Foreign, mouthwatering, and absolutely delicious. (No, I’m not talking about David Beckham).
With so many European foods to try while studying abroad, it’s hard to know which foods are an absolute must. Don’t worry, we’ve broken down the six most savory and sweet foods to try in these major cities on bus2alps Spring Breaks.
1. Gemista in Greece
If you’re trying to escape the cold, you should head for the bluest islands of them all. If you crave sunshine on your skin, island hopping in Greece is the cure to the winter blues.
One of the best meals to try on the Greek Islands is Gemista. Gemista, translated from Greek, means “stuffed.” (Again, the irony).
This dish can be served in a variety of ways, but typically involves bell peppers and/or tomatoes being stuffed with rice, meat, and spices, then thrown in the oven to be baked.
Afterward, tomato sauce is drizzled over to give the food some moisture. Some restaurants serve this dish with a side of greek yogurt and potatoes.
Anyone else’s mouth watering just thinking about it?
2. Bougasta in Greece
Got a sweet tooth? Bougasta is the way to go.
This Greek pastry is traditionally eaten during breakfast and is made with phyllo dough, then baked until it is crispy and flaky.
Some variations of the dish fill the pastry with meat or cheese, but more commonly it’s filled with a semolina custard.
Lastly, the pastry is dusted and sprinkled with cinnamon, and powdered sugar. Are you drooling yet?
Where to taste all this goodness: Greece Island Hopping (Athens, Corfu, Santorini)
3. Waffles in Amsterdam and Brussels (to compare!)
You haven’t been to Amsterdam or Brussels if you haven’t tried their waffle creations.
Both are very different, yet still so delectable.
Amsterdam’s classic stroopwafel is made up of two thinly sliced waffles pasted together with a caramel spread. Many bakeries like to get creative with their stroopwafel toppings.
Some different toppings you’ll see include marshmallows, chocolate chunks and m&m’s all iced onto one of the waffles sides.
You can already feel the calories.
Belgium gets super extra with their Belgian waffle dishes, and I’m actually okay with it.
Starting from a light, fluffy waffley base, the dish can be found with warm Nutella drizzled on top, whip cream, strawberries, and bananas.
UGH, is this even legal to make?
4. Bombas in Barcelona
Who doesn’t love tapas? Nowhere does tapas like Barcelona.
One of their most iconic dishes is called Las Bombas, meaning “the bombs.”
The history behind Bombas is quite interesting, dating all the way back to the pre-Spanish revolutionary war. Legend has it that fighters used hand grenades which were rounded balls lit by a string fuse.
A local baker took inspiration for what Catalans call “Bombas” today. Bombas are fried potato balls drizzled with 2 different aioli sauces. One, a white garlic sauce and the other, a spicy red sauce.
The hand grenade contained explosives inside which in the tapas creation is portrayed as minced meat. Make sure to look out for this dish when in Barcelona, and digest some history…Literally!
5. Döner Kebab in Berlin
Döner Kebab is a name you are going to come across frequently on menus in Europe, but don’t be so quick to order this dish anywhere you go.
The best places to have a Döner Kebab is in Berlin. Historians think the Döner is probably hundreds of years old.
It’s similar to a Greek Gyro, but don’t get these two confused.
Döners have a unique style of bread stuffed with abundant salad, seasoned lamb, chicken, or beef, vegetables, and sauces.
The ingredients are always fresh, and the meat is constantly being cooked on a giant rotating kebab spit.
The flatbread is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside — ahhh, the inside, where the vegetables and sauces mix together deliciously and the savory meat leaves you begging for bite after bite.
6. Macarons in Paris
Do we even need to tell you to try the macarons in Paris?
Of course not!
You just MUST taste them freshly made from a local patisserie.
You can thank us later.
Where to taste all this goodness: Western Loop (Barcelona, Amsterdam, Bruges, Berlin, Paris)
So many places to go and so many different foods to try! Don’t miss out on all the flavors of Europe…join us on an epic adventure this semester and we’ll share all the local tricks to find the best eats.
