Yes, we did use spirits while making small delicious cheese pies, called ‘kalitsounia,’ in a traditional hillside village of western Crete, Greece. Koula Barydakis, our ebullient chef instructor, began our local cooking lessons by pouring a shot of raki for herself and her students as we toasted the traditional Cretan diet, one of the healthiest in the world.

Who has never tried enchiladas, guacamole or tacos? Very few people. Fittingly, Mexican cuisine was in 2010 listed by UNESCO for its Cultural Intangible Heritage, gaining Mexico recognition for its traditional dishes that retain the names, ingredients and cooking practices dating back to the pre-hispanic era and incorporate influences and contributions from other cultures.

Today we belatedly mark World Food Day, which was celebrated yesterday, October 16, in honour of the date in 1945 when the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization was established. The theme was ‘Food Prices – From Crisis to Stability,’ an attempt to spotlight the need for global practices that can prevent the devastating price upswings we have seen all over the world. We therefore look back at some of the fantastic local-food contributions that have been made on The Travel Word.

This picture captures just some of the rich mix of colourful spices that can be found in many a market in Damascus, Syria. The variety of flavours on offer is overwhelming – even if you’re not trying to cook with them. The clash of bright colours is an intense experience for the eye and the incredible scents produced by the heaps of powder intermingle to create a distinctive and intoxicating miasma.

When it comes to life’s simple pleasures, food definitely ranks near (if not at) the top of the list for most people. It’s probably fair to say that the way to a whole nation’s heart is through its stomach, so finding out what makes a country tick is often as simple as checking out what dishes regularly make it onto the dinner table. Thanks to the efforts of our local partners around the globe, we’ve assembled an extensive selection of typical local appetisers, soups and stews, main dishes, vegetarian dishes, desserts, drinks and snacks and street foods.

Great sources of national pride, a country’s cuisine and local produce are as much a cause for celebration as its culture and history. Not a month goes by without an homage to food and drink somewhere in the world, so check out our selection of events encouraging you to kick up your heels, eat, drink and be merry.

Before jetting off on an exotic culinary adventure, it pays to read up on a country’s favourite regional fare. After all, when it comes to food, every culture has its own version of what constitutes a tasty snack. To help, we’ve rounded up a collection of some of the world’s most uncanny edibles, from fried spiders to local lizards and great big mouthwatering worms! Adventurous eaters beware: not everything tastes like chicken and one man’s pet may be another man’s delicacy.