Guanajuato Has Become One Of The Best Destinations For Gastrotourism

The intriguing state of Guanajuato has gained well-deserved national and international recognition of late for both its wines and scenic tourist routes focused on viniculture. However, Guanajuato boasts three other routes that every visitor must experience as they make their way through the state, whether touring or visiting for cultural events, festivals, business meetings and more: the Mezcal Route, Tequila Route and Cheese Route.

The Tequila Route

Traditionally, Tequila is recognized worldwide as hailing from various regions of Mexico. Guanajuato also figures as one of the states boasting the “designation of origin” of Tequila; hence, several cities in the state’s southwest— such as Abasolo, Cuerámaro, Huanímaro, Manuel Doblado, Pénjamo, Romita and San Francisco del Rincón. — are home to different Tequila companies producing recognized brands such as Corralejo and Huani, to name two.

In the operating Tequila factory of Pénjamo and the Casa del Tequila by Corralejo, visitors can experience, from start to finish, the artisanal production process and the tasting of the distillate. (Interestingly, the region is located in the archaeological zone of Peralta, dating from 950 AD.)

The Mezcal Route

In the northwest of Guanajuato lie the cities of San Luis de la Paz and San Felipe, where Mezcal-producing haciendas with more than two centuries of production are preserved.

The "Salmiana" agave plant is endemic to the region, but there is a wide variety of other agave species grown in this area that give life to this beverage, increasingly liked by both Mexicans and foreigners.

The Cheese Route

In terms of gastrotourism, Guanajuato is emerging as a destination rich in a variety of not only wines and liquors such as Tequila and Mezcal but also foods, including strawberries, nopales (cactus pads) and other ingredients converging to make for a succulent feast. Not least of these are the region’s many local cheeses.

Cheese is, without a doubt, an essential food for gastronomic culture throughout the world, and Guanajuato is no exception. In the city of Apaseo, visitors can interact with and learn about the production of more than 10 types of sheep, cow and goat cheese — some smoked, others aged and, of course,fresh cheese. Another must for travelers plying this route is to try the exquisite local cheese ice cream.

Tasty Irish Experiences For Vegan And Vegetarians

Aside from a huge range of dining options, there are plenty of experiences in tune with the vegan and vegetarian lifestyles on the island of Ireland

Ireland is the land of a hundred thousand welcomes, and so when it comes to catering for lovers of plant-based eating the Céad Míle Fáilte is as strong as ever.

While great plant-based dining is widely available, also waiting to be discovered right around the country is a range of vegan and vegetarian-friendly experiences and places involving natural Irish food and beverages.

One of the best ways to experience Ireland’s natural produce is to go foraging. When you’ve sourced the vegetables, herbs and other ingredients all yourself, your food will taste and feel so much better.

Spend time foraging in woods, fields and hedgerows for wild safe food foods with the likes of Blackstairs Eco Trail in County Carlow, or Harty Culture in the Orchard County of Armagh. Wild Food Mary will also connect you to Irish places and heritage through exploration, observation and the use of wild plants in County Offaly and beyond.

Ireland’s Ancient East is rich in experiences that suit the vegan or vegetarian. If you want to learn how to grow your own vegetables to sustain your plant-based lifestyle, head to County Waterford, where the Grow HQ offers tours around its three-acre urban garden, finishing at its award-winning zero waste café which showcases sustainable Irish food.

If you are interested in seaweed products, seaweed snacks, cookery and the health benefits of seaweed in the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, check out The Sea Gardener also in County Waterford.

More natural and wholesome produce can be found at River Run, located on a family homestead in County Wicklow. This fermentary and wood-fired micro bakehouse specialises in sourdough breads, koji based ferments, seasonal vegetable ferments of all kinds, and plant-based cheeses. Fermentation and sourdough workshops are available on-site and also around Ireland.

For a vegan-friendly beverages, Ko Kombucha in County Offaly produce a range of organic fermented pick-me-ups, Highbank Orchard Ciders will take you on a journey ‘from pip to sip’ in their organic orchard in County Kilkenny, while Ballykilcavan Brewery has thirst quenching vegan beers.

Another great stop is the unique Wicklow Way Wines, where you can take part in a tour and appreciate the tastes and aromas of Ireland’s Ancient East, delicately captured in delicious, small-batch vegan-friendly wines made from Irish berries.

From the country to the city, and the hot and cold vegetarian deli at The Wellness Centre in Sligo will set you up with a selection of organic raw salads, homemade hummus, and kimchi made with the finest Irish ingredients.

And an experience of somewhere like Belfast as vegan or vegetarian means being able to grab anything from a vegan hot dog, chocolate fudge and some orange tea at the renowned St George’s Market, dipping into the vegan food scene in the likes of Pizza Punks or dining in style at Jumon, where the Asian fusion style and vegan cocktails create something of a plant food heaven.

www.ireland.com

New Michelin Stars Awarded In SouthWest Germany

In the Germany edition of the Michelin Guide presented in March 2021, Baden-Württemberg maintains its top position with a total of 86 Michelin stars spread across 73 restaurants.

Nine restaurants receive Michelin Green Stars in the new “sustainability category”

The State Tourist Board of Baden-Württemberg, also known as SouthWest Germany, officially the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, is a beautiful part of Germany that offers the Swabian hills and valleys, sophisticated cities and charming villages, caves of ancient art, the Black Forest, UNESCO World Heritage sites, Lake Constance and, arguably, Germany’s most delicious food and wine.

