Host Seth Resler
For foodies who travel
Each episode, Taste Trekkers founder Seth Resler talks to a chef or culinary expert from a different region about their local dining scene.
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Recent Episodes
Dwight Furrow, the author of American Foodie: Taste, Art, and the Cultural Revolution, talks about the philosophy of food. We discuss everything the impact of everything from automobile to Alice Waters to the Slow Food movement have shaped the way Americans think about food.
Inbal Baum
Inbal Baum, the Founder of Delicious Israel, joins us to talk about where foodies should eat when they travel to her country.
- Shakshouka is a popular dish in Israel
- Israeli Breakfast is a distinct and important meal
- The modern cherry tomato has roots in Israel
- Tel Aviv and Jerusalem top the list of cities you should visit
- Beach season runs from April to October
- Rosh Hashana is a great time to visit Israel
- When you visit Tel Aviv, go to the Carmel Market, the Levinsky Market
- Try the date syrup, Silan
Food for Thought
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Q: After pita bread, what is the most common food used to “wipe” humus? - A: Raw onion.
Out of the Frying Pan
- Favorite Spot for Outdoor Dining: Milgo & Milbar
- Favorite Place to Buy Spices: Cafe Arma in Levinsky Market
- Herbs to Try: Za’atar and Hawaij (in Yemenite Coffee)
- Favorite Winery: Sphera
- Favorite Place for Dessert: The Malabia
- Favorite Food Experience for Kids: Max Brenner
- Chef to Watch: Eyal Shani
- Dish to Try at Different Places: Shakshouka and sabich
Bennett Jacobstein
Bennet Jacobstein, author of The Joy of Ballpark Food: From Hot Dogs to Haute Cuisine, talks to us about what foodies can find at different baseball stadiums around the country.
- Hot dogs and sausages are not the same thing.
- The quality of ballpark food was elevated in the 90s as new stadiums were built and food television shows took off.
- Stadiums have highlighted regional foods.
- Gordon Biersch‘s founder Dan Gordon introduced garlic fries at Candlestick Park in 1994.
- The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was written in 1908.
- The Yankees replaced Cracker Jacks at one point, but brought it back after a public outcry.
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San Francisco Giant Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries
Veggie Happy spearheaded the movement to get veggie dogs sold at ballpark stadiums.
- Andrew Zimmern has a stand in the Minnesota ballpark.
- Rocky Mountain Oysters are bull testicles.
- “The Big Six” are the food companies that service the major ballparks.
- As you go from ballpark to ballpark, try the hot dogs at each to see how they’re done differently.
- Proceeds from Bennett’s book go to Second Harvest Food Bank.
Food for Thought
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Q: In what year were Cracker Jacks first served at a baseball game? - A: 1896 in Atlantic City.
Out of the Frying Pan
Here’s what Bennet recommends you try at each ballpark:
- Yankees Stadium in New York City: Chicken and Waffles.
- Fenway Park in Boston: Lobster Roll and a cuban sandwich.
- Wrigley Field in Chicago: Chicago-style hot dog with Vienna beef.
- Turner Field in Atlanta: Boiled peanuts.
- Marlins Park in Miami: Cuban dishes.
- Safeco Field in Seattle: The Ivar’s hot dog (with fish) and cream cheese hot dog.
- Nationals Park in Washington D.C.: A cauliflower hot dog and presidential cupcakes.
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Chicago White Sox Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Busch Stadium in St. Louis: The BBQ.
- Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles: Tommy Lasorda Spumoni ice cream.
- AT&T Park in San Francisco: Crab salad, lamb sausages, and Gordon Biersch garlic fries.
Marie Ducote
Marie Ducote of Cajun Food Tours in Lafayette, Louisiana, tells us about the Cajun food scene. We talk about king cakes, gumbo, and the differences between Cajun and Creole food.
- Lafayette has the second largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States
- Lafayette is Cajun country; New Orleans is Creole
- Crawfish runs from January until June
- Johnson’s Boucaniere is a fantastic smokehouse if you enjoy sausage
Food for Thought
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Q: During the 2015 Mardi Gras season hat type of king cake did Bob Carriker make that went viral after being posted to Facebook? - A: Boudin and cracklin and Steen’s cane syrup.
