The International Kitchen

Hola Winter Travel!

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What sounds finer in the winter than a culinary vacation to a cooking school in Mexico? Trade the cold for the mountain village of Tepoztlán, just about 90 minutes outside Mexico City, and spend your days immersed in the best of Mexican cuisine.

Our Hola Mexico 5 or 7-Night Tour has you staying right at your hosts' villa, learning hands-on in a classic cooking vacation setting surrounded by mountain views. It's the kind of trip that makes you forget winter is even happening back home. Check out this and more warm-weather stays on our website today!

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Costa Rica Lipstick Tree

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Cooking in a new country typically introduces you to new ingredients that you may not be familiar with, but are a staple of that cuisine. Achiote is that in Costa Rican cooking! While it's a staple to the cuisine, it adds relatively no flavor at all! It's used for its beautiful red color and adds that signature Costa Rican hue to a dish.

Achiote comes from the seeds of the Bixa orellana tree, sometimes called the "lipstick tree" because of the vibrant red-orange pigment coating the seeds. In Costa Rica, it's typically sold as a paste or powder and stirred into rice dishes, stews, and sauces. Pollo con achiote (chicken braised in an achiote-based sauce) is a classic example, usually served over white rice. It's such a small ingredient, but it's part of what gives so many Costa Rican dishes that warm, golden-red color you see on the plate. Learn to cook with achiote on our " Luxury Insider's Tour Costa Rica" Book today!

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Visit Southeast Asia!

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Travel to the most iconic destinations in Vietnam and enjoy a stop in Cambodia on our "Southeast Asia Food Tours: Hanoi, Hoi An, Saigon & Siem Reap" 8-Night Tour. Highlights of your Vietnam journey include a cultural tour of Hanoi, a cruise on the Thu Bon River, and much more. Visit the famed temple ruins near Siem Reap, Cambodia, and learn about the Khmer culture and gastronomy during a hands-on cooking class. Not sure where to travel this winter? Keep this trip in mind as you think about travel for the cold seasons ahead. Link in bio

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Photo Credit M.D. Walters

Green with Food Envy?

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Have you every been caught staring at someone else's plate and immediately regretted your order? We've all been there! In German, there is a specific word for that type of jealousy: futterneid, or "food envy." It's the feeling of wishing you could try every dish instead. Book a culinary vacation with TIK and you can't miss out on amazing flavors! Link in bio

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Autumn in Bordeaux

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If you love wine and hearty meals, then Bordeaux is the destination for you! There's nothing quite like a fall vacation in an elegant and cozy historical chateau, cooking up meals and memories worth revisiting forever. This wine and food vacation in Bordeaux is one of our staff favorites, and soon it will be yours as well!

"Cooking in a French Chateau and Bordeaux Wine Tours" Available dates: October 5–11, October 11–17, November 23–29 — Special Thanksgiving Itinerary! Please inquire if you have questions or want to check other available weeks.

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Food, Wine, and Friends!

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"Peg was key to a great vacation. She asked alot of pertinent questions and was able to assemble a great culinary week in Campiglia Marittima and plan the next two weeks in Cortona, Florence and Venice. We wanted, food, wine and people and got all of that and more. From food, wine, to friends to a clandestine marriage vow renewal she planned all of it. We made permanent memories and friends. People make the difference, planning and visiting. Can't recommend them enough."
- Tom B.

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Have you eaten rice yet?

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In Thailand, rice isn't just a side, it's an essential part of daily life. "Gin kôw rĕu yang?" is a common Thai greeting which literally translates to "Have you eaten rice yet?" and is used the way that English speakers might say "How are you?". Thailand grows countless varieties of rice and has been one of the world's top rice exporters since the 1960s. Here's the twist, noodles, which feel just as essential to Thai food we know today, are actually a newer addition to the cuisine. Noodles weren't introduced to Thailand until World War II and were brought in to help ease a rice shortage caused by the war and severe flooding.

Curious to learn more? Get a taste of Thailand with TIK and book your next culinary vacation today.

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https://www.theinternationalkitchen.com/program/taste-of-thailand-culinary-vacation-in-southeast-asia-the-international-kitchen/

Finding Home in Normandy

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"TIK did a great job in offering this experience in Normandy. Peg and her team were terrific in working with us to find the timing to fit us in. All of the pre-trip communications were timely and clear. Our questions were answered quickly and clearly. The cooking and WWII history combo was the perfect fit for us as I'm a chef from Napa Valley and my husband is a WWII history buff. David was so knowledgeable in the kitchen, local/WWII history! David & Alyson were the most wonderful hosts. It's not easy to teach people who are at very different levels of proficiency and he did it with clarity, patience and the understated British humor. Allison was so kind and helpful throughout our stay and I love that she put her own stamp on each of the rooms, making them unique and special. Oh, and the breakfasts were just lovely. Freshly baked baguettes and pastries, homemade jams, cheeses and meats and those lovely eggs from hens right on the farm! We will definitely go back and visit and stay with them again. They made us feel at home in their home, and as lifelong learners, we loved our time there."
-Lulu Y.

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NEW TOUR: Galapagos Adventure for Foodies!

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Although mainland Ecuadorian cuisine has begun to gain some international recognition, the gastronomic jewels of the Galapagos remain largely undiscovered. The Galapagos is a fascinating destination for culinary travelers because it represents a confluence of influences from in and around Ecuador. Since the islands were colonized by people from all over the country, including the highlands and the Pacific coast, traditional flavors offer a little bit of all the best Ecuadorian food. Each dish is born from the islands' heritage, offering a taste of history and a look into the lives of those lucky enough to call this paradise home.

Immerse yourself in the distinctive flavors of the Galapagos, traveling across time, on our newest tour, "Galapagos Adventure for Foodies." The perfect Culinary vacation for adventure seekers, nature-lovers, and foodies alike. Check out this and more new tours on our website! Link in bio

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A Cheese Worth Melting For!

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Branzi is made from raw milk from Bruna Alpina cows that graze on grasses and herbs that grow only in Branzi, a village of Bergamo nestled in the Alpine foothills. In many ways, this cheese is still produced traditionally by the village and for the village because of the ingredients, production, locality, and generations of family-owned production. This cheese is packed with creamy-sweet notes, an initial fruitiness, and a rich, earthy tang that develops as you go. Branzi becomes more golden, complex, and dense as it ages.

This is just one of the many unique cheeses produced in Italy. Curious about the process of making cheese? Inquire with TIK, and we'll find you the perfect culinary destination for you and your favorite cheeses. Cheeses worth traveling the world for!

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https://www.theinternationalkitchen.com/blog/cheese-and-why-we-love-it/