Posts Tagged ‘India’
Travelers and Travel Agents
Posted May 16, 2011
on:- In: Destinations | Thoughts on Travel | Tours
- 1 Comment
This article in The Washington Post was brought to my attention this morning:
Travelers Turn Back to Travel Agents
Normally I don’t read articles like this in detail, but what got my attention was that it recounts the experience of a traveler who asked his travel agent to book a 10-day trip to India on short notice. When we first opened Celebrations International Travel in 2005, we booked itineraries like this every day. The reason was that we worked with adoption travel at that time, and most of our clients departed within 7-10 days of purchasing their arrangements. With that being said, we had several clients who left within 48 – 72 hours of completing their arrangements. No, that is not a misprint!
We know and understand that as travelers, you always have a choice as to how, where, and with whom you book your travel arrangements. I’ll be the first to admit there are great travel deals to be found online, and travelers can indeed book on their own. However, there really is no substitute for the expertise that a good travel agent brings to the table.
Perspectives on Culinary Tours
Posted March 5, 2010
on:Content courtesy and with the express permission of Travel Research Online.
For a sample of Celebrations International’s culinary tours please visit our Culinary tours homepage. Please note that all our tours are fully customized!
Culinary Travel is an Adventure!
Posted February 1, 2010
on:As a follow-up to my last post, I’d like to expand upon the adventurous nature that culinary tours can take on.
I don’t mean that every culinary traveler would necessarily want to embark on a strenuous hike or go bungee jumping (although we can certainly work that into a culinary tour if that’s what they want).
Culinary travel in the truest sense of cultural immersion tends to evoke the adventuresome spirit in many travelers. For example, how often do travelers on your average sightseeing tour to Japan get to witness traditional cormorant fishing by the Ukai fishermen, done by firelight? In India, travelers have the opportunity to stay overnight in an ancient palace and fort that has been converted into a hotel. In Vietnam, you can take a cycle or walking tour through bamboo thickets to a rural village to see the threshing and harvesting of rice and get a glimpse of what modern-day village life is like.
In northern France, culinary travelers may want to visit the Cointreau Museum in Angers and tour the salt fields of Guerande. In Germany, you can visit a farm to explore the origins of authentic Black Forest ham, spend the night at a hotel with rooms constructed of hollowed-out wine barrels, and marvel at the beauty of medieval castles and rolling vineyards while you enjoy some of the best German beers and wines. In Italy, culinary travelers can enjoy a visit to a working Agriturismo, where five restored farmhouses sit amongst a grove of olive trees and a vineyard. The Agriturismo produces amazing wines, olive oils, and cheeses.
In many culinary destinations, travelers have the opportunity to visit with local families to share a meal and learn their cooking techniques. Especially for travelers looking for something that’s unique and not touristy, I can’t think of a better way to experience a destination, its people, and its culinary traditions.
These are just a handful of examples of the adventuresome nature of culinary travel. Contact us to learn more and start planning a culinary adventure of your own!
A tweet from @travelstour caught my attention just now, publicizing this article on foods named after places.
This article intrigued me for a number of reasons. First, it was a fun challenge to see what I could add to their list. I posted a comment with the following:
Carolina BBQ, Texas BBQ, Georgia peaches, Maryland blue crabs.
If I took more time, I think I think of quite a few more.
Second, this article got me thinking: Identifying signature foods with certain places has everything to do with the very existence of culinary travel as a specialty travel niche. If places were not culturally and historically identified with certain foods, culinary travel specialists like myself would not have much to talk about, would we?
Just off the top of my head, here are just a few examples featured in our own custom culinary tours:
French Champagne and Calvados, German Chocolate, Peking Duck, Edo-Style Sushi, Phad Thai, Chianti, and Rajasthani Thali
Indeed, we live in a very diverse, interesting, and tasty world!
Here is the text of an article I wrote that was published on WhereIveBeen’s “Your Daily Escape” yesterday. Please note that the picture I’ve included here is different than that pictured on WhereIveBeen.com, and the links herein our for Celebrations International Travel’s site.
This tweet was WhereIveBeen’s announcement of my article:
Enjoy!
International Flavor: An Introduction to Culinary Travel
By Adrienne Mitra
Celebrations International Travel
Culinary travel is an emerging trend amongst ardent travelers and food and wine lovers alike. What exactly does the term “culinary travel” bring to mind? As with any type of specialty travel, the variety of trips that could fall into the culinary travel category are as countless and unique as the travelers themselves: a weekend getaway visit to a special event like the Lobster Festival in Maine; a wine connoisseurs’ cruise; a tour of the Napa Valley vineyards; or hands-on cooking classes. What all of these culinary travel options have in common is this: The focus is not on simply having travelers eat their way through their destinations.
In my mind, the idea most intrinsic to culinary travel is that it provides travelers with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culinary heritage and traditions of their destination. Excellent food and drink can be found anywhere in the world without necessarily having to travel. However, because food and its associated traditions are an intrinsic part of life, culinary travel is about experiencing a destination’s cuisine, culture, history, people, and way of life.
With this outlook, at my agency, Celebrations International Travel, we endeavor to create culinary travel that is unique and includes a variety of activities and experiences. We do this by combining elements of traditional sightseeing and cultural highlights with culinary-focused components to create customized tours. The culinary-focused components can be anything, depending on what the destination is best known for. For example, many culinary tours involve components that highlight the region’s renowned wines and classic cooking.
