Foodie Holidays

Even though it's August , foodies can still have a holiday revolving around their favorite hobby - food of course. There are several ideas that can provide  any traveler with some fun times and good eats. You can take a city or region specific one or one that centers around a favorite food.

For those who love the Big Easy , New Orleans provides some excellent restaurant choices. Funny enough ten years ago foodies and restaurant critics were writing off this city of eateries thanks to the horrific damage from Hurricane Katrina. Kim Severson recently visited New Orleans and wrote about it's culinary renaissance in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. It is still known for it's delicious blend of Cajun and Creole food but also it's becoming known  for   its' growing number of Vietnamese restaurants and array of internationally born chefs. For those  who go wild for Southern cooking think  about trips to Savannah or   Nashvillle too . Some smaller inns in the region also offer home   cooked   specialties and even allow guests to pitch in with cooking and prepping. Many foodies go to UNESCO World Heritage food sites such as Lyon in France or Chengduin China. Of course Provence and Tuscany top the list of foodie vacation spots and there are several packages out there that feature tasting tours of these regions. Check online for late season discount packages regarding these.

Some of us just want a holiday where we compare one kind of food and head off the beaten path for it.Try the blues route that the Deene boys took in their Food Network show , Southern Fried Roadtrip. Jamie and Bobby Deene, Paula's sons,  went   in  search of the best barbecue, recently and they literally went off the beaten path, heading to small dives and storefronts for good old fashioned cooking. If you have time - and gas money- you can do the same.If not, stick within a contained area. A big city like New York works, Take public transportation to search for the best hot dog or pizza slice. If you're from Small Town  America , then explore your immediate  area  for local treats and farm to table meals. Along the way you may pick up a few historical facts and visit parks you never knew existed. It's a nice way , too, of becoming reacquainted with your region as you become familiar with mom and pop eateries as well as local farms and creameries. This knowledge also comes in handy when you have guests and you're looking for places to eat and visit.

There's still time to take a foodie vacation, whether abroad or local.It's great for enjoying favorites or new dishes. Take a week or even weekend off for a fun food fest!