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Japan Travel Notes from the World’s Top Chefs

Empty plate with hashi (chopsticks) and condiments by ohsuriya.

What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents. ~ Michael Chiarello

Funny how the taste or the aroma of certain foods transport us to the places we first experienced them. 

That’s how it is whenever I buy corn tortillas. I always sniff them ~ can’t help it and don’t want to ~ and as soon as I catch that hint of lime, I’m back in central Mexico, having a meal with my homestay family.

Is it the same with you? 

So, I got to thinking . . . if contact with a favorite food can lead you and me to want to wander, how much more motivating might the memories of professional chefs be?

After all, they work with food day in and day out.

Turns out, many culinary aces have expressed favorite food experiences in as many different countries ~ from Europe to the Americas to Africa to Asia. And I’ve chosen some of the most delicious to share with you.

You’ll see, over and over, how a unique foodie experience can not only shape your individual cooking style or your idea of what’s edible and what’s not; it can change the course of your life. 

Today’s inspiring memories come from Japan:

ELIZABETH ANDOH, food/culture educator and author

The woman who would become the foremost interpreter of Japanese cuisine to English speakers arrived in Japan as a University of Michigan graduate student. Right away, she began studying the language and focused on the food as a way of understanding the culture. More than five books and four decades later, Elizabeth Andoh still lives in Japan, teaching others how to appreciate and prepare the food of the country she has come to know and love.

Noodles have a special place in the hearts and bellies of the Japanese.

When the first steamy days of summer arrive, icy sōmen noodles appear on family tables throughout Japan.

(Excerpted from Andoh’s book, Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen.)

Hiyashi-somen (Chilled Japanese noodles) by Julia Frost

DAVID CHANG, chef and restauranteur

Chang was teaching English in southern Honshu, puzzling out what he was going to do once his teaching gig was over, when his noodle habit became an obsession. Chang’s spare time “research” in Japanese noodle shops would lead him to found the multi-national Momofuku restaurant group.

I lived a few train stops away from the school in a little town called Izumi-Tottori. There wasn’t much there: a maki roll place, a sushi place, a dumpling house, and a ramen shop. The ramen shop was near the train station, and it was always bustling . . .  I’d sit there – first at this place, and later at any ramen or noodle shop I could get a seat in — by myself, shrouded in the sound of slurping noodles and the racket of the kitchen turning out bowl after bowl of soup, and just watch the place work.

(Excerpted from Chang’s book, Momofuku.)

Bowl of ramen with charsiu pork, green onions, hard boiled egg, and nori.

RENÉ REDZEPI, chef and restauranteur

Many consider Redzepi’s Copenhagen-based restaurant, Noma, the best in the world. Still, with all his accomplishments, the chef was so taken with Japanese cuisine and dedication to craftsmanship, he temporarily relocated Noma and its staff from the Danish capital to Tokyo in 2015. There was yet, Redzepi thought, much to learn.

I’d dreamt of something like this for years, since I was a young cook without the money to travel . . . . . I sat for my first kaiseki meals, multi-course dinners steeped in history and more balanced than the long tasting menus some of us chefs are used to eating and cooking. Dishware and the design of the restaurant are adjusted to reflect the season. Time of year dictates everything. This ritual taught me so much about meticulousness, lightness, and what seasonality really means. 

(Read more about René Redzepi in Japan here.)

Kaiseki dinner spread by Alyson Hurt

PHOTO CREDITS

Feature image, Japanese Food Empty Dish, by ohsuriya; Hiyashi-somen (Chilled Japanese Noodles) by Julia Frost, and (Kaiseki) Dinner Spread by Alyson Hurt.

Filed Under: Asia, Destinations, Dishes, Foods and Dishes Tagged With: David Chang, Elizabeth Andoh, food and travel quotes, Japanese food, kaiseki, Michael Chiarello, Momofuku, Noma, ramen, René Redzepi, somen

11 New Mexico Road Trip Essentials For a Stress Free Journey

Sierra Blanca Peak, highest point in the Sierra Blanca Mountains. When it comes to sights worth seeing, it is among the top New Mexico road trip essentials.

Wrong turns, low fuel, engine breakdowns, flat tires ~ any and all of these road situations can make for a bad day on a road trip anywhere.  

Now, throw in one or two incidences of the extreme weather New Mexico and its borderlands are noted for like monsoon rains, dust storms, and sunroof-busting hail storms.

And suddenly that at-one-with-nature road trip you’ve been planning through New Mexico might not be so easy breezy.

But it can be if you come prepared with the road trip essentials you’ll learn about below. 

Traveling with the right gear will help you make your New Mexico road trip one to remember ~ for all the right reasons.

