Food


Travel in health -Books for health

Getting sick is especially bothersome when you’re traveling. But of course, illness happens and there are plenty of good, easy ways to deal with that. For now, let’s talk about ways to prevent illness. This page covers some online info and books that I know to be excellent and helpful. Each comes as an ebook too, so you can take it with you as you travel. Hint: Everything pretty much comes down to eating real food over fast and processed foods. This is often called Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB). This sets you and your body up for its best health so you can minimize illness and maximize opportunities for great adventures.  I don’t give medical advice so don’t take my words that way, but I and others know that as you learn what’s in these books it’s possible to balance local experiences and enjoy the local cuisines of the places […]

How Not To Die book cover

Discovered Kohlrabi — and love it!

On Wednesday May 13, 2015 at 3 p.m., I wrote a note to myself on my iPhone.
One word: Kohlrabi.

A day or two earlier, I was sitting in the Ascent library, my friend Mo’s office in Tzfat, working with him. He had this thing that looked like a white waxy Turnip. It fit in the palm of his hand. I’d watched as he peeled it with a knife.

This was new to me.

A perfect traveler’s food.


Great Pizza in Tzfat, Israel 1

If you’re craving pizza while in Israel, you will do very well to have that pizza at Pizza Simta in Tzfat! Crispy crust generously sprinkled with sesame seeds surrounding nice-tasting sauce and cheese, freshly made right in front of you, then served bubbling hot!

My pizza standard was formed by growing up with NY and then NYC pizza. It was furthered by pizza in Naples, Italy. If I had pizza in other states or countries, I was unimpressed to remember it either way. For me to say I love a pizza is a pretty big thing.


Zakopane dinner of Spinach Pierogi

Here’s the place that attracted our attention for a good sit-down meal for a late lunch or early dinner. The Pierogi caught my attention. I ordered the Spinach Pierogi for 12zl. When the waitress brought it, swimming in butter, I had one bite and was in heaven. I know I took photos of it, but don’t know what happened to those photos. So I can only share a photo of the restaurant and show you its menus. Arranging the night’s accommodations as we ate Dorota needed to get back to work so our mini holiday was ending soon. We were taking a bus back to Krakow by dark. Dorota was worried about me having a place to stay. I wasn’t. I had called Joanna, a woman with whom I’d stayed the first time I came through Krakow because she’d told me to call when I returned. Besides, I can always walk […]

The menus

Collapse•it food containers — perfect food storage 3

Fabulous food storage containers for home or for travel. The best space-saving food-savers I’ve ever seen. I LOVE these Collapse•it containers! As you can guess, one reason I love them is that they’re collapsible. But there are so many other reasons. They’re an excellent addition to any home and also work for travel. They are clear. Perfectly clear. You can see what you’re storing. They collapse brilliantly. They fold about mid-way, folding back on themselves. This takes up the least amount of height and gives you a good, usable container. They fold down to about ½ their full height. Their shape provides strength, and lets you get everything out of the container. The silicon walls are thick (but flexible).  They’re safe. They’re  non-allergenic, and contain no toxins, no PBA, no phthalates, no lead.


Fire knife handy on your travels

If you’re traveling to places where you want to ensure that you have fire, you might love this Swedish FireKnife. One of the best knife companies, Mora of Sweden, teamed with the Swedish company, Light My Fire, to create this handy  3.4 oz. (94 g) knife that ensures you’ll always be able to start a fire — as long as you have something to burn. You’ll find it, and other useful travel items here, at Industrial Revolution.


Repac reusable food bags for travel

As I pull out my sandwich and cookies for lunch, I realize I have been remiss in writing about one of my always-with-me pieces of simple technology.

My two Repac reusable sandwich-sized bags have been with me from the start of my Central America adventure a year ago. I plan to continue using them for many years to come — at home and when I am back out traveling again.

Unfortunately, this company has stopped making/selling these great bags. I’m sorry for the loss. The woman behind them was great and caring.


Great meal off the beaten track in Boquette

Boquette is a small mountain-surrounded town a 30 minute drive from David. The volcanic soil there and its climate make it the vegetable garden of Panamá. The climate is beautiful as ate the vistas. Most short-term visitors dine on the park at Central Park or two blocks up the road at a choose-your-food buffet that my meal companions and I enjoyed. However, my friends Mike and Mike live and work in Boquette and took me to a favorite place of theirs — Nelvis — that Mike says is always great. I did not take photos of my meal but have photos of Nelvis’ facade to share with you. (And yep, that is Mike and Mike in the photo.) About the food: There were several good looking meat dishes in offer as well as fried (not greasy) chicken — and side dishes. As I do not eat Cilantro, the meats’ sauces […]


Fab fish dinner, $3 in David, Panama

Having traveled all the way down from Mexico to Panama,* I can now say that I believe Panama has the best food for the least cost. At least I can say that for the local small eatery food in David and Boquette. This was my dinner today, and two other evenings. It is served at a small restaurant on a residential street, not a commercial strip, across from Bambu Hostel in David. It is: • A fish filet, fried but not at all greasy. Just a perfect, crispy light breading. • Thinly sliced pickle with a mustard dressing. • Patacones – Green Plantains that are fried, then smashed, then fried the rest of the way. (My iPhone photo didn’t do it justice or you would be drooling right now.) Water is free. The water here is clean volcano water. No need for plastic water. A Balboa cerveza is $1.00. Wondering […]


Granola in Costa Rica

When able to shop and have a clean bowl and spoon, I have been buying Granola for breakfast. At times that granola has been lunch or dinner instead or as well. This is today’s breakfast granola. I selected this brand — alin: Alimentos Naturales — because it is made in Costa Rica. The 250 gram (8.8 ounce) bag sells for 710 colones ($1.42). One of the fruits and something else (a nut?) in it are hard and a bit of a shock to the teeth, but it is a good mix anyway. I bought this same one once last week and it was a great late night smack eaten out of the bag slowly. This is the first time in all of my Central America travels that I have purchased milk in a “regular,” not the new box style container. This Costa Rican-made Coronado brand 1 liter milk was 505 […]


Tasty Sour Cream in Costa Rica

If you like American Sour Cream, you might love this sour cream in Cost Rica as well. To me, it was like having either Sour Cream or Cream Cheese, only not as sweet. It was also somewhat reminiscent of the fresh cream I loved so much while living on a working farm in Tasmania, Australia years ago. (I ate that cream out of the tub! The Australians found that rather entertaining.) I actually found this next to a liquid Cheddar Cheese, not beside the plastic tubs. I have seen and enjoyed a plastic container of “American Style Sour Cream” when a friend bought it. That was a creamy sour cream just like we eat in the States, but without sugar. It was also more fresh tasting. This bag is the same – but less costly as it comes in a bag. I have been using it as a pasta sauce, […]


FABULOUS place to stay during travel on Lake Atitlán

This is what I walk out to in the morning. It is the view from the dormitory of Posada Jaibalito. (You can have a similar view from a private room, too.) Morning is 6 a.m. for me here — and I love it! The smell of smoke from the homes of surrounding Mayan families greets my nose. The air is full of chipping and other animal sounds that are better than music. The sun comes up behind a volcano mountain so it doesn’t get bright and warm until close to 8. Before that it is a bit of a romantic hazy light and its own warm color. I love it all! Morning is laundry time. My clothes dry in the fresh air. I love the view from the roof — these rooftops and the hazy smoky sky being one. I don’t recall what time of day I took each of these […]