Beer and burgers in the Napa Valley

Until recently and like most probably do, I thought Napa Valley was all about award-winning wines and gourmet food. Well it is indeed, and I surely enjoyed touring around a few of the local wineries and tasting their respective Chardonnay, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Zinfandel to mention only a few. But that's not all, as people up there "in the Valley" also do other things very well, like beer and fast food for instance and as surprising as it may sound!

Galette des rois, or kings cake

As far back as my memories go, I remember "drawing the kings", or sharing a "galette des rois" every year at or around Epiphany early January. Although the "kings cake" tradition also exists in many other countries, galette des rois is characteristic to northern France, and consists of a puff pastry case filled with almond paste or "frangipane". A small porcelain figurine or "fève" (literally bean, for a broad bean was originally used) is hidden inside the cake, and the person who receives the slice with the fève becomes the king or the queen of the feast.

Whitebait pattie stop on the West Coast

Once back on the road after welcoming the new year in the Fiordlands, we headed towards NZ's West Coast through Haast, the gateway village into NZ's Glacier Country. I had been reading that Haast was famous for whitebait fishing, a practice attracting a number of amateur fishermen eager to earn a few extra dollars since the yearly catches started to shrink and the fish to consequently gain in value a few years ago, and that the most common way to indulge the precious fish was in a "whitebait pattie".

Wild venison in the Fiordlands

After a decidedly disappointing venison sandwich on our first day in NZ (which we probably ordered a bit too quickly, as venison does not seem to fit that well in a sandwich thinking about it now…) we reconciled ourselves with the meat a few days later, by enjoying a superb rack of the wild game on New Year's Eve.

Merry Christmas from New Zealand

Although quite unusual, it's been a wonderful and definitely summery one for us in here! After enjoying a gourmet 5-course dinner by the vines at Amisfield Bistro, Central Otago, last night, we decided on an active Christmas Day today - with a hike through magnificent scenery towards fascinating Rob Roy Glacier, in front of which we cheered with a simple yet very merry picnic..

Secret Melbourne

Locals say Melbourne is all about hidden gems. How true. Over just a couple of days here, we came across quite a few treasures where we would certainly not have expected them - some in narrow side lanes, some behind neglected facades or even completely unmarked doors..

Mutton Murtabak in Singapore

Two months have gone by already since Tom and I started our 'grand tour'. The good news is, we've got four more ahead of us. After three weeks at Balinese pace - read: very slow and unwinding - we stopped in Singapore on our way to Sydney for a few days. This turned out to be the perfect way to reacclimatize ourselves to the big city rhythm.

Back to basics in Bali

Denpasar international airport, Bali. We will soon be boarding our flight to Singapore, thus ending a deliciously relaxing couple of weeks in and around Bali. An extended stay all the more appreciated as the previous five weeks hopping around Indochina involved frequent transfers from one city or country to another and therefore many long and tiring journeys...

Cambodian fresh spring rolls

To conclude this Cambodian series, here is the last recipe which I learnt to prepare when we stayed in Siem Reap last October.

I loved these Cambodian fresh spring rolls even more than their Vietnamese counterparts, as they skip the rice vermicelli and are just packed with lots of crunchy herbs and veggies, making a super light and refreshing dish. Some crushed peanuts provide the sweet dipping sauce with a special twist too.

First Christmas cookies of the year, made in Bali

Now is about the time when my mother and I would usually spend an afternoon or two making Christmas cookies together - or 'Weihnachtsbredele' as we like to call them in Alsace - and despite all the fantastic things that this trip offers me to see and experience every day, I admit being a little sad to miss the tradition and more importantly the family gathering this year. However, a lovely surprise occurred today and definitely made up for my nostalgic moments...

Chiang Mai: a treat for market lovers

Looking back at our time in Chiang Mai, it seems like a good deal of it was spent wandering around the city's various markets. No wonder: Chiang Mai's markets burst with life, bright colours, sweet fragrances and cheerful local vendors..

Love at first bite: Khao Soi

Despite being a popular street dish in northern Thailand, Khaoi Soi is not frequently served in Thai restaurants abroad. Hence I had never tried it before our stay in Chiang Mai last week. Well, what a welcome surprise! Khao Soi - sometimes also called Chiang Mai Curry Noodles - consists of a mild thin coconut-based soup featuring hand cut egg noodles, pickled cabbage, shallots, lime and chicken, and topped with deep-fried crispy egg noodles.

Cambodian mango sticky rice

Here is the second recipe of our Cambodian series: sticky rice with mango, a great conclusion to any Asian meal. Although similar to the well-known Thai version, the preparation method is slightly different here, as the rice finishes to cook with the coconut milk, and some thin slices of jackfruit are also integrated. Sticky rice is preferable, but it's still a great way to use any leftover jasmine rice.

Genuine Lao food in the rainforest

We just returned from a 3-day trek in the Luang Namtha province, northwestern Laos. Despite some rain on the second day and a lot of very annoying leeches, this trek was definitely the highlight of our stay in Laos, allowing us to explore the pristine Lao jungle and spend time with the Lanten hill tribe in Nam Khoi, a tiny village so remote that one can only reach it by foot or river...

The joys of Vietnamese street eats

Here comes the end of our time in Vietnam... Tomorrow morning, Tom and I will be on the plane, heading to the romantic city of Luang Prabang. I surely look forward to discovering the charms of Laos and its cuisine - which I don't recall ever sampling. But before that, let me tell you a bit about what aspect of Vietnamese food has fascinated me the most along our circuit through the country: street food...