Book Review: Food Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 Extraordinary Places to Eat Around the Globe by National Geographic

In the introduction to Food Journeys of a Lifetime, Keith Bellows, National Geographic Traveler editor-in-chief, considers a meal abroad as an exercise in cultural immersion:

“What people eat, when they eat it, where and how they source the food, what gastronomic rituals they observe, all offer telling insights into a place and its people.”

And it is as true in Boston and Tennessee as elsewhere on the globe.

Feed all your desires with Food Journeys of a Lifetime, organized by clever categories including Favorite Street Foods, Great Food Towns, Seasonal Delights and Outstanding Markets.

For insular Americans, it’s surprising to realize how small the U.S. is when you explore the book’s rich global cuisine. There’s no reason to travel and take our old eating habits with us, searching for the nearest burger. Travel is the time to explore the food of different lands. A foodie pilgrimage might take you to Spain to explore gastronomic pleasures and to the delights hidden in centuries-old shops of Paris, such as Maille, an old wood-lined mustard shop, unchanged since 1747 on Place de la Madeleine.

Open this gorgeous book and feed your senses. Food Journeys of a Lifetime is an orgy of food and travel, to satisfy any appetite on a global journey. What National Geographic accomplished in publishing this massive book is a stunning tribute to the gastronomic pleasures that await eager travels. As in any National Geographic production, the book contains stunning full 9" x 12” color photos, along with a few recipes if you can’t arrange to travel for your next meal. There are also generous lists, including bike tours, kitchen gardens, and the best of the world’s beer and wine.

Whether experiencing octopus in Osaka or your first taste of shojin ryori in a Buddhist temple, this huge treasure will provide memories to last a lifetime for those who’ve traveled well, and create an impetus to plan to experience some of these fascinating places. On my travels, I make an effort to avoid eating in corporate franchise restaurants. I seek out neighborhood places anywhere in the world. Yet when our travels are ruled by hunger and we don’t have such an inspiring travel book, we miss the opportunity for these rare, accessible treats.

Article Author: Helen Gallagher

Helen Gallagher reviews non-fiction books and shares insights when attending author and publishing events on Chicago's North Shore. She is a national speaker on technology, writing and publishing. She's a member of American Society of Journalists & …

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