Hello, we’re Colin and Mitch (short for Michelle). We live in England with our cat, Jiji, and have been together since we were students. We’re not very Instagrammable so here’s a splendid picture of us drawn by our wonderful goddaughter. It’s a very good likeness.

We are very lucky to have been able to visit many parts of the world, to see amazing sites, wildlife and landscapes and to be able to experience many different cultures. Of the numerous pleasurable things about travel, one of the greatest is getting to sample and enjoy the local food.

Food is more than nutrition. It plays such an important part in so many cultures all over the world – bringing people together, it often forms a focal point for festivals and celebrations and is fundamental to the expression of cultural identity. 

Please join us on our journey into food and drink from across the globe. This blog is about the places we’ve visited and the food we’ve tasted as well as recipes for dishes that we’ve tried to recreate when we’ve arrived back home. We are also interested in growing ingredients and preserving food.

Our Travel Philosophy

Whenever we travel we try to adhere to the following principles:

Be respectful and kind. We are representatives for our country as much as our hosts are for theirs.

We have been very lucky to have met some amazing people on our journeys and to have experienced the kindness of strangers all over the world. It’s so important to accept hospitality with good grace. We always eat food that we are offered, even if it is a bit challenging.

We always try to learn a few words of the language of the country we are visiting. At the very least, we learn to say ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’. Any attempt to speak the language, however incompetent, is always much appreciated.

We like to learn about local customs and traditions, to try to understand about a country’s history and culture.

We’re always aware that conditions and facilities may not be as comfortable as home. We consider ourselves lucky to be travelling. Many of the local people we have met on our trips, especially those who are hosting us or guiding us, have never had the chance to travel to other countries.

We try to be considerate of other people when taking photos and when we’ve taken the shot, we try to give others a chance to take theirs. And sometimes it’s really important just to ditch the camera and enjoy the experience.

Thanks so much for stopping by. We hope you enjoy this very tasty world. Here are our latest posts:

• Cooking with the Tharu in Chitwan, Nepal
  Cooking Tharu Chitwan Nepal The Chitwan area of Nepal is a national park that is located around 100km from Kathmandu. It takes around two to four hours to travel there from the capital (sometimes much longer if the roads are busy – our return journey took 10 hours!) depending on the route. But it’s a … Continue reading →
• RECIPE: How to Make Vietnamese Spring Rolls
  How to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls Summer Rolls Vietnamese cuisine is amongst the most delicious in the world. It is also amongst the prettiest. While most people think of spring rolls as being deep-fried, gỏi cuốn are actually served cold – at room temperature. In Western countries they are referred to as spring rolls, salad … Continue reading →
• New Year in Japan
  Spending New Year in Japan is a great way of understanding the traditions associated with one of the country’s most important celebrations. While Christmas Day is a normal working day in Japan (albeit one where it has become a custom to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken of all things – there’s a really interesting programme on … Continue reading →
• RECIPE: Vietnamese Pickled Garlic
  We were in our favourite local Vietnamese restaurant recently and, while eating a delicious bowl of Bún Bò Chân Giò Huế – Beef, Pork Hock, Meat Balls in a vermicelli noodle soup (Bún means vermicelli and the dish originated in Huế, a coastal city in central Vietnam that used to be its capital), the restaurant … Continue reading →
• Travel Blogging Before The Internet Part 2: A Trip to Canada
  While sorting through our loft, we came across a number of holiday souvenirs from our childhoods. Before the internet we had scrapbooks, postcards, brochures, felt-tipped pens and glue. After a magical trip to the USA, a lucky little girl visited western Canada the following year, visiting Calgary, the Rocky Mountains and Vancouver. She wrote about her … Continue reading →