Its June. Are you ready for summer vacation yet? To give you a jump start on your holiday plans, were sending one lucky winner (and their very grateful friend) on a gourmet getaway to Paris. This one is over the top — even by our standards.Air France is providing business class airfare for two, which means the culinary experience begins in the air, with French-style service and meals prepared by such Michelin-starred chefs as Jöe

When in Hungary, come ready to eat your way through Budapest. We asked Carolyn Banfalvi, a local food and wine journalist and guide, for her best addresses.BUDAPEST – No matter what the political situation (and these days in Hungary it is increasingly divisive), eating and drinking are always top of mind for Budapesters. The best way to explore my city is to aimlessly wander its streets, admiring the architecture and discovering the tiny, q

Chefs Travel week is stopping for a gastro tour of Venice led by chef Daniele Turco of the legendary Gritti Palace. He also gave us a very Venetian recipe for red shrimp carpaccio with ginger gelato, his contribution to the cookbook set The Luxury Collection Epicurean Journeys.VENICE – I have worked in Venice for 22 years and I live approximately ten miles from the heart of the city. I love Venice for its extraordinary history, art, an

Theres an oyster spot for every circumstance in New York City — whether youre looking to splurge alone, kick back during happy hour, or celebrate with a rowdy group. Julie Qiu, NYC oyster connoisseur and author of In A Half Shell, one of our 24 Favorite Travel Blogs and Websites 2015, gave us a rundown of the citys best shucks by occasion.MANHATTAN – There are many things that make New York City an amazing place to live, but

When her family moved to Asheville, North Carolina, Kerry Saretsky (writer, foodie, New Yorker, Fathom contributor) fell in love with the towns burgeoning food scene. With barbecue joints that smoke their vegetables and their brisket, with chocolate shops that perfume the air. No one was more surprised and delighted than she was.ASHEVILLE, North Carolina – When my family told me they were buying a house in Asheville, the first thing out of

When theyre not whetting the whistles of Loisaida inhabitants at their little Alphabet City wine bar Lois, East Villagers Phoebe Connell and Nora OMalley are packaging delightful snacks and selling them under the name Aida. They share a taste of their beloved Loisaida neighborhood.EAST VILLAGE, New York City – Our love for Alphabet City, a little neighborhood in NYCs East Village, runs deep — we both live here and run two businesses t

To Romes excellent collection of charming boutique hotels, we add another from a beloved restaurateur. At Hotel DeRicci, the focus is on wine as much as style.ROME – Velvet, wood, metal, and stone: These are the elements that adorn Hotel DeRicci, the hidden and highly designed brainchild of beloved local restaurateur Lorenzo Lisi, which just opened in the heart of Rome. Though youll be forgiven for overlooking the design if youre easily dis

We recently visited Zach Mangan, co-founder of contemporary tea company Kettl, at his studio in Brooklyn for a modern-day Japanese tea tasting, where we tried frothy and exquisite matcha. Enchanted and intrigued by the bright green powder, we asked Zach for a lesson on matcha production and preparation.Matcha is very high-grade powdered Japanese green tea that is whisked in a bowl to produce a velvety, espresso-like brew. Originally from Ch

HARBOUR ISLAND, Bahamas – If Talitha Getty had taken a wrong turn in Marrakech, she wouldve landed on Harbour Island. Part funk, part fabulous, and always down-to-earth and welcoming, this special island in the Bahamas has the perfect hi-lo mix for any family vacation.  But I come to visit the nexus of the foodie action: The Landing, a sweet little boutique hotel and restaurant on the bay in Dunmore Town. Every day gets off t

Low-key and lovely, the Central Coast region of California is being hailed as the new Napa for its undulating hills and vineyards, proximity to the ocean, and stunning scenery. From food and wine galore and landmarks like Hearst Castle to the spectacular rocky beach at Morro Bay, this is a relatively undiscovered gem of a destination — though probably not for much longer.Paso Robles (Pass of the Oaks in Spanish), in San Luis Obispo Co

A New York City writer happens upon a local spot at lunch in Rome. And so begins a love affair with a porchetta sandwich from heaven.ROME – Their pig is a beauty queen. She is placed front and center in a glass case to be admired and adored. Shes been gutted, de-boned, and lovingly stuffed with rosemary, fennel, and garlic; but its her crispy skin thats to be exalted. Its crackling, hard, and ruddy-colored — the most sought-

As the presidential nominees built their path to victory, it became clear that the people needed to build their path to a stiff drink. Its been a rough election cycle, to say the least, and these swing states have seen more than their share of name-calling and voter-pandering. Its now over, and the red states have been sorted from the blue ones. Now all thats left to do is celebrate or drown your sorrows. Heres a handy guide to the best bar

Craving mutton seekh kebabs at 3 a.m.? Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi taste-tested the late-night food scene for Mumbai Boss (one of our 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites of 2014). Shell point you in the right direction.MUMBAI – In the last week, the places Ive eaten, the dishes I have tried, and the people I have shared tables with — at hours when most people sleep — prove that we havent even scratched the surface of what and how Mumbai

The most delicious, most bizarre, most beautiful culinary finds from our travels this year. 

The ingredients of a summer well spent vary by person, but if you ask me, it includes a lot of watermelon and at least one campfire smore. Indulgent, nostalgic, transportive, it doesnt get much better than a fire-roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between crisp graham crackers.While perusing the goods at Farm + Table in Kennebunkport, Maine, I came across a new take on the traditional summer treat. Instead of graha

Were taking a cue from the Japanese and sprucing up our lunch box routine with a few bento box-inspired accessories. Homemade lunches are healthiwer and less expensive than most of the fast casual chains around, but they require a bit of creativity to save them from the mundane. No one wants to open the same, sad tupperware container with the same, sad meal day after day. During one recent lunchtime lull, thoughts turned toward the Japanese

Not having a travel buddy doesnt stop Shari Bayer from hitting the road. Our favorite solo traveler went to Spain to eat at the worlds best restaurants, flew from NYC to Napa to have dinner at French Laundry, and showed a bungee cord Down Under whos boss. On this trip, she went to Hawaii (that supposedly totally romantic island) and had more than enough fun for two.HAWAII – Forget the notion that Hawaii is only for romance. I let go of the

If theres one place every traveler should eat in Barcelona, its the impossibly chic El Nacional.BARCELONA - There is certainly no shortage whatsoever of good — no, extraordinary — food in Barcelona. I mean, you dont have to try hard to eat well there. But, when faced with an all too fleeting 36 hours in The City of Gaudi, there is something to be said for a place that begs a repeat visit on a limited timeline. So not once, but t

South Africas Cape Winelands are one of the worlds lesser known grape-producing regions. SA writer and Fathom contributor Mary Holland met with South African wine guru Darren Humphreys to hear about the best tips for first time visitors to the area.CAPE WINELANDS, South Africa – Its astounding how many good wineries there are in South Africas Western Cape. Whats more astounding is how few people know about them. Aside from Stellenbosch, Fra

What could be better than eating your way through Italy? Helping the lovely chefs make the meal at a cooking school in a gorgeous Venetian palazzo.CISON DI VALMARINO, Italy – Use your core! she calls out. Kneading dough keeps you in shape!Those are motivational words from Sophie Braimbridge, the teacher encouraging me to get physical on the first day of a week of group cooking classes. Its an excellent ice-breaker. Theres nothing more