Homesick Nomads talk about their favourite foods

If your home is abroad or you are an international student or ex-pat you often get that mighty craving for the foods of your homeland. One of the best homesickness cures is to sit down for some food from your childhood or simply some favourite snack from home.

This is a collection of travellers favourite foods that cure their feeling homesick. When your home is abroad or in many countries while travelling it’s often difficult to get the simple things you appreciate from your home country. In some cases, travellers and ex-pats have learned how to make their favourite foods and in others, we send for care packages from home.

are you feeling homesick for your favourite foods?

Our Homesick foods

Shrimp and Grits from Charleston, SC

Nothing says home to me more than the comfort of a warm bowl of grits smothered in a dark gravy loaded with shrimp so fresh you can still taste the saltwater. Shrimp and Grits have become one of the most popular dishes in the Lowcountry – a coastal area that stretches from southern Georgia through South Carolina. As the name implies, when this dish is done well it lets two local ingredients shine. But like so many regional dishes, finding the proper components can be a struggle when you are not in the place of its origins.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

This is why after being promised fresh, tender shrimp from the Yucatan coast, I decided to bring not one but two bags of grits back with me to Mexico. The instant grits you find in packets just doesn’t cut it. To get this dish right, you need stone-ground grits which take an hour or more to cook and produce a hearty bowl of grits with a rich flavour of corn. And fresh, flavorful shrimp. Restaurants throughout the Lowcountry create their own variations of Shrimp and Grits but my favourite can be found at SNOB. The acronym stands for Slightly North of Broad (Street) because if you’re South of Broad you’re just an SOB. This Lowcountry bistro and staple Charleston restaurant create a lot of tasty seafood dishes and their Shrimp and Grits is no exception. Recommended by Julien of Cultures Traveled

Roast Chicken Potato Chips

 I am Australian but live in the U.S.  A lot of foods from home I can make myself, but what I can’t make and therefore miss the most is chicken flavoured potato chips.  There are lots of potato chips for sale in the United States, but none of them are chicken flavoured.  In fact, whenever I mention that such a thing exists, most Americans reel in horror at the thought.  But they have always been my favourite flavour.   It’s pretty random, and I’m not sure that they taste exactly like roast chicken, but I love the flavour and they totally remind me of home. 

feeling homesickimy favourites are chicken chips

Whenever I return to Australia, I stock up – they are sold at supermarkets and convenience stores everywhere – but it’s a long way to go (and a bit too far just to get some chicken chips) and I only get back every three years or so.  On a recent trip to Europe, I flew back to the U.S. from Germany with a layover in Manchester, England, and they are also sold in the UK, so I bought several packets at the airport. 

They are a different brand and are proudly made with British potatoes rather than Australian ones, but the taste is similar enough.   There is also an Irish neighbourhood in New York City, where I live, that sells them.  However, it is to the far north of the city and I don’t get there very often, but I make a pilgrimage there when I can, to stock up.  Although I get to eat them from time to time, and I don’t eat chips every day anyway, I still miss them a lot, as they are a little taste of home for me. by James of Travel Collecting

Black Beans

 Black beans Cuban style. You can get black beans in many countries but they never taste quite like the classic Cuban dish you get in Cuba or in Cuban restaurants.

The recipe is fairly simple; create a base of olive oil, garlic, onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat this and stir. Most good cooks let the beans soak overnight and add them to the mixture when they have softened.

feeling homesick black beans

Many years ago I found a recipe for black beans that suggested I include soy sauce. I thought that was a ridiculous idea but tried it anyway. I’ve never made black beans without the soy sauce since.

If you want to get super fancy, you can add a cooked, chopped egg yolk and egg white on top of the black bean soup before you serve it. The contrast of black beans against the bright yellow and white of the eggs makes a fine contrast.

The bean dish can be eaten by itself as a hearty meal. However, most people use it as an accompaniment along with white rice. When the two are mixed, the dish is called “Moros y Cristianos” or Moors and Christians in honour of Spain’s history and association with Moors for hundreds of years. Cuba is a country with a deep Spanish heritage among others. by Talek of Travels with Talek

Pizza

I am Italian, and food is a huge part of my culture. Though I can find dishes I enjoy eating in (almost) any place I visit, to me nothing beats the simplicity and the wholesomeness of Italian food, and whether I am travelling for a short time or for a long time, I end up missing my favourite dishes from home. 

