Category: street eats: foods from around the world

giraffe travel, street eats: foods from around the world

Street Eats, St.Petersburg, Russia: Cinnamon coated almonds… yum!

by Arden Jobling-Hey1 Comment on Street Eats, St.Petersburg, Russia: Cinnamon coated almonds… yum!
Street Eats, St.Petersburg, Russia: Cinnamon coated almonds… yum!

Welcome back to our Street Eats series, where we explore some of the world’s most delicious (and outrageous) street food. Today we’re venturing to St.Petersburg, Russia, one of the richest cities in the world.  Rich in history, the city boasts formidable architecture, from the hermitage to numerous palaces including Catherine’s Palace and the Peterhof, the wealth of rulers like Peter the Great visible at every turn. The gateway to Russia, the city continues to attract tourists from all over the world looking to enjoy a comfortable stay in modern Russia while taking a journey back in time through the era of the Tsars and the iron clasp of Communism that is still tangible in St.Petersburg today.

Restaurants within the city walls boast both local and neighbouring cuisine, the most famous being Khachapuri, a delicious Georgian cheese bread, in addition of course, to traditional Russian delicacies like Pelmeni, Borsch and Russian crepes! Yum-my. Outside of “sit-down” venues, St.Petersburg doesn’t really offer an assortment of food options. After all, you can’t sip on vodka and stroll at the same time! Fast food like Subway is, unfortunately, readily available for those in a hurry, but if you’re wandering around the city and in search of a little something to tie you over until dinner time, then here’s one sweet temptation you won’t want to miss.

#1 Street Snack in St.Petersburg: Cinnamon coated almonds

Cinnamon covered almondsWhat are they?

They are, quite simply, almonds (or hazelnuts, or pistachios depending on the stall and you’re favourite kind of nut) covered with a sweet cinnamon dusting. A satisfying way to start, interrupt, or end your day.

Where can you find them?

Available at most tourists hot-spots, cinnamon coated almonds can be found in any relaxing environment where people are bound to stroll. I sampled these treats while wandering through the  Mikhailovsky Gardens but encountered stalls many times throughout my trip for the bargain price of 50 rubles, or $1.50 CAD.

Want to read more about the beautiful city of St.Petersburg? Here are some blogs you won’t want to miss:

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: Pre-departure, Transportation and Hotel

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: A walk (and cruise) through the historic centre – Day 1

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg, Russia: Peterhof, Pelmeni and Swan Lake

A 3-day discovery of St.Petersburg: The Hermitage, Cafe Singer and the best souvenir shop in town

giraffe travel, street eats: foods from around the world, thetravelinggiraffe

Street Eats, Helsinki, Finland: Reindeer Meatballs or Lake Fish?

by Arden Jobling-Hey1 Comment on Street Eats, Helsinki, Finland: Reindeer Meatballs or Lake Fish?
Street Eats, Helsinki, Finland: Reindeer Meatballs or Lake Fish?

Welcome back to Street Eats, our delicious (and sometimes disgusting) series where we discover street food from around the world! Today, we pay a visit to Helsinki, Finland, a Scandinavian city worth discovering, if only for an afternoon, or two. With quaint little cafes lining the Esplanadi, an assortment of great fashion boutiques including the nation’s most famous designer, Marimekko, a dashing white cathedral (Evangelical Lutheran), and a lovely waterfront, the city offers tourists the chance to kick back their heels and just breathe easy.

In terms of culinary delights, Helsinki isn’t world famous for it’s cuisine, but does boast a number of yummy restaurants including the Fazer Bakery (offering up an incredible breakfast for 11 Euros and tantalizing treats for those looking to fuel up in between attractions) and regional delicacies like karelian pies, a Finnish treat with a rye bread base, a gooey rice or potato middle and a buttery egg topping that I’ve made more than once at home. Le yum!

You had me at Vendace?

When it comes to street eats, market square (kauppatori) is where you’ll find the largest variety of samplers. Among the local faves are Vendace, a type of fish known as muikku in Finnish. Salty, crunchy, fried little fish, these guys are sold as street food and packaged like American french fries, ready to pop!

image credit: Sirkku
image credit: Sirkku

Not for the lighthearted, these little fish are served whole and are something fish lovers simply have to try. The rest of us will have to resort to what gets my vote as  the epitome of Finnish cuisine… Continue reading “Street Eats, Helsinki, Finland: Reindeer Meatballs or Lake Fish?” →

giraffe travel, street eats: foods from around the world, thetravelinggiraffe

Street Eats, Munich, Germany: Leberkäse or Obatzda mit Bretzen?

by Arden Jobling-Hey2 Comments on Street Eats, Munich, Germany: Leberkäse or Obatzda mit Bretzen?
Street Eats, Munich, Germany: Leberkäse or Obatzda mit Bretzen?

Welcome back to Street Eats, the series where we roam the world, discovering the best and the worst street snacks from coast to coast. Today, we head to one of my all-time favourite destinations, the city of Munich! Tucked in the heart of Bavaria, Munich has everything a traveler could ask for. Rich in history with cultural fests like Oktoberfest and Tollwood (summer and winter festival) taking place all year round, visitors to Munich can enjoy beautiful architecture in the form of Schlosses (palaces), inviting parks and gardens, museums, and (drum roll please)… beer gardens!

Prost! Shout out to the beer gardens of Munich

This city holds such a special place in my heart that I actually wrote an entire series on the “Best of Munich”, starting with #10 Schloss Nymphenburg and working down to my favourite place to visit in Munich, the Englischer Garten. One of my favourite things to do in the Englischer Garten (the English Garden) is share a Mass with friends at the Chinese Tower, the Chinesischer Turm, one of the city’s most happening beer gardens. As a newbie on the beer scene, I always order a Radler – a combination of lemon-lime soda and Helles (light beer) or Weissbier (wheat beer) meant to sustain cyclists (Radler = cyclist) in the mountains of Germany and Austria without getting them drunk – and a most refreshing way to welcome in a summer’s day.

Stirring up a thirst like no other, it’s very important to choose the right food to accompany your drink! For most, the easiest snack to grab on-the-go is are big soft Bretzen (pretzels), garnished with a dash of salt to make you go back for another sip. My preferred way to enjoy Bretzen however, includes a big helping of Obatzda, my go-to snack when frequenting any beer garden in Munich. Obatzda is basically a heavenly, albeit creamy, mixture of Camembert, butter, herbs and onions: check out this recipe recently posted by muenchen.de and try making your own!

image credit: Monele58
image credit: Monele58

While obatzda may be my favourite thing to enjoy in Munich, it doesn’t really constitute as street food. For that reason, my vote goes to… Continue reading “Street Eats, Munich, Germany: Leberkäse or Obatzda mit Bretzen?” →