National Geographic Traveller Food

Austin Bush In Marseille, I particularly enjoyed witnessing the enthusiasm and pride of the next generation of the city’s North African cooks as they shared the cuisine of their parents and grandparents. It was also a special moment when I finally got to taste high-quality harissa, having previously only tried the stuff that comes in a tube. MARSEILLE, P. 46 Mallika Basu Writing about kedgeree was a joy because its origins lie in khichdi, a soothing South Asian dish that’s a firm favourite in my family. Kedgeree’s story is one of cultural appreciation, from the early days of the British colonists in India; it was fascinating to piece its history together. DECONSTRUCT, P. 38 Chawadee Nualkhair Generations of Thai chefs have found uses for every part of the coriander plant,…

ISSUE 27, SPRING 2025 Along with salt, spices and garlic, herbs are what I — and many others — would consider to be a cookery essential. They add depth and freshness to practically any dish, and wherever you go in the world, you’ll find at least one herb that’s a crucial ingredient in the local cuisine. This is certainly the case in Thailand, where the whole coriander plant, from root to leaf, is used to flavour everything: curries, soups, salads, you name it. So much so that Bangkok chef Dylan Eitharong says it’s simply “not possible” to make Thai food without the herb. In Jamaica, meanwhile, thyme lends its distinctive but mellow flavour to various foods, but most famously it’s crucial to jerk marinade. And in Sweden, dill can be…

Pistachios have long been a staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, flavouring everything from syrupy baklava to creamy gelato. Now they’re going mainstream in the UK, too, featuring in coffees, cocktails, pasta dishes and pastries. Last year, Waitrose saw searches for pistachio rise by 19% from 2023 and it recently began selling both pistachio tiramisu and pistachio croissants. The latter can also be found at numerous bakeries, including Aux Pains de Papy in London and Sweet Delights in Edinburgh — where the pastry overflows with homemade pistachio cream and is topped with pistachio butter, white-chocolate drizzle and roasted pistachios. Flying the flag for the pistachio latte, meanwhile, is Blank Street, which has branches in London and Manchester and whose signature coffee matches its green colour scheme. You can find…

DEWAKAN BELINJAU ORIGAMI FROG This dish epitomises chef Darren Teoh’s commitment to celebrating local, indigenous and traditional ingredients through creative, experimental cooking. Part of the restaurant’s tasting menu, it centres around crackers made from native Malaysian belinjau nuts, crafted to resemble an origami frog. The crackers have a creamy yet mildly crunchy texture and earthy flavour, while a topping of oil from the perah nut, also native to Malaysia, adds depth and richness. A final flourish of caviar represents the female frog’s eggs during mating season. dewakan.my BETA KL A5 MIYAZAKI MASAK HITAM Michelin-starred modern Malaysian restaurant Beta KL puts a contemporary fine-dining spin on humble, rustic dishes, using European and Japanese techniques. The restaurant is best known for its A5 Miyazaki wagyu beef, served in a dark, rich Sarawakian…

1 The Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire In a rural, 15th-century former pub, The Angel has garnered accolades including a Michelin star and a spot on the National Restaurant Awards’ top 50 list. Expect ingredients like Isle of Mull scallops (with calamansi, melon and yuzu ponzu) and Tête de Moine cheese (in a tart with plums and beetroot), plus some of the best milk bread this side of Japan. The bedrooms are minimalist yet cosy, with opulent bathrooms. Doubles from £530 with three-course dinner and breakfast. angelhetton.co.uk 2 The Nest Farmhouse, Norfolk Set within 1,000 acres of sprawling North Norfolk farmland, The Nest offers five bedrooms and an open-kitchen restaurant led by head chef Grant Cotton. His menu celebrates local produce: standouts include the Dexter sirloin with roasted shallots and…

€10,000 PER KG The price (equivalent to £8,372) of the world’s priciest honey. Only 10‑15kg of Turkish Centauri Honey is harvested each year, from caves 8,200ft above sea level 2,254kg The weight of the largest honey cake ever baked, in Hyderabad, India in 2024. That’s heavier than a Volkswagen Transporter van 70 HOURS The minimum time required to qualify as a honey sommelier. Italy is the only country with an official list of honey experts: the National Register of Experts in Sensory Analysis of Honey 3,000+ years The length of time that two clay amphorae containing traces of honey lay undiscovered, among other treasures, in King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt 121,000 THE NUMBER OF MILES BEE S FLY TO M AKE J U ST 1KG OF HONE Y — EQUIVALENT…