SAMPLING a local dish is all part of the travel experience for many holidaymakers. But now a new breed of gastro-tourist is emerging – one that plans trips specifically to experience the finest tastes, from feta cheese in Greece to coffee in Colombia.
According to new research, more travellers are letting their taste buds decide where to take them, with one in ten now planning their break solely around food and drink specialities.
Although itineraries featuring high-quality produce – Scotla
nd's whisky trail, for example – have long attracted visitors, the new survey has found people are heading to destinations further afield for their food fix.
It is not only foodie paradises such as France and Italy that are benefiting from this increase – less glamorous locations like Melton Mowbray are also pulling in the punters.
About 20 per cent of visitors to the Leicestershire town go in order to sample pork pies, and about the same proportion of those going to Herefordshire are there to quaff the cider.
And many are willing to take risks for that sensory experience – hundreds told researchers they had travelled to Colombia to sample the coffee.
Alison Couper, of the travel website Expedia.co.uk, said: "The research shows that Britons are breaking away from the stereotypical PG Tips and Marmite food staples while on holiday, and becoming more dedicated to immersing themselves in the home-grown local cuisine."
With supermarket shelves stocked with plenty of exotic and organic foods, Britons are becoming more curious about foreign ingredients and where they are sourced.
Many are flooding destinations traditionally associated with fine foods and drink – whether it be Italy for Parma ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or France's Champagne region to check out the world's best bubbly.
Tour operators are well aware of the surge in demand and now plan a range of gastro experience options.
Travellers are no longer limited to a table in the local restaurant or a dash around the supermarket.
Among the options advertised by travel companies are cooking courses, guided tours of regional markets and opportunities to meet local food celebrities.
Food lover Carolyn Chesshire, of Shropshire, was inspired to set up Food Safaris, her own gastronomic tour in her home county, after an enjoyable trip to France's Languedoc region.
She said: "They took us on daily tours visiting the region's famed artisan wine and food producers, long, leisurely lunches, evening cookery demonstrations, food festivals and tutored fly-fishing. It was a true taste of the region, with real passion and originality."
Chef Franco Taruschio, who has been running food tours to his native Italy for some time, said: "It's something you Brits are just starting to wake up to. It's a great experience to visit the local markets and see where the food comes from."
For those fancying a more exotic trip, there is the option of lobster-potting in Sweden's Bhoulsan coast. Japan's Ryokan tour is another well-established trip. It could include visiting a noodle cooking school or sampling beef in the Japanese Alps.
Wine lovers are no longer limited to France or California. As well as the fans of Colombian coffee, there is a growing band of wine lovers venturing east to Georgia. The former Soviet state is said to have as many as 1,000 varieties of grape, supporting many small wine makers.
Expedia's Alison Couper said: "In the past, Brits have been unfairly branded as unadventurous, but the research findings underline that Brits are adventurous when travelling."
Finding the flavours of a region off the beaten track GASTRO tours may have only recently grabbed the attention of the masses, but Paula McNulty, of Edinburgh, has been tracking down the world's finest cuisine for years.
The PR consultant said: "Every year I like to go away on a couple of trips. Recently I've been to France's Champagne region, Spain and Amsterdam."
And she has not limited herself to short trips. The more far-flung destinations she has visited in the name of food include Estonia, Egypt and China.
Perhaps surprisingly for someone with such exotic tastes, she is a vegetarian. "In Estonia we were treated to a medieval meal, which was difficult for me as I don't actually eat meat," said the 30-year-old. "Fortunately I eat fish, and the herring in Estonia was really good.
"I tend to go to a lot of places that are off the beaten track and that tends to be where you get the problems with being a vegetarian. But often the food is served on lots of separate dishes so it's easy to pick out what you want."
She has found her culinary travels have been an inspiration for new vegetarian dishes, including Shanghai-inspired tofu fondue.
"It's about doing your research," she said. "Find out a little about the area before going and familiarise yourself with the place once you are there.
"The best possible advice is to listen to what the locals have to say. When I was in the Champagne region I found a lot of really nice small Champagne houses, which don't have websites, just by walking around the town a little."
The full article contains 862 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