SouthWest Germany’s new stars represent the hard work and talent of so many chefs across the state and are important generators for tourism and the economy. Importantly, nine restaurants in Baden-Württemberg received the green Michelin star, which was introduced for the first time in 2020, and recognizes restaurants’ focus on sustainability. Environmental standards, green living and sustainable agriculture and food production are a highlight in SouthWest Germany so these green Michelin stars are especially meaningful.

The culinary excellence in SouthWest Germany is, and has been, quietly extraordinary for many years. In many parts of SouthWest Germany, the growing and producing of environmentally friendly ingredients has spawned a whole culinary tourism practice of growing fresh and sustainable ingredients that chefs are keen to implement in their cooking and to dish up for their guests.

The epicenter of SouthWest Germany’s gourmet excellence is the tiny town of Baiersbronn in the Black Forest with a total of eight Michelin stars. Three world-class restaurant hotels share eight Michelin stars between them: Jörg Sackmann with one star at Schlossberg Restaurant; Claus-Peter Lumpp at the three-starred Bareiss Restaurant; and Torsten Michel at the three-starred Schwarzwaldstube Restaurant along with the Florian Stolte at the one star Köhlerstube who are back on their feet at the Traube Tonbach after the hotel suffered a devastating fire in January 2020.

Baiersbronn has an attention to detail and emphasis on good food that does not stop at the Michelin starred restaurants. Baiersbronn’s “Culinary Hiking Heaven” is a program that teaches visitors the important relationships between nature and nourishment. This program involves “wild plant hosts,” that are restaurants and inns using natural ingredients from the local forest to prepare their dishes; and “wild plant guides” who take visitors on hikes and introduce them to all the forest has to offer. The town seamlessly combines delicious, gourmet food and nature with hard work, locally sourced food, organic ingredients and local production. Their emphasis is on sustainability, conservation and maintaining green practices which is also echoed in many restaurants in the Black Forest and SouthWest Germany generally.

Two additional restaurants from SouthWest Germany made it into the two-star league: the Goldberg in Fellbach, just north of Stuttgart and the Ösch Noir in Donaueschingen in the Black Forest not too far from Freiburg, which received its second star only one year after receiving its first star last year. Two restaurants earned back their first Michelin stars: At Staufeneck Castle in Filstal in the Swabian Alb west of Stuttgart, the Fine Dining RS can look forward to the coveted star again. The Black Eagle in Vogtsburg am Kaiserstuhl near the border with France in the western part of the state also received the award back. Both had to give up their stars for the first time in many years a year earlier. In addition to the newly awarded stars, the new edition of the Michelin Guide also reports deleted stars. A total of eight previous star restaurants from the south had to give up their award this year.

Michelin Green Stars are awarded to restaurants that have a focus on sustainability and can qualify only if they have already received a Star, Bib Gourmand or Plate. The green star restaurants in Baden-Wuerttemberg number 12 all together: The hotel restaurant Bergfriedel in Bühlertal just south of Baden-Baden in the Black Forest; Erasmus in Karlsruhe; two restaurants in Hayingen, a charming area in the middle of the Swabian Alb south of Stuttgart, include the modern Restaurant 1950 and the environmentally friendly and regional restaurant Rose; restaurants Spielweg in Münstertal and derWaldfrieden in Todtnau and Sommerau in Bonndorf all in the Black Forest are worthy destinations; Treibgut in Ulm is where Einstein was born and where there is an excellent bread museum; restaurants Gasthaus Widmann's Löwen and Ursprung are both west of Stuttgart and not far from Ulm. Mohren in Deggenhausertal close to Lake Constance and Zur Sonne in Sankt Peter close to Freiburg are additional special places worthy of reservations.

Good food is a vital part of the vacation experience and SouthWest Germany delivers – particularly when it comes to local dishes made with local produce, accompanied by local beers and wines. SouthWest Germany is also criss-crossed with well-signposted, well-maintained hiking and biking trails through glorious countryside. But it’s not only nature lovers, who enjoy the Great Outdoors. Foodies also have a terrific choice of themed trails that bring out their inner gourmet. So whether you decide to hike or bike, drive or take the train, there is really good food waiting for you almost everywhere in SouthWest Germany. #dreamnowvisitlater

www.tourism-bw.com

Cape Town Raking In The Food Travel Awards

Prestigious international travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler has placed this city as its Third Best Food City in the World after more results of the Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2014 were released earlier this week.

Cape Town came in ahead of foodie destinations like Florence and Rome in Italy; Tokyo, Japan; Hong Kong, China; and numerous Canadian cities. The top spot went to San Sebastián in Spain and second place to Paris, France.

Conde Naste Traveler writer, Maria Shollenbarger, had this to say about Cape Town: “In Cape Town, ‘local’ rules. The Mother city is smallish; casual but supremely stylish, and welcoming—words that describe its artisanal foods and restaurant scenes as much as its citizens.”

Also mentioned in the write up is Luke-Dale Roberts’ Test Kitchen – recently voted 44th Best Restaurant in the World by Elite Traveler Magazine and a S. Pellegrino Top 50 Best Restaurant in 2014.

Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says: “Fine dining and award-winning restaurants abound in Cape Town alongside fresh local and organic food markets and gourmet city food on-the-go. The supporting explosion of boutique wine and craft beer makes the offering even more compelling and instantly transports visitors to the origins of their food whilst giving a face to the people who produce them.”

Cape Town cuisine has been influenced by many different cultures over the years and is close to abundant farmlands and the fresh seafood, caught off the surrounding coast. Coffee is big news with coffee shops vying for the best bean and ultimate designer cool as Capetonians and visitors soak up the company and free wireless.

Cape Town also recently ranked Tenth in the Top 25 Destinations in the World and Second Best Destination in Africa by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards.

Cape Town Tourism is a member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .