Gastronomy/Wine
Hang up your aprons, empty the fridge and sit back and enjoy – for a trip away from home is a chance to try new foods and drink and treat your tastebuds to a revolution.Every country has its national dish and tipple and sampling the local speciality is a gourmand’s delight: whether it’s snails and frogs legs or haggis and nips, the unique tastes of a nation can be a major highlight of any trip.
The French, or course, have a long-established reputation for culinary excellence. Spreading out from many of Flybe’s French gateways are acre upon acre of sprawling farmland or vineyard, with each region boasting either its own special dish or wine varietal. And there’s usually an open door to those who want to sample. From extended fine dining across many courses, to a rustic baguette the choice is vast.
Check out Bordeaux for a fab insight into the French world of wines or Bergerac for over 13 appellations and more than 120 wineries. When it comes to dining, remember wherever you go across France regional specialities are well worth a try. The cheese making is of a high calibre, but try the rich hearty stews, roasted sweetbreads, geese and duck dishes rich in truffles, walnuts and strawberries and homemade foie gras too.
In Paris café society is alive and well and long leisurely meals spill out onto the pavements. In Rennes and Brest there are numerous creperies for a reliable, cheap feast; and in Chambery lake and river fish are a speciality and traditional fondues, raclettes and cozets still feature prominently. Down by the sea, at La Rochelle don’t miss the moules or oysters and piled-high crab salads. Head to Perpignan, 30km from the Spanish border, and the tastes have a Catalan style – snails smothered in garlic, salted smoked hams and richly stuffed sausages, to name but a few items you’ll find on many menus..
In Spain itself, paella is a must – that’s saffron rice crammed with fresh fish and seafood caught locally. But there are other surprise specialities too. Almeria is the home of gazpacho – chilled summer soup – and also one of the best places for genuine tapas. In Malaga you can try the lightly fried fish or sardines roasted on a spit; and in Alicante they transform paella into fideu by adding chicken. For desserts don’t miss out on Palma’s honey and almond cakes and pastries. Wash it all down with the wines of Murcia or the famous jerez – sherry.
In neighbouring Portugal (accessed through Faro) seafood again has a starring role on the menu – with sardines, tuna and clams a regular feature, in many cases set alongside meat in a surf ‘n turf combination. Famed for its rose wines, Portugal also has excellent reds and light sparkling whites, plus a warming local brandy to finish things off.
Around the regions of the UK, there are the whisky distilleries of Scotland to explore, the luxurious ice creams, cream teas and pasties of Cornwall (check them out via Exeter), and the cream teas and home-grown oysters in Jersey. On the Isle of Man check out the Manx kippers. Scotland has recently won acclaim for a ‘new type’ of cuisine – Modern Scottish - designed to make use of the country’s wealth of natural produce, from grouse to venison, steaks to salmon but with a lighter, often oriental twist.
And Northern Ireland (accessed via Belfast) has been at the forefront of Ireland’s gastronomic innovations and boasts a raft of award-winning restaurants. Birmingham is famed as the original home of the Balti and has no shortage of top-notch restaurants of every ethnicity, and Yorkshire (accessed via Leeds) is the home of fish and chip suppers – try them here or by the sea in the traditional seaside towns off the Norfolk coast (accessed via Norwich).
Wherever you go in Britain you are never far from a sumptuous cream tea or a traditional English pub with warm ales and classic bar snacks. Head across the Irish Channel to Dublin or Shannon and no trip is complete without a pint of Guinness or two.
There’s never any shortage of good things to eat in Salzburg either – delicious coffee and pastries are a must, mountainous soufflés and sumptuous sweets mean diets have to be put on hold. Even the main courses – goulashes with double cream, blood sausages and roasted meats – are generally served with dumplings and do little to loosen the waistbands. Austrian wines are beginning to make a mark but the city is best known for its beers, or you could try the local schnapps.
Dine out in Berne and there is everything from rustic eateries with cowbells and local specialities to international restaurants offering every type of cuisine. Don’t miss the chocolates and the cheeses!