Please The Palate |

Eating Europe: Food Tour of Naples, Italy

Throughout Italy, the food is delicious. And what makes Italy so unique as a country is that each region, and in some cases individual towns within a region, has their own specialties. There are regional pastas, pastries and chocolates, as well as regional recipes. Each time I head to a new town in Italy, I seek out these regional specialties and when I was heading to Naples, that was no exception. When one thinks of Naples, pizza is what comes to mind. Pizza is the most popular and best known creation of all Neapolitan cuisine. Naples is also known for its cheeses, especially mozzarella di bufala, and the fresh ripe tomatoes. But there are also the pastries, such as the babà (a rum cake), sfogliatella and zeppole. And there are the meats, seafood, vegetables and pastas and their various preparations. When heading to Naples for two days, how would I ever know what to try and where to try it? Naples is 1/11 the size of Rome but it is 1/3 of the population making it the densest city and the third largest in Italy. When it came to pizza, I had done my research and had a plan. But, I had no idea what else I should be looking to try or where to go. So, as a fan of food tours, I looked for one in Naples. As I have written before, food is a cultural identifier and it is shaped by location and by history. A food tour is a wonderful way to learn about a city and its culture, and it tastes good. The food tour organizer in Naples was Eating Europe. Founded in Rome in 2011 by American Kenny Dunn, Eating Europe has grown to be one of the largest food tour operators in Europe. They operate in nine cities, offering intimate experiences of a neighborhood and its food.

24 September, 2019

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Taste Porto Food Tours

Some people like museums, others architecture, for me it is food. And what better way to get to know a city and its people than through its food. Every time I travel internationally, I take at least one day to do a local food tour. While in Porto, Portugal this past week, that was no exception. But, I loved my tour so much I went on a second one the next day with the same company. And that is why Taste Porto is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Located in the Northwest of Portugal, Porto is the second largest city in Portugal with a population of approximately 214,000 people. Famous for is Port wines, Porto was a forgotten second city of Europe. However, in the past few years, Porto has exploded and is a popular tourist destination. Knowing I was going to be in Porto for a couple days, I immediately googled "food tours Porto" to see what would come up. One of the first companies to pop-up was Taste Porto, offering local walking food tours with passionate local guides. Taste Porto was started by three friends, two natives from Porto and an American, who wanted to share their love for Porto and the cuisine of Porto.

01 December, 2018

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Dubrovnik Food Story

Visiting a city for a first time, a city tour may be on one's agenda. Perhaps it is self-guided, perhaps it is with a tour guide. Perhaps you will focus on architecture or perhaps you will focus on historical monuments. For me, I like food tours. I want to explore a city and learn about the cuisine(s), what were its influences and what is both traditional and contemporary to eat (and drink). With Dubrovnik Food Story, it is a food tour and more! It is also a history lesson, a cultural tour and it is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Dubrovnik Food Story is a family-run business owned by two sisters, Marija & Ana. Marija, who graduated from Management in Tourism and worked in travel agencies and hotels, started offering food tours as a side business and started Dubrovvnik Food Story in 2013. Ana, who graduated with a degree in Aquaculture where she studied Mariculture, got her tour guide license and joined her sister in 2016. Both share passion for food, tradition and hometown and the food tours are a fusion of local history and gastronomy. We met Ana near the 15th century Onofrio Fountain, across from the 14th century Pharmacy in the Old Town of Dubrovnik. She greeted us with a plate in her hand and we met the others in our group. All tours are generally two to eight people (10 max).

05 May, 2018