Posts about Food and Wine
Advice on eating and drinking in the Context Travel cities.
A literary cafe by the British Museum, in London may not be the natural setting to discuss Spanish culinary traditions and trend. Nevertheless I cannot miss this opportunity to share a piece of cake and a good coffee with food writer Vicky Hayward, as she is on a quick layover in the city.
Since a recent visit to Madrid I have been fascinated by the development of Spanish food, and in particular the tapas phenomenon. Coming from a traditional Italian background, I find the idea of drinking and eating standing up a bit foreign, but I am about to learn more. Read more »
Posted by Petulia | This post has 2 comments
April 23rd, 2012 under Context Travel, Docent Essays, Docent Profiles, Food and Wine, Madrid, Uncategorized.
Almost since Venice’s beginnings, Rialto has been the center of Venetian life, and it remains so today. Monday through Saturday one finds the area filled with locals purchasing fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and flowers. The market rings with the shouts of the vendors, and the crush of Venetians inspecting and buying their goods. Rialto is also a popular space for informal social exchange, especially on Saturday mornings, as Venetians regularly run into friends here, often ducking into a bar together for a quick coffee or ombra (small glass of wine) before continuing on to the next stall. Read more »
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April 18th, 2012 under City Life, Docent Essays, Food and Wine, Shopping, Venice.
Meet Kathy Kordalis, our new food docent in London. Kathy has tons of experience in the food industry: from head of events at Divertimenti to a flourishing career as a chef. Here is more about her and her take on British food:
Q: From Australia To London-it looks like many Australians are deeply involved in London’s food renaissance, especially when it comes to coffee! Why do you think this is? Read more »
Posted by Petulia | This post has no comments
April 16th, 2012 under Culture, Food and Wine, London, Uncategorized.
Last weekend, Park Hyatt Macka Palace Istanbul Hotel hosted the Masters of Food and Wine event with the theme of “Byzantium and Food”. Context Travel culinary docent and renowned food writer, Aylin Oney Tan has worked together with Park Hyatt Istanbul’s creative chef Julien Piguet on designing the menu for a Byzantine inspired dinner.
Carefully selected ingredients based on research and historical evidence were brought together to create a rich menu and an Imperial atmosphere at the Prime Restaurant of Park Hyatt Istanbul. Aylin’s explanations throughout the dinner, brought to life the flavors and traditions of Byzantine Empire accompanied by selected local wine made of local grape varieties to match the courses.
We asked Aylin and Julien about this unique Byzantium meal they put together:
CONTEXT : Do we know any recipes from the extravagant tables of the Empires or the daily meals of locals of Constantinople?
AYLIN : We do not have exact recipes, but we have an idea on what was eaten, and about most praised ingredients. We also know a great deal on health-food relation and seasonal products.
CONTEXT : How was your market tour? What ingredients are the living descendants of the Byzantine cuisine and can still be found in Istanbul?
JULIEN : It was a great experience for me. I went to the market before obviously, but for the first time I had somebody to explain me the history of those specific products, Aylin was a great teacher, and so this tour was really interesting and tasty.
AYLIN : It is really exciting to see that many traditions still survive in contemporary Istanbul cuisine. Green olives in brine, cured bonito, waxed fish eggs, examples are endless. Julien did a great job combining exquisite spices like saffron, humble food like chickpeas and seafood of Bosphorus creating sublime recipes.
CONTEXT : How did you decide on the courses preparing this menu?
AYLIN: I read a great deal about the period. Andrew Dalby’s book, “Flavours of Byzantium” was always at our hand. Purple is the color of Byzantine and we gave an importance to every detail with a touch of purple. Table setting had a touch of purple, salt cellars were of purple mussel shells, I was dressed in purple, there was a purple coloured ingredient in every single dish.
JULIEN :Aylin gave me the list of ingredients, the details and the history of the Byzantine Cuisine and then I created a menu, we exchanged ideas, she was correcting if certain products should not be included and finally I gave a personal touch to design the dishes in a bit modern style whlie keeping the correct taste and ingredients.
CONTEXT : How can you describe the whole experience?
JULIEN :Very interesting and exciting, waiting for the next dinner!
AYLIN : A very tasty way of understanding the history and continuity!
Posted by Ceylan Zere | This post has 4 comments
April 5th, 2012 under Food and Wine, History, Istanbul, Special Events.
Barcelona celebrates nearly all its holidays with special dishes and desserts. Families and friends gather round the table to commemorate a special day that, in many cases, would not be the same without that significant part of their gastronomy. If we had to choose one day and one special food-related tradition to represent this, without a doubt it would be Easter Monday and its legendary “Mona de Pasqua”.
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April 4th, 2012 under Barcelona, Food and Wine, Special Events.
In the past four months I was fortunate enough to visit seven different countries and meet lots of lovely people. Along with business meetings and cultural visits, I also got a chance to try some spectacular food. Here is a brief summary of my favorite meals and snacks: Read more »
Posted by Petulia | This post has no comments
March 27th, 2012 under Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, City Life, Food and Wine, Istanbul, Madrid, Paris.
Everyone has their favorite season for visiting New York City, but we think the early spring, when the trees and flowers are starting to bud and bloom, and before the heat sets in, is prime time for a weekend trip. If you already have a weekend booked, or are considering a last minute trip, here are some of our top activity picks you won’t want to miss.
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Posted by Carolyn | This post has 3 comments
March 15th, 2012 under Architecture, Art, Budget Conscious Travel, City Life, Culture, Family Travel, Food and Wine, History, Museums and Monuments, New York, Special Events, Uncategorized.
Maybe you’ve already had a day in Istanbul during a cruise, or only visited the highlights in a hurry. Either way, it’s high time to return to this, vibrant, bustling city caught between Europe and Asia—for at least 36 hours. Don’t leave without seeing the Byzantine masterpiece of the Hagia Sophia and the historical city within the walls, but also don’t leave without exploring for something more. Here are our suggestions:
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Posted by Ceylan Zere | This post has 2 comments
March 12th, 2012 under Art, City Life, Culture, Food and Wine, Istanbul, Shopping.
The cuisine one finds in Italy is as varied as the dialects spoken across the country. When pondering the different market walks we provide through our Italian cities, it struck us that their varied cuisine is a wonderful lens through which to view their unique cultures. A few quick exchanges with our culinary experts and voilà, some thoughts on market finds that exemplify the best of Florence, Rome, and Venice. Read more »
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February 26th, 2012 under Florence, Food and Wine, Rome, Venice.
On a recent trip to NYC we experienced the infinite possibilities that the city offers to locals as well as visitors.
Thanks to well informed friends, we discovered a gem of Grand Central Station: a tennis court! It doesn’t happen often that I play tennis while visiting New York, but this opportunity could not be missed! Read more »
Posted by Petulia | This post has no comments
February 13th, 2012 under City Life, Context Travel, Culture, Food and Wine, New York.
A literary cafe by the British Museum, in London may not be the natural setting to discuss Spanish culinary traditions and trend. Nevertheless I cannot miss this opportunity to share a piece of cake and a good coffee with food writer Vicky Hayward, as she is on a quick layover in the city.
