dream about adventures in flavor. Things like
Academia del Padlòt at Palazzo Donati kitchen Homemade, handmade pasta Coradella – lamb’s liver with garlic Deep in the caverns of a palatial kitchen, we sang and laughed, as we tasted the flavorful homemade food, high in the hills of Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy. I heard the sounds of many languages, laughter, and songs, as I popped fava
In January 2014, I was invited to be a part of the Nordic Blogger Experience and as a result, was invited to go to Finland. I wrote about my amazing Finnish Sauna Experience and the Scandinavian Design Houses that I visited, but there is this one thing I haven’t mentioned yet: I took a day trip to Tallinn, Estonia!! You must do this if you
Amita Thai Cooking Class, Bangkok, Thailand When traveling, honestly, I never really think about taking a cooking class. I mean, I like to eat as much as the next guy, but just generally don't think of cooking it myself. Well, that all changed when the Tourism Authority of Thailand invited me to a special Thai cooking class. And I say special because
AtlaVita Winery, Cesena, Italy Altavita Winery - The High Life of Cesena, Italy Sometimes in my life and in my travels, I meet people who are living their life to the fullest. I immediately get a sense that they know what they want and go after it. And Alessandra Giunchi of Cesena, Italy was no exception. Handsome, smart and from a family
By Cacinda Maloney Shhh! I need to let you in on a little secret! Even though I travel around the world at the drop of a hat, I know about a place that is so spectacular that even I thought about canceling my travel plans when I received the invitation to try out the newly transformed Jade Bar at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and
I had a wonderful opportunity to visit a winery while on my visit to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It still amazes me, even today, that a woman, Ruenza Santandrea, is the “Presidente” of Gruppo Cevico vini Romagnoli, the company that owns the winery in the area of Castel Bolognese called Tenuta Masselina. Since I was fascinated by the ceramic logo on the wine bottles
Chuflay Restaurant, Portofino, Italy Shoo fly! Shoo fly! ChuFlay: A lovely restaurant in Portofino, Italy Shoo fly! Shoo fly! ChuFlay! Fly, fly away… not once did I have to shoo a fly away from here! Not here at the ChuFlay Bar and Restaurant in Portofino, Italy! Here they had fine Italian waiters in snow white uniforms to do it for me, if,
LaRune RestaurantGenoa, ItalyBW City Hotel You know a restaurant is good when you show up with a reservation and there is not a single seat available in the house. LeRune RestaurantGenoa, ItalyBW City Hotel The place was abuzz when I arrived at Le Rune, in Genoa. Italy, it is the flagship restaurant to the BW City Hotel. The downstairs was
By Cacinda Maloney The Distillery Historic District, Toronto, Canada The Distillery Historic District, Toronto, Canada The shock thundered through him like cold blood running across the floor, he couldn't believe it, as he heard the terrible news. She is gone. The grief overtook him, so much so, that he climbed up in the tower and jumped from the company well. He
Gelato in Rome Gelato in Rome Looking for the Best Gelato in Rome! We headed down Via dei Coronari knowing it was around here somewhere. We had been here before and knew we had to find it again. We were somewhere near Piazza Navona when we ended up finding it tucked in an alleyway beside a stone stairway with a secret-like entrance next to the Il
Apples in the countryside of Spain, Costa Brava I was zipping along on my electric bike in the countryside of Catalonia Spain between Peratallada and Pals. I was way ahead of the rest of the group. The wind was breezing thru my hair, putting little wisps of strands of hair on my face. I felt like a kid again! Pump, pump, pump,
By Cacinda Maloney On my last night in Spain, the Costa Brava Tourism Board arranged for our group of travel bloggers to have tapas on a pub crawl. They wanted us to get to know the "real Espana". Tapas in Palamos, Spain Tapas are bite-sized morsels of food that range from tiny serranto ham sandwiches to prawn cones to quail eggs to amazing desserts, many on
By Cacinda Maloney Zookz - Sandwiches with an edge You are driving west down Camelback, the most famous street in Phoenix, Arizona and decide to check out the central area of town. Turning into AJ's Shopping Center you notice this cute little sandwich shop that you want to check out. "Sandwiches with an Edge" it says. You notice the owner there, checking and double checking