Food festivals are places for food worshippers to gather and stuff their faces. They are places where new and crazy ideas can be found. For new relationships to blossom (with new favourite foods) and to take in the wonderful smells and tastes all around you. BUT for the true veteran of food festivals, there are a few tips to make the experience more enjoyable.
First take a friend or two. This means that you can share. Now I know what you are thinking. “Why would I want to share this delicious food with others?” Simple, if you share your food, it means that you can enjoy the food with another person, have a discussion about the flavours and most importantly, you won’t eat as much. A common mistake is to order a big plate of some treat and then eat the whole thing, leaving no room for all the rest of the splendid food.
Secondly, take a bottle of water with you. Often the food served here can be very salty or have overpowering tastes. You don’t want to spend extra money on a drink, when you could be spending that money on steamed dumplings for example. I like to add fresh mint and a slice of lemon to my water, as this helps to clean my pallet ready for the next session of feasting.
Third, never buy anything from the first stall that you see. Often people see something interesting near the entrance and buy it. Then they are too full when they see something truly amazing. Make a full circuit of the whole food festival, making sure that you are looking at all the stalls. Make sure to talk to people at the festival to find out what food is extra special. Only then start buying food and enjoying yourself.
This last tip is obvious, but come early. Try to get to the festival as soon as possible. The later you go, the more likely the very popular stalls will have sold out and you will be missing out on some of the best food and be left with second best.
Above all else enjoy yourself and don’t be afraid to try new things. Who knows, it could be the next thing you fall in love with!
Rassasy 