So, here you go:

my picks for the 11 New Mexico road trip essentials you need most.

 

Food & Drink

1) Plenty of H2O 

You won’t realize just HOW essential water is until you spend some time in New Mexico and feel, maybe for the first time in your life, a real DEEP thirst. 

Leastways, that’s how it was for me.

That’s why you want to load up the car with two to three gallons each day of your trip. 

Why so much? 

Well, your body needs a daily supply of water that is AT LEAST half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 170 pounds, for example, you need to drink 85 ounces of water a day.

But this basic amount may not be enough to sustain you during your trip because:

  • New Mexico is a relatively dry state. And, especially in its desert, the dry air will have you reaching for the water bottle more often than what you’ve experienced in other more temperate climates.
  • New Mexico is a high altitude state, with a mean elevation more than a mile above sea level. 

This combination of a dry climate and high altitude will deplete the water from your body much quicker than what you’ve likely been used to. So you may end up drinking double or more your usual amount of water ~ possibly up to 2 gallons.

That additional gallon I’m recommending is a worst-case scenario in which something happens on the road that delays you getting to a new water source.

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***Related Tip

  • One good habit to get into if you’re driving around New Mexico (or elsewhere in the Southwest) is keeping an empty 20 oz. bottle in the car at all times. It’s small enough to fit into your vehicle’s cup holder yet holds enough water for short hikes. And it’s easy to refill whenever you find a water fountain or faucet.

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Drinking a good amount of water will help you stay healthy and full of energy throughout your road trip. Your smoother skin will thank you, too.

2) “Good for You” Snacks

A mixture of easy-to-grab and consume edibles needing no refrigeration are the best. These include:

  • pistachios, pecans and other nuts
  • sweet potato and other veggie chips with sea salt
Pistachios are among the best kind of nuts to pack away as New Mexico road trip essentials. Image by zozzzzo.

Freshly salted pistachios. Pistachios are only one of the kinds of nuts grown in Southern New Mexico.

For the protein, consider throwing in:

  • beef jerky, canned sardines and/or canned tuna, and smoked salmon

And don’t forget sweet snacks like:

  • fresh fruit, especially berries, apples, pears and bananas
  • dried fruit versions of these same kinds of fruit, like these baked crunchy banana chips by Bare, my current fave snack.

Fruit snacks like these provide essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium. And, as sources of sugar, all are low-glycemic and rich in nutrition. That means you can enjoy the sweetness without the fatigue-crash that can follow after eating more sugary fruit and fruit snacks, like dried dates or mangoes.

Nutritious and low-glycemic pears are the fruits counted as New Mexico road trip essentials. Image by Anushruti RK.

Fresh pears of all varieties are a good choice for a sweet road trip snack or dessert.

Sun Protection (for both you and your car)  + Skin Care

3) Serious Sunglasses

New Mexico sunshine in the afternoon is no joke.

You’ll need a good pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful amounts of UV rays and to keep the skin around your eyes from aging prematurely. They should shade your eyes with the fullest coverage possible.

Consider wearing a non-prescription pair of wide coverage sunglasses over your smaller pair of prescriptive lenses to save money. As crazy as it may sound ~

Sunglasses may be the most stylish of all the New Mexico road trip essentials.

No need to buy two costly pairs of glasses for New Mexico’s sunny weather. Wearing large sunglasses atop prescription glasses also works.

it works for me!

A good pair of sunglasses is a must for when you’re driving west in the late afternoon. At that time of day, the sun’s brightness can blind you and make seeing the road ahead difficult.

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*** Related Tip

When driving toward the east in the late afternoon, put on your headlights, as the locals do. This way, drivers traveling west will have an easier time seeing you’re there.

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4) Sunshade ~ for you

Especially if you have a pale complexion, you’ll want to carry a light sunscreen. (Rather than a high SPF sunscreen that will get in the way of your skin getting the healthy doses of sunlight it craves to produce  Vitamin D.)

Do you plan to be in the sun for an extended length of time? Make sure to put sunscreen on the most vulnerable areas like your nose to shield it from burning.

If your car breaks down in the desert on a hot day, you’ll need good sun protection for your entire body. Your car will overheat and so will you if you stay inside of it without air-conditioning. That’s where a tarp comes in handy. Staying beside your car with a tarp over you will help you stay cool until the cavalry arrives. 

Sunshades for your eyes and your body (in the form of a tarp) are two New Mexico road trip essentials for a safe and comfortable journey. Image by Henryk Sadura.

As gorgeous as White Sands National Monument appears at sunrise, you do not want to be there in the afternoon without protection from the sun and heat.

