National Geographic Traveller Food

Toyo Odetunde I’m constantly taken aback by West African cuisine. The unifying parallels across borders versus the hyperlocal nuances. The range of ingredients and flavours. It tells us so much about the region’s rich, and sometimes challenging, history. It was a pleasure speaking with those shining a light on it in exciting ways. COVER STORY, P 28 Tom Burson While meandering through Transylvania, I thought: ‘Why aren’t more people here?’ It has untamed nature trails as well as medieval towns and fortified churches. And then there are its culinary traditions, where grandma-style cooking is the norm and filled with laughter and heart. ROMANIA, P 38 Christie Dietz I spent most of my time in Liechtenstein gawping at the beauty of the Rhine Valley and its surrounding alpine peaks. The Kerbers…

Growing up in London has many perks, but chief among them has to be the ready availability of food from just about anywhere on Earth you can think of. As a child, my Polish family and friends kept me supplied with pierogi and barszcz, while the many Greek Cypriot restaurants and shops nearby meant I never wanted for spanakopita, pitta or taramasalata. Since then, I’ve moved between neighbourhoods where Bangladeshi, Turkish and West African cuisines have been both abundant and accessible. Yet, only in recent years has the latter become prominent on my culinary radar — largely thanks to a new generation of chefs with West African heritage who’ve made it their mission to bring the region’s cuisine to a wider UK audience. While working on this issue — my…

Momos are coming to the masses. These steamed, filled dumplings originate both in Nepal, where they’re usually round, and Tibet, where they’re more often half-moon shaped — and in both cases you can expect a side of achar, a pickled sauce. Having become a staple in parts of neighbouring India and Bhutan, too, they’re now seeing a boom in the UK. In August, Nepalese canteen Eat Momo (pictured) launched in London’s Borough Yards, serving dumplings filled with spiced chicken, pork or beef, as well as a veggie option flavoured with ginger. And in the second half of 2023, Dalston stalwart House of Momo added a second location in the capital, over in Brixton. There are meat and veggie options — including a cheese and vegetable combo — served either steamed…

BALAT SAHIL ONION DOLMA Sitting along the shore of the Golden Horn, in the colourful, much-photographed district of Balat, is Balat Sahil. It embodies the essence of traditional Turkish meyhanes — atmospheric establishments where you can linger over a selection of mezze, washed down with glasses of raki, Turkey’s aniseed spirit. But what sets Sahil apart is the quality of its cooking. The highlight of the menu is the onion dolma. Expect a spiced, rice-filled onion shell slowly braised in olive oil and broth, served at room temperature with signature charred blistering on the bottom. instagram.com/balatsahilrestoran SADRAZAM MAHMUT SWEETBREAD KEBAB This renowned kebab restaurant is located in the historic Sütlüce neighbourhood, which was once home to Istanbul’s abattoirs — so, naturally, meat reigns supreme. The kitchen turns out buttery bulgur…

1 The Orangery at Kensington Palace, London Queen Anne commissioned this greenhouse in 1704 to protect her orange trees during winters. Today, it delivers opulent reinterpretations of afternoon tea classics, such as lavender eclairs and minted strawberry tarts, to tables in this smart but stylish space. Statues of female deities and ornate carvings by Dutch sculptor Grinling Gibbons complete the palatial scene. hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace 2 Tu Hwnt i’r Bont, Llanrwst This 15th-century, Grade II-listed riverside tearoom was originally built as a dwelling and later housed the Conwy Valley courtroom. Now it dishes up high tea with a Welsh twist. Expect bara brith (spiced tea bread), Welsh cakes and scones with local cream. There’s also a champagne afternoon tea, as well as generously stuffed sandwiches including a ploughman’s roll, filled with honey-glazed ham,…

6G THE MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED DAILY SALT INTAKE FOR ADULTS 11,995ft The altitude of Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the world’s largest salt flat. Covering an area of around 4,000sq miles, it contains an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt 300 MILLION TONNES The amount of salt produced globally per year — not all of it for food purposes. China is the world leader in this area, producing 53 million tonnes in 2023 8 IN 10 The proportion of people across Britain who have salt on their chip shop chips THE YEAR IN WHICH MALDON SALT WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE ESSEX COAST. IT’S NOW RUN BY THE FOURTH GENERATION OF THE FOUNDING OSBORNE FAMILY AND IN 2012 WAS GRANTED A ROYAL WARRANT 50 days The maximum length of time it takes…