Out of the Frying Pan
- Favorite Place for Brunch: Blue Dog Cafe
- Favorite Farmer’s Market: Lafayette City Park
- Favorite Restaurant with a View: Ruffino’s on the River
- Favorite Place for Crawfish: Louisiana Crawfish Time
- Favorite Dessert: Bananas Foster Bread Pudding at Bon Temps Grill
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Favorite Food Truck: Viva la Waffle - Favorite Place for Drinks: Martinis at Bon Temps Grill
Heidi Burnette
- The Meadow has great chocolate and artisan finishing salts
- Merroir: Like terroir, but in the sea
- Chris Angelus runs Portland Food Adventures
- In Portland, food trucks are “food carts” and they park in “pods”
- Check out the food truck pod called Tidbit on Southeast Division
- A New Seasons grocery store can transform a Portland neighborhood
- Besaw’s is the fourth oldest restaurant in Portland
- Heidi recommends Kenny and Zuke’s, St. Jack’s, Fireside on NW 23rd Avenue (the Alphabet District)
- The Foodworx Conference in is Portland every year
- Visit Andy Ricker’s Pok Pok for great Thai food (hear our interview with him)
- On Division Street, Heidi recommends the Southeast Wine Collective, Sunshine Tavern, Ava Gene’s, Sen Yai Noodles
- Get some ice cream at Salt & Straw
- Plan your trip around the Feast Portland food festival
- On Saturdays, check out the Portland State University Market
- Grab a slice of pizza from Tastebud
- Visit Bull Run Distillery
- Life in Portland is, in fact, a lot like Portlandia
- For great coffee: Heart Coffee, Ristretto Roasters, and Barista
- Try a Third Wave Coffee Tour
Food for Thought
- Q: What berry was developed in Oregon in the 1950s and was named after an Oregon county?
- A: The Marionberry.
Out of the Frying Pan
- Favorite Place to Brunch: Screen Door (Get the fried chicken and waffles) or Country Cat
- Favorite Place for Cocktails: Rum Club
- Favorite Food Cart Success Story: Rick Gencarelli’s Lardo
- Favorite Restaurant Decor: Woodsman Tavern
- Favorite Portlandia Scene:
Jeff Greif
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Jeff Greif, the Founder and Editor in Chief of the travel website Travel Squire. We talk about the site’s list of the 28 Hot Destinations of 2015. He helps us pick out the best choices for foodies.
- See Travel Squire’s list of the Top 28 Destinations of 2015: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4
- Explore the food scene in Tunisia
- Go wine tasting in Alsace, where you’ll find Germanic and French food traditions
- And explore Baiersbronn, Germany (The Black Forest): Harald Wohlfahrt in the Schwarzwaldstube Restaurant in Tonbach, Claus-Peter Lumpp in the Bareiss Restaurant in Mitteltal, and Jörg Sackmann in the Schlossberg Restaurant in Schwarzenberg
- Try the street food at the night markets in Taiwan, including Snake Alley (the Huaxi Street Night Market)
- Great Britain gets a bad rap; you should try the food in London, including the new Bibliotecha
- Tour the Sapporo Brewery in Japan
- Louisville, Kentucky aims to be the Napa Valley of bourbon
- 90% of the U.S. disco balls are manufactured in Louisville
Food for Thought
Q: What is the most remote place on earth that you can get fish cakes?
Out of the Frying Pan
- Favorite Winery: The Reif Estate Winery
- Favorite Food Festival: South Beach Food and Wine Festival
- Restaurant with the Best View: Costes in Paris
- Favorite Market: Byward Market in Ottawa (Get an Obama Cookie from Moulin de Provence)
- Favorite Food Writers: Ruth Reichl and Michael Tulipan
Jodi Ettenberg
- Read The Food Traveler’s Handbook
- Jodi wanted to see the Trans-Siberian trains
- Jodi was inspired by The Lost Girls
- Jodi’s interest in spices inspired her travel
- Jodi put aside $15,000 for her first year of travel
- Jodi is a member of the Dynamite Circle
- Jodi uses MeetUp.com
- Jodi connects with people on eGullet and Chowhound
- Thinking about traveling the world? See Jodi’s resources webpage
- Jodi got sick a lot when she first traveled
- Jodi’s guide for celiacs
- Check out Jodi’s typographic food maps and shirts
Food for Thought
- Q: Where did ketchup originate?
- A: China.
Out of the Frying Pan
- Most Romantic Place: El Nido, Palawan in the Phillippines
- Favorite Market: Rotating Markets on Inle Lake in Myanmar
- Favorite Wineries: On the island of Waiheke in New Zealand
- Favorite Dessert: Crunchy grapes (?!?) and Cha-An (black sesame dessert)
- Favorite Holiday Celebration: Anything local
- Favorite Cheese: Sheep’s Milk Cheddar from Portland, Oregon and Stilton cheese from the UK
- Inspirational Advice: Food is the best way to discover new places
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