5) Sunshade ~ for your vehicle 

When the sunlight is strong, place a reflective sunshade across the front window whenever you leave the car for more than a few minutes. It will keep your vehicle cooler and you in it once you return. A sunshade will also help prevent all the stuff stashed on the back seat from overheating. 

6) Brimmed hat

A hat with a brim helps keep the sun out of your eyes, your head cool and protects your hair and scalp from excessive exposure. Try to get one with a sweatband if you plan to exert yourself outdoors. It’s hard to see the trail ahead with sweat rolling down your face. 

Who says a cowboy hat can't be one of the top New Mexico road trip essentials?

Your brimmed hat doesn’t need to be a cowboy hat, but you’d look very cool if it were.

7) Skin Wipes

Clean, moist towels like skin wipes are ideal for freshening up after long hauls of 5 hours or more. Or after short drives on especially hot days. A quick once over during a bathroom break will help you stay looking and feeling fresh until your next shower or bath.

For Incidents & Emergencies

8) First-Aid Kit

Most things outdoors in New Mexico are sharp. You’ve got stones, cacti, tumbleweeds. Even the leaves of the yucca, the state plant, can hurt if you get too close.

Yucca leaves are one reason why a first-aid kit is among the top New Mexico road trip essentials. Image: Yucca by ferrete.

Yucca blossoms are beautiful but watch out for the leaves. Some call them “spines,” “spikes,” or “needles” ~ for good reason.

What isn’t sharp, can sting, like scorpions and wasps. And you may run into creatures that try to take a bite out of you, like fire ants.

The ideal way to deal with these situations is staying mindful of your surroundings so as to avoid them altogether.

But that would mean never getting out of your car.

A better option is a well-stocked first aid kit to handle any cuts, abrasions, and bites you might get.

You can buy a ready-made first aid kit or put one together yourself. Make sure it contains, at a minimum:

  • cortisone
  • bandages (of various sizes and styles, from Bandaid adhesive to Ace wrap bandages with hooks)
  • hydrogen peroxide or alcohol pads (to cleanse cuts and help prevent infection)
  • tweezers
  • moleskins
  • scissors

9) Roadside Assistance/Emergency Kit

As with the First Aid Kit outlined above, you can buy one of the several good kits on the market or make a roadside assistance kit yourself. 

Whichever you choose, make sure:

    1. your car has the lug wrench and jack that, along with the spare tire, it should have come with, and;
  1. your roadside emergency kit includes each of these:
    • tire pressure gauge
    • flashlight loaded with fully charged batteries and fully charged spares
  • duct tape (for repairing the odd break in your vehicle, in your shoe, and your glasses)
Duct tape is an all-purpose New Mexico road trip essential.

These glasses belong to my hubby L. Is there anything duct tape can’t do?

You’ll also need:

  • tire inflator and sealer
  • toolkit (containing pliers, adjustable wrench, screwdrivers, at a minimum)
  • work gloves
  • 2″x 6″ piece of plywood to help secure the jack
  • wheel chocks (wedges that keep your vehicle from rolling forward while you’re working on it)
  • lithium ion battery jump starter with cables

A jump starter is better than jumper cables alone since you don’t have to wait for another driver to come along to offer a change from her car. Plus, you can use it jump start your laptop, phone, and other devices as well as your car.

The final essential for your roadside emergency kit is:

  • set of LED roadside flares/beacons

The brighter lights of LED flares versus regular flares alert drivers earlier to the fact that your stalled car is on the road ahead. They’ll also make it easier for a searching party to find you, should break down in a vast area such as the Gila National Forest.

And if you do lose your way or become injured while hiking in one of New Mexico’s wilderness areas, having LED beacons along will increase your chances of getting out of there unharmed.

Instead of dying from exposure and thirst as some unfortunate and unprepared visitors have done.

LED flares and beacons are New Mexico road trip essentials that can save your life.

What you might look like to an aerial searching party when you get lost in a forest without any LED flares.

New Mexico Road Trip Essentials Worthy of Special Attention

10) A Real Map + Compass

Yes, I know, a map and a compass are TWO different things, but on a road trip, they serve you best when used together.

And yes, again ~ we’re talking about a map made of . . . paper! 

The New Mexico map published by AAA, is one of several New Mexico road trip essentials. This view shows a portion of the state's southern borderlands.

No wifi, no problem. A real (physical) map can be a driver’s best friend.

A real map is super for when you’re in an area your car’s GPS knows nothing about. Or in an area so remote the GPS doesn’t work at all.

A compass will help you find your way if you lose your bearings while on a hike. It can also help whenever you find yourself driving off the grid, in a location your map doesn’t cover.

