The reputation of Cajun food far precedes New Orleans, so you can understand my excitement to eat when I first arrived in the Big Easy. As a person who loved sushi and guacamole and spinach the first time I tried them all, I always considered myself a born foodie whose very nature guaranteed instant appreciation of any exotic type of food without "acquiring" the taste. So, I never expected my first mouthful of my first Nawlins eatery's jambalaya to cause my throat to snap shut as though it were expecting its 5th double shot of Bacardi 151. Something about having alligator, sausage and rabbit in my mouth all at once just caused my body to say NO!, and since that first night in NOLA, I've said no to all meat.
Since becoming vegetarian and recently venturing into veganism, I've become dauntingly aware of how hard it is to eat outside one's own kitchen-my very own beloved Friday's doesn't even offer one single entree that doesn't come with meat. But just because I've had to say no to Friday's, it doesn't mean that I must say no to travel. The choice to consume another culture's food is a very personal one and though I'm clearly aware of the universal praise of Cajun food, I can't change the fact that it just isn't for me. You may be wondering about the days I spent in NOLA following
the incident and my new lease on life. Was I any less consumed by the music which filled the streets from all directions? No. Was I any less moved by the southern hospitality exuded by every person I met? No! Was I any more sober than the rest after a hand grenade (one of New Orleans' native liquor concoctions, served in an elongated plastic hand grenade) or a daiquiri? Absolutely not!
Though interesting facets of a culture may be revealed through its food, those who are uncomfortable deviating from their diet for the purpose of cultural immersion should remember that while we maybe traveling in order to consume another's culture, we are also bringing our own cultures to others. Perhaps the more vegetarians and vegans New Orleans has passing through, the more likely it will become that those French Quarter chefs begin creating all-veggie Cajun dishes.
But until that day comes, you can go
here and
here and
here for advice on traveling with dietary restrictions.
Whether it be meat or dairy or Bacardi 151 that we've sworn off for life, we needn't be backed into the corner of changing our diets simply because it seems difficult to follow them in exotic locales...though I do wonder how often people have either avoided traveling or abandoned their diets while venturing into different cultures.
Have you had to change your diet because of travel? Do you think it's possible to have a well-rounded travel experience without eating your destination's local cuisine?
Comments (5)
Whenever I travel, I will try the local specialities, so yeah, my tastebuds certainly went through hell.
Good post
I think vegans will have a hard time traveling since many countries have meat in their famous cruisines.
great post
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