There are some things worth packing for every trip,no matter where you’re going,writes Ben Groundwater.

Seven essential things I always pack (and three I never do)

There are only seven essentials I take with me every time I travel;they’re the things I know I need and will make use of on every journey.

  • Ben Groundwater

Latest

Som Tam… don’t hold the spice.

Perfectly balanced,but this spicy salad is not for the faint-hearted

Order this South-East Asian dish “medium spicy” and prepare to have your world turned upside down.

  • Ben Groundwater
White Lotus is about power:those who have it and those who don’t.

If you can afford to travel overseas,you’re rich

The White Lotus highlights the power imbalance between tourists and the people who serve them. It’s not meant to inspire holidays.

  • Ben Groundwater
Lamb korrma… a dish that’s been remade,reinvented and ruined by the West.

The sublime Indian dish the West did its best to ruin

We’ve done terrible things to the food of India,making some dishes unrecognisable and completely fabricating others. One of these is korma.

  • Ben Groundwater
Street food being prepared at one of the many seafood stalls in the outer market of Tsukiji Fish Market.

Tokyo’s famous market closed in 2018. Except it’s still going strong

When the Tsukiji fish market closed,the outer market was expected to die – yet here we are today,shoulder to shoulder,queuing for grilled wagyu.

  • Ben Groundwater
Heian Jingu’s Torii and Okazaki Canal with cherry blossom.

Japan just got a lot more expensive. Here’s why we’ll keep going

Say it ain’t so. Tell me the dream isn’t over. Someone please reassure me that Japan is still a cheap destination.

  • Ben Groundwater
Advertisement
One thing at least is settled - this dish is delicious.

Part pizza,part smash burger,this delicious flatbread is controversial

Food is a wonderful thing,tied to history,culture and identity,but that also means it can be a source of controversy. Welcome to the world of lahmajun.

  • Ben Groundwater
Northern Mongolia’s “Dark Blue Pearl” … Khuvsgul Lake.

One of the most beautiful countries on Earth has the worst food

Few nations have the incredible scenery and sense of wild adventure of Mongolia. But there’s a reason travellers say you should “take a sauce”.

  • Ben Groundwater
Fresh produce in abundance.

This world-famous market is full of tourists – and amazing things to eat

Most purveyors of cooked food in La Boqueria do tapas-style cuisine with counter seating,and that seating is in high demand,so be prepared to hang around for a while.

  • Ben Groundwater
Pot-au-feu is a simple French dish of meat and vegetables.

Feu or pho? The French dish that probably inspired the Vietnamese classic

Pot-au-feu is a French classic,a one-pot wonder,a dish of meat simmered over many hours with vegetables and a bouquet garni.

  • Ben Groundwater