Europe Destinations

Erwan Leo from The Secret Wine Door in Paris is a wine expert, but he didn’t start that way. He tells Brent about his major career shift and how he survived when his shop was closed during the pandemic. He tells Brent about the most underrated wine region in France, the Left Bank and the…

Brent is in the Basque city of Bilbao for a vegan food crawl at La Ribera Gastro Plaza, a 100% vegan bakery, and a classic Pintxos bar. Plus, a visit to the world famous Guggenheim Museum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgQ2KXBlnR0 La Ribera https://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoT… Gloria Bendita https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?… Bohemian Lane Pastelería Vegana https://bohemianlanebilbao.com/ Txukrut https://txukrutbar.com/ Guggenheim Museum Bilbao https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/ Café…

Andrea Chierici lives and works in Bologna, Italy and loves his city! He tells Brent about the amazing food including lasagna with green noodles, ragu alla Bolognese, and a crispy treat called Crescentina. Plus, why you need to forget stereotypes and try Lambrusco! [Ep 294] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clE_XwEvpuk About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of…

Guimarães might not be on the top of your Portugal bucket list, but it’s a great day trip from Porto and the historic city is known as the birthplace of Portugal. “Here Portugal was born” (Photo: Brent Petersen) Why Guimarães? Guimarães is a small city about a 45 minute drive or bus ride (75 minutes…

Brent is in Logroño, Spain for a Tapas crawl along the famous Calle del Laurel. He samples small dishes from restaurants that serve just one dish and then enjoys two kinds of asparagus. Plus, he finds a Michelangelo hiding in plain sight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCYwqAw0C2M Bar Cid Tr.ª de Laurel, 1, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain Bar…

Monica Eng is an award winning journalist from Chicago who has worked at the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, WBEZ radio, and now, Axois. She took on the story of this year’s so-called Cicadapalooza, and has written stories about why this year’s Cicada emergence, going as far as frying and eating the noisy little insects….

Every city, town, and village in Portugal, it seems, has its own specialty pastry. Searching them out as you travel is a fun and sweet activity. Convent Sweets Many of these unique pastries originated in the convents and monasteries of Portugal. Nuns would often make and sell these treats as a way to supplement the…

Laurel Street in Logroño is lined with amazing tapas bars. Many only have a single item on the menu, so you know it’s good! Brent visits some of the best spots including a spot that compares its mushrooms to the Eiffel Tower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-U0BZVpObM About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink….

Brent visits Seville, Spain to learn about buying cakes from nuns. Then, we’re enjoying an ice cream from New Zealand called Hokey Pokey, the state cookie of New Mexico, and how to eat a cupcake in Seattle! [Ep 292] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQDVLXrIgs About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides…

Spontaneity leads to a memorable travel experience. Taberna Corta I’ll admit it, I’m a planner. When we visit a new city, there’s so many things to see and eat (and drink.) I always have a list of places to visit and, inevitably, we don’t have time to see them all. Sampling some wine at Taberna…

Brent is in the famous Rioja region to enjoy the gastronomic delights of Haro, Spain. He sips a glass of wine in a Medieval Convent, munches peppers in characteristic pintxos bar, and eats cookies in the city’s main plaza. Then, he samples Pincho Pote, a new taco joint, and has a makeshift picnic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbZhMyxz0_Q Eurostar…

Mexico City’s urban islands of Xochimilco have fed the city for centuries. Victor Gamboa, an environmentalist and tour guide from Culinary Backstreets, is trying to preserve Xochimilco and the farmer’s traditional way of life. Victor tells Brent about how the islands were constructed and how visitors can see this amazing part of Mexico City that’s…

Brent visits 4 incredible wineries in the wine capital of Rioja, Spain. He samples the unique white Tempranillo, a winery awarded the best wine in the world, and even finds time for a delicious local cake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpEtEop9wgE&t=25s Pasteleria Arrese https://www.arrese.biz/  Cvne Winery https://cvne.com/  Muga https://www.bodegasmuga.com/en/  Gómez Cruzado https://www.gomezcruzado.com/  La Rioja Alta https://www.riojalta.com/ About the Author…

Brent talks with Anastassia from Discover Estonia about the city of Tallinn and its unique cuisine. We’ll down Estonian Jagermeister, answer a sandwich dilemma, and learn about edible Christmas trees. Plus, chocolate covered cheese curds and a great market in Tallinn. [Ep 290] https://youtu.be/_oZe32qBfbE About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat…

Getting ready to try the Yemas de Sant Leandro (photo: Karen L. Campopiano) Seville’s Convento San Leandro was first built in the 14th century. The current convent is from the 17th century with renovations in the 19th century. While the church itself is interesting, the real attraction is the convent. Cloistered nuns make sweets called…

Guimarães is known as the “Birthplace of Portugal.” Brent visits some historic places and sites with sweeping views, but mostly it’s a trip to sample the terrific local cuisine. From a tart named after the city to a Michelin guide restaurant to a place you can’t even find on Google, Brent tries it all and…

