the Arenal Volcano at sunrise, La Fortuna, Costa Rica — The Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, is classed as active but has not shown any explosive activity since 2010.

Photograph by Nick Ledger, AWL Images Ltd

An Appetite Abroad

Spice up your travels with these interactive food experiences.

ByHannah Sheinberg

June 21, 2016

3 min read

OUTBACK TO BASICS:
Bush Fare in Australia

Though quandongs and riberries sound like creations from Willy Wonka's factory, they're actually indigenous foods in Australia's outback. At Longitude 131°, one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World, National Geographic guests can watch executive chef Sara Rezgui create a traditional, seasonal bush meal similar to those eaten by Anangu people. Dig in to dinner at a starlit table on the dunes, with a view of Uluru.

a tasting ‘plate’ of native bush ingredients at Longitude 131° in Uluru, Australia — A meal of native bush ingredients served in the Australian outback

Photograph by Longitude 131°

Dona Mara making tortillas in her home in Chachagua, Costa Rica — A meal of native bush ingredients served in the Australian outback

Photograph by Longitude 131°

NAVIGATING THE MAIZE:
Tortillas in Costa Rica

Vacations are a time to get away from the daily grind, unless it involves milling corn for tortillas at a family's home in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. During National Geographic Journeys' "Natural Highlights of Costa Rica" tour, guests prepare and cook masa on a wood-fired stove under the guidance of local maize matriarch Doña Mara. Feast on casado, a Costa Rican staple dish with black beans and plantains, served with your own corn-based creations.

a bowl of freshly prepared udon — A bowl of udon noodles from Japan's famous Nakano Udon School

Photograph by Geonni Banner

a tea house at Ritsurin Koen Park, Shikoku Island, Japan — A bowl of udon noodles from Japan's famous Nakano Udon School

Photograph by Geonni Banner

USE YOUR NOODLE:
Udon in Japan

On the island of Shikoku, at Japan's famous Nakano Udon School, creating slurp-worthy udon noodles involves a bit of toe-tapping. On the "Inside Japan" itinerary from National Geographic Expeditions, knead the dough—enveloped in plastic bags—by foot to the beat of tambourines. When the dance interlude ends, learn how to roll, cut, and boil the noodles before devouring them in broth for lunch in order to regain your two-stepping strength.