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

The dish I really miss and I can never find while travelling is pizza. Yes, you read it correctly: I can’t find a good pizza outside of Italy. I may find what others call pizza, but to me, it often ends up being such a disappointment that I generally avoid it. The problem is that pizza is seemingly easy to make, but the lack of good ingredients, the moisture in the air that affects the raising of the dough, the low-quality mozzarella and tomatoes and the lack of a good oven all affect the final product. 

What I love about pizza is that it’s such a comfort food – as soon as I bite into it, it puts me in a good mood. I love the dough, which has to be crispy, yet soft and moist at the same time; the tomatoes have to be sweet; only the best quality mozzarella has to be used; the basil and the touch of oregano give it a fresh flavour. And when I feel fancy, I can have a variety of other toppings too. 

My favourite place for pizza is Framento, a pizzeria in my hometown Cagliari that has been prized as one of the best 50 in Italy. I love their “Immuginazione” pizza: it’s a sauceless pizza with small chunks of smoked mullet, fresh pecorino cheese; cooked cherry tomatoes; mozzarella and sprinkled with mint. I know it sounds like an odd pizza, but trust me, it is tasty! by Claudia My Adventures Across The World

Francesinha (Porto, Portugal)

Travel is not only exploring a new country by history and culture. Gastronomy plays an important role. It is essential to try the local dishes and to get to know better the traditional cuisine.

Even though we visit countries where we loved gastronomy, home food will always be missed. Portugal has such a rich cuisine. In the north of the country, Porto quickly became a good spot for foodies.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

One of the traditional dishes is the famous francesinha. This is the one we miss the most when we are travelling. Even Anthony Bourdain couldn’t resist when filming for his TV show ‘Parts Unknown’.

The dish was originally created by an immigrant. It combines bread slices with fresh sausage, línguiça, ham beef or pork. All covered with cheese and sometimes with egg on top. Always topped by a special sauce and some of them can be surrounded by chips. No order is complete if you don’t complement with a fino (draught beer).

Nowadays, there are many variations of the sandwich. In our opinion ‘O Afonso’ is the best place to eat a good francesinha in Porto.

The dish is so good that many Portuguese try to sell it around the world. Curiously we had eaten francesinha in Cambodia. It was one of the best we had eaten. Ok, maybe because we were homesick food. By Sandrina Ferreira of The Wise Travellers

One Great Salad

There are plenty of foods I miss when on the road, but one that I miss the most is Salad. I have found that in foreign countries it can be hard to find the fresh ingredients you need for making a good salad. And that’s if you have the kitchen space to make it. You can try your luck at restaurants as well, but that can often be just as difficult.

I have only found a few good salads out of the US and even then it can be a bit risky. Depending on where you are, you can never be sure that those veggies have been cleaned properly and are safe to eat. The last thing you want when travelling is a nasty parasite!

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

I have found that especially in Asia and South America, most of the food consists of meat and cooked vegetables. Don’t get me wrong, I love trying new foods and I don’t shy away from mystery meats, but after a while, I end up craving something a little fresher. When I’m home I find the best way to do it is to get everything I need at the store and make it myself. That’s the best way to exactly what you are looking for in a salad. by Dylan of Bohemian Travelers 

Nothing like a good cup of tea

Call me a stereotypical Brit, but the thing I miss the most when I go travelling is a good cup of tea – nothing beats a “propa cuppa”!

While I can cope for a week or two, if we go any longer I make sure to put some Yorkshire Tea teabags in the case for emergencies. It’s a black tea blend, and while I know it’s not actually grown in the green fields of Yorkshire, it does taste like home in its own way.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

However, a good cup of tea isn’t all just about the leaves. The second, but just as an equally important ingredient in a “proper cuppa” is usually the most elusive whilst travelling… fresh milk! In the UK we’re lucky to have a huge range of fresh dairy products in the shops but this isn’t always the case when travelling. I find that it’s so difficult to get hold of some fresh milk when we’re on the move, so even when I take my own tea bags, it’s difficult to recreate what my homesick brain is after!

The British are well known for their love affair with tea, and if you’re visiting it’s quite easy to get a decent cup in most cafes wherever you go. My top tip is to make sure the water is freshly boiled and, of course, the milk is fresh (avoid those little pre-packed sachets of UHT)! from Vicky at Spud on the Run  

Australian Pies

Whenever I’m leaving Australia for a couple of months, I make sure to indulge in a meat pie or two beforehand.