Southern New Mexico has more than a few such locations ~ not only in wilderness areas but on stretches of roads near long-established cities where the infrastructure for cable, cell towers, and the like don’t exist yet.

A real map and a compass are two New Mexico road trip essentials that complement each other.

A  communication “dead zone” on Baylor Canyon Road, only 30 minutes from downtown Las Cruces.

In these places, you really don’t want to be caught after sunset with a cell phone reception ranging from lousy to none at all.  That’s where a real map + compass combo is crucial.   zoo. 

11) Fully Charged Cell Phone

A fully charged cell phone will be vital for if you get sick and the antiseptic and band-aids aren’t enough. Or when  ~ despite your beautiful toolkit ~ you still need AAA to come out and get you moving again.   

Even in an area where cell reception is weak, you may be able to text a friend or family member who can then call for help.

The most popular of the New Mexico road trip essentials is, arguably, the cell phone.

A simple flip-top cell phone will serve you just fine on a road trip.

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*** RELATED TIP

Call a friend or family member every day of your trip at the same time each day. Tell them where you are and where you’re going next and when.

This way, if you do become stranded somewhere, you increase your chances of being found sooner rather than later. When you miss your next call with your friend, and she can’t reach you, she can assume you’re in trouble, alert the authorities, give them some idea where to start their search.

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These essential items make for a safer and therefore, more enjoyable desert road trip anywhere you go. But they can really make a difference if that trip is in New Mexico.

So invest the few dollars and the time it takes to get them. Then make sure they’re on board before you start your trip.

With so much natural beauty (and good food) to be discovered, you don’t have time to waste wandering in circles or waiting on AAA.

Also Road Trip-Related: Your Southwest Desert Road Trip: 6 Lessons to Rock It

These New Mexico road trip essentials make cruising the Land of Enchantment virtually stress free.

Drive. New Mexico roads will lead you to many interesting and unique places.

Did any of these items chosen as New Mexico road trip essentials surprise you? What would you have placed in the top 11 that wasn’t here? Share in the comments.

Filed Under: Destinations, North America, Road trips and scenic drives

Unexpected Paris: Gardens, Art, & Tasty Edibles Galore

Palais-Royal garden with one of its avian residents. one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.

Nearly all the best things . . . have been unexpected, unplanned by me. ~ Carl Sandburg

The last gold rush began in 1896 when George Cormack went fishing for salmon but found gold nuggets instead. Or so the story goes.

Just like that prospector, you often come upon some of the best things when you’re looking for something else, especially while traveling.

Here are a few “gold nuggets” I stumbled upon in unexpected Paris you might like to find “on purpose:”

Sweet & savory pastries from Francart, one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.I was on my way to late-night at the Louvre and wanted a little dinner first. So I looked around for a restaurant where I was at the time, on the left bank. I spied this pastry shop across the street and knew “take out” was the way to go. I bought slices of quiche Lorraine and a cake with fruit filling, then hurried across the Seine to a bench in the Tuileries Garden to enjoy them. And at first, I did, taking one, two, then three bites of the most amazing quiche Lorraine I’d ever tasted.

The only problem is the birds caught on and began to gather, eyes fixed on my quiche. The Louvre would have to wait. I packed up my pastry and went home to the studio to eat in peace. That’s how I was able to take this photo of the dessert pastry and what remained of that exquisite quiche.

 Gabrielle Renard and Jean Renoir, 1895; one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris located at Musée de l'Orangerie.The gorgeous collection of Renoir paintings at the Musée de l’Orangerie bowled me over. Especially since I had gone, principally, to see Monet’s Water Lilies (Nymphéas). What do you think about this portrait of Gabrielle Renard and the artist’s infant son, Jean? It’s my favorite of the works on display.

Group of metal musicians in concert at Rueil-Malmaison, one of the fun finds in unexpected Paris.If you like “quirky,” you’ll love this group of metal musicians in the city of Rueil-Malmaison.  You’ll find them performing on the lawn in front of City Hall 24/7. I happened upon them while looking for where to catch the bus back to Paris after a full day of touring the Empress Josephine’s château.

Millie's white chocolate & macadamia nut cookie, one of many fun finds in unexpected Paris.This white chocolate and macadamia nut cookie from Millie’s was SO good! I grabbed it with coffee at the Gare de Lyon metro station while rushing to catch an early morning train to Fontainebleau. And just when I thought I’d end up with no breakfast at all.

What surprising things have you come across in your travels while looking for something else?

Filed Under: Destinations, Dishes Tagged With: Fontainebleau, Francart, French food, Monet, Paris travel, quiche lorraine, Renoir, Rueil-Malmaison

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