Cooking Around the World: Fostering Connections Through Food

Chilies by the bundle in Kathmandu, Nepal during the weekly farmers market. (Photo by RACHAEL DEWITT)

Regardless of your nationality, religion, skin color, or background food is something that we all have in common. It is a staple for nourishment, fueling our minds and our body. We enjoy eating and it plays a significant role in our daily lives. Beyond just survival, food has acted as a way for humans to connect and to create a sense of belonging.

Whether it’s a recipe passed down between generations, a traditional holiday dish, or a celebratory meal shared amongst people who care about each other — food brings people together. A dish rooted in emotional and cultural influences sparks conversation and connection between people. 

Today a vast array of culinary traditions are more accessible than ever, allowing us to easily explore foods that are as diverse as the people and places they are rooted in. Each country, region, and community offers a multitude of ingredients and culinary techniques, whose flavors offer a glimpse into their culture and history.

Cooking class while exploring Nawalgarh, India on the OhDeardrea dreams of India trip. (Photo by Andrea michelle duclos)

Exploring the ingredients, cuisine, and culinary techniques of a specific place can help you learn more about the lifestyles, culture, environment, and traditions of a specific region.

For example, given its remote location, the local diet in Patagonia is extremely heavy in meat and grain. Sharing is deeply engrained in Argentina’s culture and the hours-long preparation of asado, or barbecue, is a common way for family and friends to spend time together.

A product of Morocco’s historic nomadic population combined with its desert landscape, Khlea is a common Moroccan dish consisting of dried beef preserved in spices and packed in animal fat and is shelf stable for two years at room temperatures.

Due to its proximity to highly trafficked spice trading routes, South Indian cuisine is vibrant, lively, and varied; incorporating spices such as cumin, fennel, turmeric, tamarind and fenugreek.

Foods are inherently intertwined with the landscapes from which they are sown, the people who prepare them, and the traditions they are rooted in.

“Through this blog series, our hope is to inspire your wanderlust by sharing our favorite recipes, food memories, restaurant recommendations, and ingredients from the far reaches of the globe.”

Through this blog series, our hope is to inspire your wanderlust by sharing our favorite recipes, food memories, restaurant recommendations, and ingredients from the far reaches of the globe. Together we’ll use food as a portal for exploring different cultures and to connect with far away people and places — all without ever leaving the comfort of our homes.

Fresh ‘roti’ sold daily in the streets of Delhi.

Local oranges sold trail side in the hills of east nepal while on trek with Yoga Vermont.