Pies are hot hand-held snacks and at $5 are quite affordable by Australian standards. To make them, an uncooked shortcrust pastry case is filled with cooked minced or diced meat in gravy, topped with a flaky pastry and baked.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Kept warm on racks in an electric pie warmer, they are served in a paper bag with a choice of Tomato, BBQ or Worcestershire Sauce. 

A pie with tomato sauce and coke is a classic combo at an Aussie Rules or Rugby league football match. It is also a known hangover cure.

In the north of Australia, Queenslanders like their pies served with a dollop of green mushy peas on top. To make mushy peas, dried green peas are soaked overnight then boiled in water seasoned with salt and sugar until perfectly mushy, then kept warm in a crockpot.

In the southern capitals of Adelaide and Sydney, pies might be served swimming in a sea of thinner green pea soup. Referred to as a pie floater, these pies might be embellished with tomato sauce, mint sauce or vinegar.

The original meat pie was beef, but today there are many gourmet variations available including all kinds of chicken, wallaby or vegan ingredients. The southern island state of Tasmania is home to a burgeoning seafood scallop pie industry. Curried scallop pies are delicious.

Being a Queenslander, a Pie with Peas is hard for me to forgo, but my undisputed favourite is a curry pie from Gin Gin Bakery in Queensland. When road tripping on the Bruce Highway in Queensland, a stop at Gin Gin Bakery is non-negotiable. from Jan of Budget Travel Talk

Empanadas

Every time I leave Galicia – my homeland and a paradise on earth – I enjoy myself greatly AND I miss our signature cuisine after a few days. No matter what, cravings of fresh seafood, empanadas, Padron peppers, and so on start and I find myself looking for similar dishes in every restaurant menu. If I had to pick one dish, that would probably be Galician-style empanada.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Some people find similarities among Indian samosas (perhaps brought to nearby Portugal at some point from Goa) and even Argentinian empanadas (which share the name but are different). 

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

This baked pastry is filled with almost anything and everything you might think of, being the most popular fillings tuna fish, scallops, pork, and octopus. Do yourself a favour look for it when visiting this North West Spanish region. Its flavour won’t disappoint you! by Inma of A World to Travel

Hilsa Fish Curry with Steamed Rice

You can’t imagine Bengali cuisine without plain or steamed rice with fish curry. Any fish items are my favourite, and the special one is Hilsa fish curry, which is locally known as ‘Ilish Machher Jhol’. Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh. The real taste of Hilsa is only possible to get if it collects during the monsoon time from the freshwater river the Padma in Bangladesh.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

The big size of Hilsa is too delicious, and you can cook in many ways. Interestingly there are many types of Hilsa fish dishes available in Bengali cooking. The taste of every Hilsa item is heavenly.  Some of the most popular dishes of Hilsa fish are Hilsa fish fry, Hilsa fish curry with brinjal, Hilsa fish with mustard seeds (Sorshe Ilish), Hilsa fish curry with vegetables, Steamed Hilsa fish  (Bhapa Ilish/Ilish Paturi).  

Hilsa is now becoming a part of Bengali culture and tradition. You can’t think of celebrating Bengali New Year without having Hilsa fish fry with water rice and best to say in Bengali’ Panta Ilish’.

Homemade Hilsa fish curry/fry with steamed rice is my must-have favourite food and can’t miss eating when I’m home. However, I’ve tried Sorshe Ilish from Kolkata as well, but nowhere else the taste is as good as Dhaka in Bangladesh. 

Mawa Ferry Ghat is one of the popular places in Bangladesh to have fresh Hilsa Ilish fry. Furthermore, you can try this traditional Bengali cuisine in almost all Bengali food-based restaurants in Bangladesh. by Nafisa from My Own Way To Travel 

Australian Breakfast – See Geelong

Travel gives you amazing food experiences where every bite is an adventure. And for me discovering something new and delicious is a highlight of any trip abroad. There’s a whole world of tantalising food just waiting to be eaten and I’ve enjoyed many of them. But to be honest there are times when I’d give my right arm for an Australian breakfast. It’s my favourite meal of the day and no one can do breakfast quite like us Aussies do.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

So as soon as I get home from a trip, I head to our local café in Pakington Street Geelong for a heart-warming plate of corn fritters. These little piles of golden deliciousness are served on a bed of avocado puree and topped with black bean salsa, perfectly poached eggs and smoky bacon. Served with to-die-for coffee it’s wholesome goodness that’s worth coming home for. by Audrey Chalmers         

