As I looked for photos for today’s Travel Photo Thursday, I was surprised by all the photos I’ve taken of food. But I shouldn’t have been.
I love looking at food, the way it’s presented, the interplay of colors and textures, even the shape of the plate it’s presented on. As I look at these photos, I recall something Solange, my almost-mother-in-law, used to say, “La nourriture doit plaire a l’oeil avant de plaire a l’estomac (Food must please the eyes before it pleases the stomach).”
So dig in and enjoy!
I took this photo of a brunch I had at Max, a little Jamaican restaurant in Hackensack, NJ. That’s ackee and salt fish, Jamaica’s national dish. It’s also been listed on the Top 10 National Dishes by National Geographic. Here it’s accompanied by fried breadfruit, avocado, and dumplings.
British comfort food – Fish and Chips.
I never would have expected to have steak and fries in Paris but my friend Karen said the restaurant had been highly recommended. I’m not big on steak so I was a little hesitant but this did not disappoint.
I’m always up for trying something new and this Steak & Ale pie sounded interesting. It was delicious. I’m glad I tried it.
Mexico puts its own spin on the paella.
My favorite dessert: sorbet and fresh fruit.
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website!
It must be interesting to dine out with you and all your picture snapping. 🙂 But I guess anybody who knows you can expect that by now.
That sorbet dish. What was that curly thingy on top? It’s interesting how different countries put a spin on their dishes. I’d never had lettuce on a double-decker egg sandwich until I went to Taiwan. Matter of fact, I’d never had a double-decker sandwich of any kind.
Like you, I like a mix of colors and textures of food in a dish. It had to do with color balance for me but isn’t there something said of that for nutrition? I have this thing for liking hot and cold mixed together too.
Looks yummy, especially mango sorbet 🙂
Nom nom to everything 🙂
The steak and frites look just like the one they serve at one of my fave restaurants, Cafe de Paris in Geneva, where that’s the only item on the menu.
Food is truly an essential element of travel that is often taken for granted. I love the quote you shared! And the pictures have made me hungry again although I just ate!
Hmmm, it might be the same place. This one’s Le Relais de l’Entrecôte and there is one in Geneva.
Steak and frites are the only thing on the menu and it’s always packed.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to but I know what you mean. Each time I look at the photos, my mouth waters.
Glad you like the quote.
Crab salad please. I love crab, yet I don’t have it very often. I’d be happy to end with a big bowl of that yummy looking fresh fruit too.
Thank goodness it’s lunchtime because these shots made me very hungry! I love food photos because they let you remember and enjoy great dishes over and over again!
I ate at a Jamaican restaurant in New Jersey too. I didn’t know about that dish, though. It looks great.
What a feast of a post! Steak and fries were the very first meal I had in France. Your pic took me back in time to that brasserie. Food is a big part of my travel (and non-travel) enjoyment, but I don’t always think to take photos. Sometimes, I don’t think of it until I’ve already eaten part of it — then it doesn’t look so good. 🙂
Dang! Now I’m starving and its at least three hours until dinner!
Love all the yummy food pictures especially the Mexican paella and mango sorbet. I had a light dinner but feel the need to eat a serving of steak now. =) I’ve found myself taking a whole lot more pictures of food lately too which totally embarrasses my husband. That was a great quote which I’ll surely remember from now on.
as usual after seeing pictures of food…I am hungry!
It must be expected from those who dine out with you that you’d bring out the camera. You know that’s not normal, right? LoL!! You’ve got quite the collection.
LOL, it isn’t? They know me by now. They know I’ll take photos of their food as well.
I have lots more — I had to be selective.
And people ask me when I return from a trip, if I spent all my time eating–because that is what I talk most about. Gotta go get something to eat, now. But not ackee–I had to google it, and good grief it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing!
Food is a big part of my travels as well, Vera.
The most important thing about ackee is that it must be allowed to open naturally. If it isn’t, the toxins are not released and that can be deadly.
Hahaha, I hope you had a delicious meal!
It’s always interesting how photos of food makes us feel hungry. I can see why your husband would be embarrassed — people stare but I’ve grown to ignore them.
Yes, it’s a memorable quote, one that I think of often, especially when I thinking of what to prepare for dinner.
Sorry, didn’t plan on making you feel hungry. Hope you had a good dinner.
That’s happened to me too! I’ll have my camera in my bag but I start chatting away and before I know it, the meal’s over and I haven’t taken a photo.
Yes, I remember that post you wrote about it. Not sure if it’s the same place
Very true. Each time I look at these, I recall the meal and the company. They always bring a smile to my face.
It was absolutely delicious! I can still recall the taste.
The fruits were great too.
Sure was!
The closest I’ve come to hot and cold is ice cream or sorbet and liqueur.
I can’t remember what it’s called but it’s a lovely counterpoint to the texture of the sorbet and it’s room temperature.
When in NYC, you have to have a sandwich at Katz Deli — the restaurant that was featured in the movie When Harry Met Sally. If you saw the movie you’ll remember the scene when what’s her name faked an orgasm. Anyway, they have double-decker sandwiches that put all other double-decker sandwiches to shame.
My friends know me by now. If they’re embarrassed, they would have said. Hope they aren’t!
While all of your pictures look delightful it is the Mexican Paella that has my mouth watering!
The mango sorbet looks so cute! I like food photos a lot, because I think food can represent about a city’s culture and trend. You should have like a monthly or yearly food review photo post =DD !
I don’t know how to pronounce that saying, but its certainly very clever. Indeed a lot of these dishes are well presented. Enough of course to make me hungry this early in the morning without breakfast 🙂 (especially the seafoods). Presentation & atmosphere are important factors to the whole dining experience. Here’s to more eating. Give me a piece of that crab claw!
