Tasty Destinations

Food + Travel = IT’s best friend. That’s why we couldn’t wait to read Saveur magazine’s 10th annual “top 100” list of tastiest destinations around the world. Greek wine from ancient fruit, 2004 White Burgundies, and the cevapcici – “smoky, skinless sausages”–of the Balkans made the list (as did Euell Gibbons, the Grape-Nuts guy, and chopped liver – although we’re not sure why), but here are some of Saveur’s U.S. picks, which require you to look no further than your own backyard:

Competition BBQ: Saveur calls it the United States’ “most beloved national pastime,” and for good reason: According to Carolyn Wells, co-founder of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the number of official BBQ competitions per year has reached 600. Saveur says that the best part about the “sport” is that “the fans are as generously compensated as the players. Attendees get to eat to their hearts’ content and bond with fellow ‘cue fanatics amid a haze of fragrant wood smoke.”

Cincinnati chili: Oh, Ohio. Essentially, this tasty Midwest dish is spaghetti with chili. But it’s one of the best chilis in the world. According to Saveur, it comes from Greek and Slavic immigrants, and is a “distant cousin” of pasticcio. Saveur has tips for how to order it the next time you pass through Ohio: order your chili “‘two-way’ (served on spaghetti), ‘three-way’ (with the addition of grated cheddar cheese), ‘four-way’ (with cheese and chopped onions), or ‘five-way’ (with cheese, onions, and stewed kidney beans).”

Nashville, Tennessee: Like any fabulous meal, a “best of” food list wouldn’t be complete without dessert: GooGoo Clusters, invented by the Standard Candy Company in Nashville, have been an American favorite since 1912. We agree: claiming to be the world’s first “combination candy bar,” the GooGoo is made out of the finest ingredients–milk chocolate, marshmallows, caramel, and roasted peanuts.

Photo: Suwandi Chandra, via Flickr

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