From the editor-in-chief
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
This is our first food-themed edition in a while so it’s about time we shifted our focus toward our taste buds where the real joy of travel lies. Asian food is a cultural odyssey and the heavy use of salt, oils, garlic, chilli, herbs and spices was the only way to preserve food back in the pre-refrigeration days. Much to our delight today!
As a young boy growing up in the late ‘60s, post-war Australian immigration consisted of a European multicultural mix. Asian food wasn’t common, although every town or suburb had at least one Chinese restaurant. Using chopsticks was a real novelty as we happily chowed down westernised versions of Chinese dishes that certainly don’t appear on the menus in China.
Fast forward some years and Australia’s population has grown thanks to a significant intake of Asian immigration and international students, forever changing our view of ourselves while shifting our geographic identity toward our near neighbours. Thai food was the next cab off the rank, with an explosion of ‘cheap eats’ serving up delicious red coconut curries and Pad Thai dishes. In fact, most meals cooked in Australian homes now have some sort of Asian influence, as do our supermarket aisles.
When most Australians visit Bali for the first time, their introduction to Asian food is a satay stick, Nasi Goreng or Gado Gado. We explore this fascinating volcanic island on page 80, highlighting what makes their culture and food uniquely intertwine.
When China took back Hong Kong our population grew even more, also bringing many chefs looking for jobs in Australia. This introduced the beginning of a ‘Pan Australasian’ influence on many menus which remains today.
Many Australians are now living and cooking in Hong Kong and if you turn to page 100 you will be delighted to discover some unusual twists and hidden new venues.
Laotian cuisine is somewhat over shadowed by more prevalent offerings of Vietnamese and Thai cuisines. On page 94 we explore the subtleties and nuances of this lesser-travelled South East Asian country’s history of food.
In my experience, the richest of
Asian flavours are Malay curries and the real taste of Asia is best enjoyed with street vendors. On page 88 we discover Penang’s George Town, and also delight at the local street art.
If spicy food isn’t your thing, nor laying around a resort, then you will enjoy our story on trekking Fiji’s main island Viti Levu on page 128. Spinning the globe to Europe, we also focus on Portugal’s cool capital Lisbon, Sailing Croatia, Innsbruck’s winter delights and heritage hotels in Switzerland.
We’ve all had our appetites whetted by this edition and our desire to travel and try new foods is within our DNA. I hope you too enjoy this edition and for more inspiration, sign up to our new newsletter, V&T Sunday Traveller, and get weekly updates that will inspire you to plan and book your next vacation.
Safe travels,