Culinary Travel

What people eat can tell you a lot about a country. That, in a nutshell, is the premise behind this lavish, illustrated guide to food and place. In it, the editors choose 500 culinary destinations around the world, succinctly describing what makes them special, along with suggestions on when to go, how to plan, and where to find Web site information.

Arranged by theme, there are chapters on great food towns, markets, seasonal dishes, street foods, and desserts. There are entries on Turkish figs, New York delis, whiskey and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Oregon's microbreweries (at 70, Portland has more brewpubs than anywhere else in the United States), Key lime pie in (where else?) Key West, and Danish pastries in, yes, Denmark.

The editors also have featured the occasional gastronomic challenge, such as eating lutefisk, Norway's national dish, in Norway. "There is a certain bravado involved," they concede, "in sampling this dish in its place of origin."

Thanks to Philly.com for partial article.