I have a confession* to make: I am a “foodie.” This is one reason you will see me post information about food, generally “American” food, and recipes periodically on this blog. I love food and all things food related! In fact that is the definition of a foodie. A foodie is a person who wants to learn everything there is to know about food. They are people interested in the science, industry, and people surrounding food and of course they are interested in food itself. This is similar to, but a little different from, a “gourmet.” The term gourmet in English usually applies to people who are seeking to refine their taste and who are interested in the very best food. Also, gourmets are often professionals seeking out the best foods. Foodies are amateurs**, like me, and maybe you, who just love food and all things food related.
If you are visiting the United States and want to plan your trip around food (and why not do this?), this list of the top 5 “Foodies Cities” (according to the media group the Huffington Post) in the United States may be helpful.
#1 New Orleans, LA – This city is filled with delicious ethnic Creole food. The city is known for a dish called “gumbo.” Gumbo is a stew made out of meat, seafood, and vegetable and is often eaten with rice.
#2 San Francisco, CA – This city has both trendy and unique restaurants. There are many different types of food from around the world in San Francisco, but Asian food is one of the most prevalent types of foreign foods.
#3 Providence, RI – This city has incredible seafood and grilled pizza. This is the smallest city on the list, but it is a city full of many small cozy restaurants.
#4 New York City, NY – This city is famous for culinary diversity, street vendors, and luxury restaurants. You can spend anywhere from a few dollar on a big slice of New York style pizza or hundreds of dollars on a gourmet meal in New York City.
#5 Chicago, IL – This city is best known for its amazing pizza, but it has many other amazing culinary*** offerings. Pizza in Chicago is different than in other parts of the United States. The pizza in Chicago is called “deep dish pizza” and it has a thick crust.
Also, here are some English-language foodie blogs. Most of these blogs have great pictures of food as well as recipes in English. They will make your mouth water****.
http://www.tastespotting.com/ – This blog has AMAZING pictures of food.
http://www.coconutandlime.com/ – This blog has new and unique recipes that are posted all the time.
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/ – This is another great blog for recipes.
http://www.cancookmustcook.com/ – This blog offers a mix of recipes and talk/discussion about food.
http://www.tastingmenu.com/ – There is a lot of talk about great restaurants and food on this blog.
* confession = a formal statement admitting something you have been hiding
** amateur = a person who engages in an activity as a pastime not as a professional
*** culinary = relating to the kitchen, cooking, or food
**** “to make your mouth water” = an expression that means something will make you hungry or make you want to eat