As a premier wine destination, your options in Tuscany are endless. For example, travelers can stay at a villa in the countryside with its own renowned chef. From this “home base,” travelers may choose to visit several wineries and sightsee in different parts of Tuscany. The winery experiences include not only wine tasting, but also olive oil, grappa, and cheese samplings. Guests have the opportunity to witness the wine-making, olive oil pressing, and cheese-crafting processes, take leisurely guided walks through the vineyards and olive groves, and enjoy visits with the local vintners and farmers. Germany is another great destination for wine connoisseurs, where travelers can choose to spend the night in a hotel room built in a hollowed-out wine barrel after a day of exploring the vineyards (pictured below)! Guests may also enjoy a meal in the peaceful surroundings of a vineyard, grove, or farmhouse, with the venue’s signature wines as the centerpiece.

Stay in a hotel room built out of a wine barrel on our Germany culinary tour!
Speaking of meals, culinary travelers can enjoy hands-on cooking classes highlighting local specialties and ingredients. Sometimes the classes are held in culinary schools; other times they are hosted by well-known restaurants, villas, or bed-and-breakfasts. Whatever the venue, travelers will find themselves learning first-hand from culinary experts. In many instances, the “students” will assist the chef-instructor in gathering the ingredients to be used, either in an on-site garden or during a visit to a local market. The chefs introduce their guest students to the ingredients and guide them in the preparation of a gourmet meal that the entire group will enjoy at the conclusion of the lesson. These cooking classes give culinary travelers an excellent opportunity to try their hand at making pasta and other Italian favorites, learn the many uses of fresh Italian herbs, and enjoy a scrumptious meal that they helped create! Similarly, in Germany, guests may get to make an authentic Wienerschnitzel, learn various ways of incorporating fine German beers into traditional dishes, or try making Spaztle noodles. Best of all, cooking classes always end with a chance to sample the specialties made in the class!
There are many notable culinary destinations around the world. Domestic highlights include Napa and Sonoma, New England, the Louisiana Bayou, and the Hawaiian Islands. Internationally, France, Spain, Peru, Chile, China, Japan, Thailand, India, and Australia are some culinary hotspots to consider. No matter what destination you choose to explore from a culinary perspective, you are sure to find that a variety of activities and experiences await you.
The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook
Posted December 10, 2009
on:Rasamalaysia.com is offering a chance to win a copy of this unique new cookbook. Here’s the link to enter by leaving a comment: http://tinyurl.com/yjhfog6
Subtitled “Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens”, the cookbook offers a collection of recipes from various cuisines across Asia.
I must confess that I wasn’t always a fan of Asian foods while growing up. I’m an American-born southern girl of Chinese heritage; many times I preferred to stick to good old macaroni and cheese! But now that my husband and I have combined two distinct Asian cultures in our household, we are both ardent connoisseurs of all Asian cuisines. (We’ll still join you any day for some scrumptious BBQ, NY Strip, or hearty American breakfast any day!)
I think this cookbook is a great way to not only celebrate our Asian origins, but to acknowledge and embrace our way of life in our American homeland as well.
Celebrations International Travel currently has sample itineraries for culinary tours in China, India, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We customize all itineraries to suit your family or group’s preferences, budget, and travel timeframe.
Interested in visiting another country in Asia or elsewhere in the world? Let us know and we will create the tour just for you! Contact us to start planning your culinary tour today!
Tonight’s State Dinner in Washington, D.C. is being held in honor of the Prime Minister of India. While I’m not usually the one into blogging about “all things Indian,” I came across a link on the President’s Web site with the guest list. These are the names that jumped out at me at first glance:
Deepak Chopra
Katie Couric
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
The Honorable (Governor) Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana
Mrs. Supriya Jindal, First Lady of Louisiana
Gayle King
General Colin Powell
Mrs. Marian Robinson
Brian Williams
I also found it quite interesting to see the number of American dignitaries and statesmen on the list who are of Indian origin. Goes to show what a melting pot America truly is.
Tonight’s menu, by Guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson, combines American and Indian cuisines. Here’s the menu, course by course:
Potato and Eggplant Salad
White House argula with onion seed vinaigrette
Wine: 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Modus Oprendi, Napa Valley, California
Red lentil soup with fresh cheese
Wine: 2008 Riesling Brooks “Ara” Willamette Valley, Oregon
Roasted Potato Dumplings with tomato chutney
Chick peas and okra
or
Green curry prawns
Carmelized salsify with smoked collard greens and coconut aged basmati
Wine: 2007 Granache, Beckman Vineyards, Santa Ynez, California
Pumpkin Pie tart
Pear tatin
Whipped cream and caramel sauce
Wine: Sparkling Chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, Virginia
Petits Fours and Coffee
Cashew Brittle
Pecan Pralines
Passion Fruit and Vanilla Gelees
Chocolate dipped fruit
Personally, I think the pumpkin pie is a befitting nod to the Thanksgiving holiday this week, and pecan pralines are a wonderful way to highlight not only an American classic, but also Gov. Bobby Jindal’s home state.
For your personal taste and experience of authentic cuisine by 5-star chefs around the world, see Celebrations International Travel’s Culinary Tours. Here’s our India sample itinerary, just to tempt your palate and inspire your travels. All tours are customized to suit your needs and preferences.
Contact us to start planning your culinary tour today!