by Cha Jones 

      

Traveling gives us the opportunity to explore new things. It’s a time to kick back and relax, but it’s also a great occasion to indulge your senses, especially your taste buds. I love food and find that eating is a rather gratifying pastime that many people take for granted, but traveling can give you a passport into innovative dishes that can awaken your taste buds.

photos from Bing Images

However, traveling can be interesting for those with a picky palate.  I am not sure if I would adhere to having a picky palate, but I will admit to being particular, especially when to comes to different smells. I abhor foods that have a less than desirable smell. I do not enjoy food that smells like hot garbage, grass or any other earthy matter. Yet, sometimes good food can be a little funky. For those travelers who are not open to trying new things, you might be missing out on something very delicious.   

photos from Bing Images

If familiarity breeds content, then exotic aromas aren’t a picky traveler’s pleasure. Walking through street markets with fresh produce, meats, and a gazillion smells can either entice hunger or make you nauseous. If you are anything like me, then food diversity comes with limitations. However, having a pick palate can interfere with the adventure of traveling and make a pleasurable trip a nightmare. Last thing you want to do is go on vacation and be hungry due to lack of edible options.

Here are some tips for making picky palatable:

•  Be open and at least tasting. When I traveled to Hong Kong I ate pigeon.  I will admit, I never in a million years would have ever thought of eating a bird the cooed all day long outside my childhood home. Yet, when I say that pigeon was some of the best eating I have ever had, OMG! But if I wasn’t willing to step out my box and try something I would still be sleeping on how wonderful pigeon really is.
•  Don’t judge a plate by its presentation. Looks can be deceiving. In many foreign countries presentation is not all that important. However, some really good dishes don’t look like much of anything. Consider them hidden treasures that can only be opened by the tongue.
• Forget about table manners. Keep in mind that in some countries finger foods are anything that placed before you on a plate or dish. Don’t wait for a knife, fork, or spoon dig right in with your hands. Just make sure you wash your hands before you dig into your meal. This might seem a little barbaric, but once you throw your good ole etiquette out the window, you will find that eating without a utensil can be freeing. 
• Sharing is caring: In some countries communal eating is the norm. No, you are not in Kansas anymore. Family style eating gives you an opportunity to eat a little of everything and decide what you like without making a major commitment to one thing. So, if you are the person who isn’t committed to being married to one meal anyways, then communal eating will be your friend. The one thing I had to let go of was having other people dip into something I was eating. Just remember that food is better when enjoyed with friends.