Yummy! It all looks mouthwatering good. I didn’t used to take pictures of food but since blogging got a hold of me, I try to document as much as possible… Delish 🙂
I agree, Sherry, presentation and atmosphere can push a ho-hum meal up a few notches. You can definitely get a piece of the crab claw!
Thanks, Annie. That’s a good idea. I used to do a weekly food post but I haven’t done it in a while.
Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll definitely think about doing something in future.
Trust me, Debbie, the paella was just as delicious as it looks.
It does come in handy to have food photos to blog about. The sorbet and fruits are from our lunch.
What a great food selection you have here in these enticing images, Marcia!
I didn’t know of ackee, and so looked it up in Wikipedia, where it says that Captain Bligh took it from Jamaica to England, and that it must be prepared properly because parts of the fruit are poisonous.
Fish and chips is also very popular in Australia and New Zealand, and — surprise — in Chile, too. You generally get huge portions here! I must research it, but imagine that fish and chips may have been introduced by the British when they were heavily involved in the phosphate industry in the north a very long time ago. Just my theory, then…
Fresh fruit and sorbet… Yummy! And what a coincidence, because i’ve just eaten blueberries and pineapple sorbet — or it may have been gelato.
Happy travelling and eating to you!
Ackee is definitely poisonous, if picked too early. The gases it contains has to be released naturally and it can’t if the fruit is not allowed to open on the tree.
You know, for some reason, fish and chips never stuck here — which is quite surprising as the British were here for nearly 300 years but then again, it could be that fish and chips were created after 1655. Yes, it started round 1860.
Very interesting about the ackee, Marcia. I presume that with that knowledge, they’d be careful to avoid poisonings, then.
About fish and chips. Yes, Wikipedia states that that was the year that the first fish and chip shop was set up in London, and that fish and chips was a popular meal amongst the rising working class. I’ve also read in Wikipedia that there are more descendents of the British here in Chile than in any other Latin American country. This may have something to do with the ubiquitous nature of this dish here. Your guess on why fish and chips is not popular in Jamaica sounds very reasonable.
Oh yes, people are generally careful. But sometimes, there are tragedies. Haven’t heard of any for a while though….
That definitely explains it. We certainly inherited and adapted hot cross buns. Here, it’s called the Easter bun.
And fish is popular but not chips (French fries). If it’s fried or steamed, it’s more likely to be paired with bammy, a round flat bread made from cassava.
I miss Easter bus from Australia…
How do you make yours? We do our with lots of fruits and stout — gives it it’s brown color. We make it into a loaf, slice and eat it with a chedder-like cheese from New Zealand.
You know, Marcia, I’ve never thought about that, as I’ve always just bought them in the supermarket or in bread shops. Yours sound quite different. Ours are separate scone sized or a bit larger. The commercial ones usually come attached in a dozen, but are easy to separate. I just did a search for “Australian Easter buns”, and I see that it’s a flour, yeast, butter, milk, egg, mixed spice mixture. I think most people would slice them through, and butter them. Maybe I’ll have to make them over here…
Yes, we adapted it (a lot). Say, would you like to try mine? Here’s the recipe. http://insidejourneys.wpengine.com/tasty-thursdays-easter-bun-and-cheese/ The photo’s not mine. I’ll definitely take some when I make it this year. I was in London last Easter and had hot crossed buns — delicious!
Thanks, Marcia. I’ll go and check out that recipe!
You’re welcome, Andrew!
Marcia,
I love the way you eat!! Mangos & French Fries seem to running in your themes – LOVE both! Thanks for the great pics… now I have to go find something much less interesting to satisfy the urge that reading through this generated!
Hahaha, you’re welcome, Leslyn. Glad you like the photos and I hope you did find something that satisfied the urge.
And yes, I do love mangoes, will eat French fries if it’s a part of the meal. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh my God all the foods look so delicious! Specially steaks and fries and fish and desserts I mean just everything! I already have a watering mouth!
Yes, it does look delicious
Today is my dessert day! 😀 Sorbets and fruits! yum!! U know I think fruits are the best desserts in the world!! Fresh and all natural! Sigh, for some health issues my doctor has advised me not to take any fruits 🙁
Oh, Naxysch, I’m so sorry to hear that. I love fruits, eat at least 2 every morning. Yesterday, I had mango, bananas and papaya. I’ll have watermelon and pineapple later.
Ahhhhh! I love watermelons! But they are not yet ready to eat here, they are in markets but they are mostly artificially ripe or something and we’l start eating them in mid may! And mangoes won’t come here till June! Just waiting for that because by then I’l b allowed to eat fruits 😀
Mid-May will be here in a couple weeks. We’ve been getting them here for about a month now. The one I had last week wasn’t as sweet as the week before but the lady in the market that I buy fruits from told me it was a different kind of melon. Some mangoes are out now. I’ve had several types and they’re really sweet! Hoping you’ll be able to get back to eating fruits really soon.
Oh yes we are having some melons which we are told are ‘different’ but I don’t like them too much they lack the true taste of melons! It’s a tragedy most of the natural fruits around here are no more available and we get GMOs or hybrid varieties that lack the natural flavors! The mangoes are still green here! We use them for pickles and hide some from mom and eat them later with salt and spices. They are so sour and crunchy 😀
Oh gosh, we do the same thing with mangoes — salt and pepper on the green ones. I love that, especially the salty/tangy taste! Reminds me of childhood.
Lovely collection, Marcia. What was the curly stuff with the mango sorbet (one of my favourite). Of course you cannot beat the ackee and cod fish with the pear
I’m not sure exactly what it is. It’s a little crunchy and compliments the sorbet perfectly. Absolutely!