Diego Velázquez was a master painter born in Seville. His baroque works are considered some of the best of the 17th century and his technique of contrasting light and dark has influenced artists like Picasso, Dali, and Bacon. Diego Velázquez Velázquez’s self portrait from his painting Las Meninas (image: Wikipedia) Diego Velázquez was born in…

Brent searches for the best pasta shape for pesto with NYT bestselling author Katie Parla, tries the stuffed pasta native to Piedmont, is enchanted by a pasta named for a musical instrument, and learns about Croatia rediscovering its pasta heritage. [Ep 288] https://youtu.be/5jYGRU8TjMw Show Notes: Katie Parla’s websiteKatie’s book Food of the Italian IslandsI Eat…

Columbus may be interred in Seville…or not. Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Seville Cathedral) The first candidate for Columbus’ final resting place is the Seville Cathedral. Seville Cathedral (photo: Brent Petersen) Like many churches in Spain, the Seville Cathedral was originally a mosque, built 750 years ago during the Almohad Caliphate. After the…

Lisbon has an incredibly vibrant Brazilian community with an amazing food culture. Brent samples an Acarajé, a bowl of Feijoada, sugar cane juice, cheese bread, and a tapioca crepe. He also visits a lively market in Portugal’s capital. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfRiEm4IUaA Feira do Relógio https://informacoeseservicos.lisboa.pt/contactos/diretorio-da-cidade/feira-do-relogio UAIPI Café e mercearia https://www.instagram.com/uaipi.mandioca/ Acarajé da Carol https://restauranteacarajedacarol.com/ Boteco da DRI…

Brent is in Fernando Po, a village an hour from Lisbon. He visits some local wineries, samples wines, and gets a few bottles to take home. Plus, he gets invited for a delicious lunch made from ingredients at an organic farm in Fernando Po. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY-D1oZmESc Humus Farm https://www.humusfarm.com/ JBFREITAS VINHOS – Casal Freitas http://www.casalfreitas.pt/ Marcolino…

Little plates or snacks served to accompany a drink are called Tapas in Spain. These days, it seems every city around the world has at least one Tapas joint. But, Cadiz specifically lays claim to the invention of Tapas. Tapas origin story Of course there’s no way to determine definitively where the idea of Tapa…

Brent is in Graca to ride the new funicular and gave in wonder at the views. Plus, he visits some of the best places to eat and drink in the neighborhood including a spot hiding right in the middle of a popular tourist spot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSFRTho26PY Le Bar à Crêpes   / lebaracrepeslisboa   Secret Garden   / secretgardenlx   Damas https://www.facebook.com/DAMASLISBOA/……

Brent visits some fancy and not so fancy spots in Seville for Sherry, Cava, cocktails, and beer including a bar with some of the best views in Seville and a terrific sherry bar. https://youtu.be/uGzD3mJR3c4 Taberna Manolo Cateca https://www.facebook.com/manolocateca/MaríaTrifulca https://mariatrifulca.com/Ático https://aticosevilla.com/Bar Ratón https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rat%C3%B3n/112879533951830/ About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He…

Almost everyone has heard of a tapas bar, but unless you’ve been to Jerez, you’ve probably never heard of a Tabanco. A Tabanco is a unique type of bar found almost exclusively in Jerez. What is a Tabanco? The name Tabanco comes from a fusion of the Spanish words “estanco” (small shops where wine was…

Brent visits Seville’s Alcazar & Cathedral and some of the best places to eat near these famous sites including sweet treats from cloistered nuns. https://youtu.be/SO6zf8QmbHg BioMio https://biomio.es/Bodeguita Romero http://bodeguitaromero.es/Royal Alcázar of Seville https://www.alcazarsevilla.org/Catedral de Sevilla https://www.catedraldesevilla.es/Convento San LeandroPlaza de Toros https://visitaplazadetorosdesevilla.com/Ovejas Negras https://www.ovejasnegrastapas.com/ About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink….

In Jerez, Spain, they’re famous for a pastry called Tocino de Cielo de Jerez, or just Tocino de Cielo. Translated is means heavenly bacon, which is a pretty weird name for a dessert. But, there’s a reason. Tocino de Cielo at Tabanco El Anticuario (photo: Brent Petersen) Tocino de Cielo was invented by the nuns…

April 25th, 2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, the event that overthrew the fascist Estado Novo regime. Brent celebrates Freedom Day (Dia da Liberdade) by attending a concert and watching a terrific fireworks display. https://youtu.be/fac09VcODG8 About the Author Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal,…

Brent is in Seville, Spain to try modern and traditional tapas including a restaurant that’s been doing it for 350 years! Plus, classy soup served in a martini glass and an amazing egg tapa topped with truffles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Iaekzbtsk&t=910s La Brunilda Tapas http://www.labrunildatapas.com/carta/ Bar Dos de Mayo https://bodegadosdemayo.com/ Espacio Eslava https://espacioeslava.com/ Bodega Santa Cruz   / bodegasantacruzsevilla   El…

Portugal’s Caldo Verde, known as “Green Broth,” originated in Minho, an area that includes the cities of Braga and Viana do Castelo. The soup is so popular, there’s even an annual festival dedicated to it in Irivo. Photo: Brent Petersen Caldo Verde is a simple soup made with potatoes, greens, onions, olive oil and seasoned…