For the ancient Mayans, chocolate acted as currency. As a food for the gods. As a drink reserved for royalty and rituals.
Thanks to the Mayans, the rest of the world came to know the power – and appeal – of chocolate. It's a story that's told from start to chocolatey finish at the Ecoparque Museo del Chocolate (Eco Chocolate Museum) in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Anchoring the string of Caribbean islands that includes Haiti, Puerto Rico, Montserrat, and others, Cuba is home to a cross-section of people – and cuisines. For years, the country has been relatively inaccessible to tourists, especially those from the U.S. And while U.S.-Cuban relations remain tenuous, the easing of travel restrictions have made it possible for visitors to start exploring the island, the largest in the Caribbean, and one distinguished for its natural splendor.
While I'd visited other parts of Mexico before, the Central and Gulf regions, places like Taxco, Puebla (the birthplace of mole), Mexico City, and Puerto Vallarta, neither my husband, who lived in northern Mexico for two years, nor I had ventured to the Yucatan.
There's a world of flavors to explore – why not make discovering them part of your New Year's resolution list?
For 2018, you can make tracking down, and trying out, new foods part of your family's goals for the year. If you're wondering where to get started, consider some of these ideas to expand your family's culinary palate.
Japanese okonomiyaki. Arepas. Turkish street food. Bento boxes. Just-fried empanadas. Taiwanese-style bao. Paella. Trying to decide what to eat at Broadway Bites is a mouth-watering challenge.
Wedged between Broadway and 6th Avenue in Greeley Square, not far from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, Broadway Bites bills itself as a pop-up eatery. The collection of creative eats includes influences from across the world.
Our driver, Emilio, and our cultural guide, Antonio, kept glancing at their watches and speaking in quick, hushed Spanish as they navigated the packed streets of downtown San Jose. At first, I thought their thinly-masked concern has something to do with the swarms of subcompacts and mopeds zipping around the tour bus, but even as we cruised up the mountain highway, past lush coffee plantations, jungle river valleys, and mist-wrapped peaks, I could see their worry increase. When we got stuck behind a slow-moving farm truck, their stress became palpable.
Detroit doesn’t tend to make headlines as a foodie destination.
It should.
Before moving to Detroit, Michigan, I had a grocery list of misconceptions about the Motor City, including an expectation it would be a food desert in the Midwest.
Instead, what I found was that Detroit holds a diverse mix of different cultures and people. And food.
Planning a family reunion can be a daunting task – from figuring out the best location to plotting activities that work for everyone, whether they’re ages 2, 22, or 82.
And then there’s mealtime.
Inevitably there’s a mixture of food likes and dislikes, paired with an allergy or two, or more. At least that’s how it goes in my family, which now tops more than 20 at family gatherings.