Polish Sourdough Bread

Every Pole would agree that one of the most difficult things about moving to another country is finding a good loaf of sourdough bread. In a country where the culture encourages kissing bread that has fallen on the floor and collecting and keeping stale bread, it is no wonder that the standard of good Polish sourdough bread is hard to match.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Both the French and the Viennese make them and perhaps many bakeries sell sourdough bread, but once you have tasted the Polish version, you will understand why it is always missed. Made in such a unique fashion that requires a lot of time, it has a one-of-a-kind taste that involves the use of starters that have been cultured for years. Add that it takes two days to bake a loaf of proper sourdough bread, making it a work of love. Proper sourdough bread is all about quality, not quantity.

What makes Polish sourdough bread, Żytni chleb na zakwasie, better than the rest is not just its unique, rich taste, but also its ability to last a week without additives or preservatives, making it an amazing souvenir to take home if you ever visit Poland. Once you taste it, you would probably fill your suitcase with it. by Karolina of The Lazy Travel Blog

Cheese Spaetzle

I come from Tyrol, the beautiful mountain region in the Austrian Alps. We love meats, bread, homemade noodles and of course cheese. When I travelled the world I realized quickly that I was missing our food and the choice of quality ingredients that we get in our region. I particularly missed our Cheese Spaetzle (aka Käsespätzle), which is basically homemade spaetzle noodles cooked in a pan with onions and cheese.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Sometimes we add bacon pieces as well to add extra flavour and garnish it all with freshly chopped parsley. We use beer cheese or any other flavorful cheese such as cheese prepared at the Alm. An Alm is a pasture taken care by farmers in the valleys. Cows are taken up to the mountains to the Alms in the summer months and in older times most farmers used to make cheese. Cheese Spaetzle is still a common dish in most homes.

If you plan on visiting us in Tyrol, then make sure to hunt down the best Cheese Spaetzle pan. You can visit tourist alms in the mountains in summer and winter. Most serve the famous Cheese Spaetzle in a single pan, as it has been traditionally eaten and enjoyed by farmer families. from Helene of Masala Herb.

Ryazhenka

Dairy products exist all around the world but some of them can be found only in particular countries. Of all dairy products, I miss the most ryazhenka.

Ryazhenka is a traditional Russian milk drink. Sometimes ryazhenka is compared to yoghurt. And indeed it’s a fermented milk product. But ryazhenka has its unique cream colour and a slightly sweet taste.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

200 years ago hostesses in Russia made ryazhenka in Russian stoves. Traditionally, it was made by gently heating cow’s milk and cream until they acquired a beautiful light-brown cream colour. After that, sour cream was added — for fermentation  — and this was how ryazhenka turned out. Nowadays ryazhenka is made from simmered milk with the addition of acidophilic bacteria. Not only it’s a tasty drink but it’s good for health.

In Russia, ryazhenka is very popular and is sold in every grocery shop. Some drink ryazhenka with sugar, some add fruits and make milkshakes (or rather ryazhenka-shakes). This delicious drink is very nutritious. That’s why it’s an excellent food for a snack instead of usual nuts or cereals. By the way, a mix of granola and ryazhenka is a perfect choice for a healthy breakfast.

Sometimes ryazhenka is so dense (especially a homemade one) that you can eat it with a teaspoon like a dessert! by Anna of Travel Cultura

Traditional English Roast Dinner  

The meal that I miss the most when I travel abroad is a good roast dinner, preferably chicken or turkey.  When I cook a roast at home, which is at least once a week, I will do it with all the trimmings so that it’s almost like having a Christmas dinner every week.

We usually travel to the USA and they just don’t do roast potatoes, and I really miss the way I cook my vegetables. I prefer to roast or steam my veg. Carrots, parsnips, baby corn and sprouts go down well in our house.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

My preference for meat is a nice moist chicken with crispy skin. Accompanied by a gammon joint that has been slow-cooked in coke. Pigs in blankets (bacon-wrapped sausages) are a special treat and easy enough to make rather than buy ready-made. My children go wild for Yorkshire puddings and I will admit to buying ready-made puds.

The best bit that finishes the meal off perfectly is herb and onion stuffing.  I make my own stuffing from scratch. It’s an old family recipe that has been passed down from my nan to my mum, to me and now I’ve passed it on to my children. It’s so easy to make and smells delicious whilst it’s cooking. Always evokes such lovely family memories.

