OK, I admit it. I am an Anthony Bourdain fan. Love the series of travel/food shows. We tend to record and watch TV shows of interest, in the winter, when we can’t spend time outdoors in the evening.
I record all the past episodes and watch them when we finally collapse after a day of putting our house back together. Last night, one of my favorite countries, France, was highlighted, or should I say, a city we once passed through on our travels.
Marseilles.
Our gateway to a week in Provence. The part of the world that influenced my cooking for the past 15 years. We flew into Marseilles (no customs at arrival, that was something) and boarded a bus to travel to Arles.
Followed by Avignon.
Nice after a night in Monte Carlo, to board a sailboat.
A week sailing the Med. This was a major vacation. One to celebrate my 50th birthday. A life changing trip. Which hooked me on markets. Fresh food. Good wine.
Bourdain’s shows get deeply into culture. Not just a surface look. They make me dig deeper into cuisines. Look for restaurants. Like now, when my husband wants to try the Ethiopian restaurant in Burtonsville.
I didn’t really make any resolutions this year, but maybe I should have. To resolve to travel a bit more. To try to find authentic ethnic fare. To expand my cooking capabilities. After all, I certainly am not getting any younger.
Where do you want to go? What foods inspire you? What cuisines would you like to try, if you could?
Me, I just would love to find a market that features spices, like Arles.
AnnieRie Unplugged 
I hope to expand my cooking repertoire with offal recipes from other cultures.
I am good with eating most of it, not a fan of cooking it, due to all the involved preparations.
I have been experimenting with grains, berries, spice mixes. I also have been doing more basic preparations like polentas, grits, risottos, and now I want to try different flours, like chickpea.