Around the World in Five Dishes

Want to get to know the real flavors of a city? Eat like a local. Conjure Paris and you can’t help but think of croissants, still warm from the oven, their buttery layers so light and crispy they all but melt in your mouth. No matter where you travel, food is a profound, sensuous way to connect to the local culture. Here are a few not-to-miss local dishes.

Bouillabaisse (France)

France is renowned for its cuisine, from the exquisite pastries to the fromage. In the South of France, it’s all about the bouillabaisse, a Provençal fish soup flavored with garlic, fennel and tomatoes, served with a hunk of toasted French bread slathered with a garlicky, saffron-infused rouille. Some add shellfish like shrimp or spiny lobster, while others insist that it only include fish.

B’stilla (Morocco)

Sure, while you’re in Morocco, enjoy plenty of tagines and couscous. But don’t forget to also sample some authentic b’stilla. This ambrosial, savory-sweet “pie” is as exotic and mysterious as its native country, its cinnamon scent pervading the warm desert air. Served everywhere from the crowded stalls of Jemaa El Fnaa to the finest restaurants, b’stilla consists of pigeon, egg and almonds wrapped in crisp filo and topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Mole (Mexico)

Mexico may be known for tamales and quesadillas, but it’s the rich, sweet mole first made by the Aztecs that truly reflects the depth and diversity of this country’s culinary traditions. Made with anywhere from 20 to 100 ingredients, including a variety of dried chilies, spices, seeds, herbs, nuts and even chocolate, mole is intense, spicy and complex. Because it’s so labor-intensive, it’s generally reserved for special celebrations.

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Thailand)

In Bangkok, street food beckons from every pulsing corner, and smiling locals always seem to be eating snacks like firecracker-hot papaya salad, chicken satay and dumplings served from a cart. One dish that encompasses all of the exotic flavors of Thailand is gaeng keow wan gai, or green chicken curry, laced with fresh coconut milk, lime, galangal (Thai ginger) and citrusy kefir leaves, along with vegetables such as eggplant and peppers.

Uttapam (India)

Indian food is as rich and diverse as the culture, with mouthwatering curries, roti and fiery-sweet chutneys brimming with aromatic spices like coriander, cardamom and curry leaf. One of the most popular dishes of sunny South India is uttapam, a savory pancake made from rice and bean flours, and topped with various fillings like tomatoes, onions and peas. Dubbed “Indian pizza” by Americans, it is served with fresh coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambhar, a spicy lentil soup.

–Jennifer Evans Gardner, Brand Publishing Writer