Travel blog

It’s easy to spot someone who has just enjoyed their first beignet. Covered in powdered sugar and grinning from ear to ear, these new initiates are privy to the secret of the official state doughnut of Louisiana and a culinary lineage that dates back to ancient Rome.

The top travel trends for 2018 are out and they are good news for thrifty, budget-conscious travelers and those on fixed incomes. According to the list created by DailyMail.com, one of the things we can expect in 2018 is a move away from lavish escapes in favor of more authentic experiences found off-the-beaten-path. One of the main trends we can expect to see is a rise in grassroots, local dining where refinement is measured by the quality of the experience -- not the thread count of the linens or the number of stars the restaurant holds.

In 1852 Guillaume and Marie Abadie Tujague set sail for America from Bordeaux, France. Like many immigrants, they set their dreams on the promise of success they saw in the New World. The butcher and his wife plied their trade in the French Market of New Orleans for three years before deciding to do what their people did best: cook.

The kids are grown and you’ve just retired from work. Now you’re ready to travel the world, but with so many places to go and things to see, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t break the bank or affect your fixed income. Here are a few ideas for how to plan a money-friendly trip, particularly how you can eat on a budget while traveling:

Have you ever had a meal so perfect you thought to yourself, “if this was the only thing I did on vacation, it would have been worth the trip?” Flavors so unforgettable you will forever judge every other plate by this standard? Imagine my surprise when I found my own culinary opus in a Parisian gas station.

Portuguese cuisine was born from trade routes and the country’s perch overlooking the sea. Hearty peasant bread and stick-to-your-ribs rice dishes, sweet pastries and fresh sausages, round out a diet that is based largely on what can be pulled from the water. From neighborhood tascas serving up affordable homey dishes to fine dining establishments and bakeries, Portugal is full of good food. So grab a bottle of Madeira wine and pull up a seat at the table for the best things to eat in Lisbon:

Made in the Volunteer State from generation’s old mash bills, or recipes, Tennessee whiskey is the result of corn filtered through sugar-maple charcoal aged in new, charred oak barrels. Located in the heart of a “dry country,” Jack Daniel’s is the oldest-working distillery in the nation and the legacy of the small town of Lynchburg. Carefully crafted from water pulled from an ancient iron-free spring, Jack’s whiskey is pure honey-colored magic. Whether you’re sipping at home or on a distillery tour of your own, here are the how-to tips you’ll need to know for a whiskey tasting:

Everyone from royalty to commoners takes afternoon tea in England; but nowhere is this quintessential British tradition served with more reverence and ceremony than at the Ritz. Setting the standard for London’s most cherished of observances, Tea at the Ritz is a right of passage for every visitor to the Queen’s city.

It’s believed that Portuguese sailors once tasted a delicious food in Northern China called “You Tiao.” They brought the crispy, fried pastry back to Europe with them where it flourished and became a favorite treat. Today, Lisbon is arguably the best place to enjoy the sweet churro in its many variations -- from cinnamon-dusted to dipped in chocolate, star-shaped or straight out of a greasy paper bag. Locals and visitors alike love to stroll the cobbled streets in this Old European city with a warm bag of churros and a steaming cup of coffee. If you can’t make it to Lisbon yourself, try your hand at making churros in your home:

In Jose Fuster’s painting, The Last Supper, the 12 disciples crowd elbow-to-elbow around a plate of fish, hinting at an odd Cuban rule that allowed only a dozen guests to eat at one time in privately-owned home restaurants. Known as paladars, these family-run businesses are synonymous with Cuba and their popularity is on the rise in the Soviet-system where the state controls everything that ends up on the plate. However, recently the interpretation of a “living room” has broadened, making the definition of the paladars a bit more favorable and accessible. Here’s what you need to know about savoring Cuba’s authentic home dining scene: