I wish I was a foodie in the same way that I wish I could play piano or speak Italian, but I am not.
I believe I could exist quite happily like Robocop on nothing more than a rudimentary baby food like paste to keep my organic systems functioning, provided that the paste was nacho cheese or ranch flavored.
That is why you don’t see many posts about food on my blog. I eat lots of local foods, but I don’t get into the how and why of the ingredients and production.
Thankfully I have my own personal foodie: Jodi Ettenberg. I’ve met Jodi on three different continents. She’s true, unabashed food lover and I have personally let Jodi handle my food decisions many times.
- While eating street food in Bangkok I’ve literally handed Jodi money and had her select my food. Because she has Celiacs Disease like me, I know she will get me something I can eat that will taste good.
- When I was in San Francisco, I was eating at a Thai restaurant and had Jodi remotely order my food from Chiang Mai. The whole thing was arranged via photos, texting the restaurants online menu.
- In New York, Vancouver and London I always let her pick the restaurant we’ve eaten at.
The short (pun intended) story is that even though I’ve traveled more than 99.99% of the people in the world, I still look to Jodi for guidance when it comes to eating food when traveling.
…and so should you.
Jodi’s new book is one of the best on the subject of food and travel.
It covers how you can learn about a culture through what they eat and how to safely and confidently order food when you are traveling. If you have concerns about the safety of street food or how to know what and where to order, read this book before going on your next trip.
Check out the trailer below to listen to Jodi in her own words about how the book came about.
The book is available in print on Amazon and as an ebook on all major platforms.