Boomer On Fire #332 - Street Food!
Boomers - Living Our Best Lives
Welcome to Boomer on Fire, the newsletter that inspires and motivates baby boomers to live their best lives.
Have you ever been tempted to try street food while traveling?
How to Enjoy Street Foods While Traveling
It Doesn’t Have to be Scary
If you have traveled much, you will have seen them. Street Food Vendors! While they should be approached with care, they can be a wonderful source of unabashedly genuine cuisine.
What Are Street Foods?
Street foods are typically prepared and sold by vendors from food trucks or small stalls. They are representative of the local culture, using local ingredients, and following local traditions. They give people an opportunity to experience authentic flavors and dishes.
What Are Typical Street Foods?
Here are some popular street foods from various countries that are frequented by tourists:
Thailand:
Pad Thai: Stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, chicken, or tofu, often served with lime and peanuts.
Som Tum: Spicy green papaya salad with lime, chili, and fish sauce.
Mango Sticky Rice: Sweet sticky rice served with fresh mango and coconut milk.
Mexico:
Tacos: Soft or hard-shell tortillas filled with various meats, beans, cheese, and salsa.
Elote: Grilled corn on the cob, typically slathered with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, and lime.
Tamales: Corn dough filled with meats or sweets, wrapped in corn husks and steamed.
Japan:
Takoyaki: Octopus balls made from batter and cooked in a special molded pan, topped with sauce and bonito flakes.
Yakitori: Grilled chicken skewers, often seasoned with salt or a sweet soy sauce glaze.
Onigiri: Rice balls, often filled with ingredients like pickled plum or salmon and wrapped in seaweed.
Vietnam:
Bánh Mì: A Vietnamese sandwich made with a baguette filled with meats, vegetables, and sauces.
Phở: While often served in restaurants, street vendors offer delicious bowls of this noodle soup.
Gỏi Cuốn: Fresh spring rolls filled with shrimp, herbs, and vermicelli noodles, served with peanut sauce.
Italy:
Pizza al Taglio: Roman-style pizza sold by the slice, often with various toppings.
Arancini: Fried rice balls stuffed with cheese or ragù, commonly found in Sicily.
Gelato: While not a traditional “street food,” gelato is a popular treat enjoyed by tourists.
Turkey:
Simit: A sesame-crusted bread ring, often sold by street vendors.
Kebabs: Grilled meats served in various forms, including wraps or on skewers.
Baklava: A sweet pastry made of layers of filo dough, nuts, and honey syrup.
Singapore:
Hainanese Chicken Rice: Poached chicken served with fragrant rice and chili sauce.
Chili Crab: A spicy crab dish that is a must-try, often enjoyed at hawker centers.
Satay: Grilled skewers of marinated meat served with peanut sauce.
Greece:
Souvlaki: Skewered and grilled meat, usually pork, chicken, or lamb, often served with pita bread and garnished with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce.
Gyro: Similar to souvlaki, gyro features meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, typically served in a pita with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki.
Spanakopita: A savory pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese, wrapped in flaky phyllo dough and often sold as a quick snack.
Street Food Safety
Street food can be delicious and a great way to experience local cuisine, but you do need to follow certain safety practices. Here are some tips to keep you healthy and happy:
Do a Reasonableness Check: Look for vendors who maintain a clean cooking area and practice good hygiene. If the food and the area look clean and the vendor is wearing gloves or has clean utensils, that’s a good sign. If you don’t have a great feeling about a vendor, don’t worry about hurting his feelings. He’ll get over it a lot faster than you would get over food poisoning.
Crowds: Popular vendors with long lines often have a higher turnover of food, which can indicate freshness. If locals are eating there, it’s often a good sign.
Cooking: Foods that are cooked thoroughly and served hot are generally safer than those that are raw or undercooked.
Storage: Be cautious of food that has been sitting out for a long time. Proper temperature control is important to prevent foodborne illnesses. Food that has been sitting too long is usually easy to spot.
Water: Be aware of how food is prepared, especially if it involves water. Avoid ice or beverages made with tap water in areas where water quality is questionable.
Allergies and Dietary Restrictions: If you have specific dietary needs or allergies, be sure to communicate them clearly to the vendor. If you are having trouble communicating, try a different vendor.
By following these simple tips and using your best judgment, you can enjoy street food while minimizing health risks.
While eating street foods certainly isn’t the same as dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant, it can be a wonderful experience. With vibrant, genuine flavors and aromas, usually in the middle of the action, you will get a multi-sensory, genuine experience.
Being Baby Boomers, the thought of trying to figure out how to use our cell phones while in another country can be intimidating. Never fear, here are some great suggestions. You might not need to ask the grandkids for help after all.
Do bicycling and wine go together? If you are an enthusiast for both, why not try cycling through a wine region?
Thanks for reading. Go out and live your best life!
Kevin