It’s the first meal I cook after a trip and the one meal that I think I do really well. Outside home I do like to get a nice roast from a traditional independent English country pub. You can’t beat a roast. by Jo of Tea and Cake for the Soul

Falafel and Shawarma

Falafels and shawarmas have been the food that I love to savour frequently since my childhood days in Dubai. Falafel is a nutritious and very popular vegetarian street food in Dubai. It is a pita bread roll filled with flavoured grounded chickpea balls, tahini sauce (a creamy dip prepared from sesame seeds) and is loaded with lots of fresh vegetables.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

If falafels are a delight to vegetarians then shawarmas serve as the perfect non-vegetarian delicacy for meat lovers. The delicious shawarma rolls are filled with roasted chicken, potato fries, creamy tahini sauce, pickles and fresh vegetables. I have been trying out various versions of falafels and shawarmas in the cities I have travelled to, but I will have to it out there, that none of these versions could match up to the authentic Lebanese falafels and shawarmas served at the Dubai streets.

Whenever my parents who are living in Dubai come to India to visit me, they always bring a platter of falafels for me. But it’s never enough; the cravings for falafels and shawarmas are never-ending for me and make me feel very homesick. The best falafels and shawarmas can be found at the famous Lebanese eatery, Al Mallah Cafeteria located in Satwa and Mamzar streets in Dubai. by Anjali from Cheerful Trails

Pastéis de Nata

Pastéis de Nata, also called Portuguese egg tarts in English, are the most well-known traditional sweet from Portugal. Tasting one of these pastries is on the bucket list of almost every visitor to the country, and people rarely stop at just one! The most famous bakery that specializes in pastéis de Nata is Pastéis de Belém, next to the Jerónimos Monastery on the outskirts of Lisbon.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

But since I’m vegan, I go to DaTerra instead for pastéis de Nata that are completely plant-based. That’s right, Portuguese egg tarts without the eggs! As you can imagine, it’s not the easiest dish to veganize, and when I first moved to Lisbon vegan pastéis de Nata were very hard to find. But DaTerra, a small chain of Portuguese vegan restaurants, has done an incredible job with their egg-free version.

I first tasted these creamy delicacies on a visit to Porto, which is where DaTerra got its start. When they finally opened a branch in Lisbon, where I live, I was ecstatic! I don’t know what their secret is, but they’ve achieved the impossible with their plant-based pastéis de Nata.

Non-vegan friends and family members who have come to visit and have tasted both the vegan and non-vegan versions have said that DaTerra’s were as good or even better than the world-famous pastéis at Pastéis de Belém. Now if only DaTerra would expand worldwide so that I wouldn’t have to miss them so much when travelling. by Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan

Nasi Padang

Nasi Padang is named after the capital city of West Sumatra province in Indonesia, Padang. And despite it is originally the heritage of the Minangkabau ethnic, you could easily find Padang restaurants in any city in Indonesia. Especially those in the urban area. 

It is a popular menu during lunch break around the central business district, so it is guaranteed that you could easily find Nasi Padang around the office area. 

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Nasi Padang is a Padang steamed rice served with pre-cooked dishes of your choice, from grilled chicken, fish to even rendang. Served with vegetables and chilli, it has a distinguished tasty and spicy taste that makes me miss home every time. by Marya of The Beau Traveler

 New York Bagels

One of the foods that I miss most from my home of New York City has to be the simple bagel.  I currently live in the Netherlands and although the Dutch certainly love bagels when visiting New York, I hadn’t found a truly faithful reproduction of what I consider a perfect bagel. 

The bagel seems so simple, but the numerous steps are said to depend on the quality of the water.  It’s said that there’s something in the water that makes New York pizza and bagels truly delicious. The bagel is not just a piece of baked bread.  It’s said that came over from the “old country” with the European Jews who settled into New York over a hundred years ago.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

To make a bagel, you must boil your bagel on each side for at least a minute prior to “washing” it with eggs to cover it with the perfect mix of garlic, onion, and salt.  Desperate for the perfect bagel, I spent many hours perfecting my own recipe for authentic New York Bagels at home which has come pretty close to the real thing.  (I am infamously picky about bagels!)  I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad bagel at a local bagel shop in New York City. 

If there’s a line of New Yorkers, trust the crowds.  Be sure to ask for your bagel with lox and smear (salmon and cream cheese).    It’s a simple dish at heart, but bagels rarely last beyond a day. from Karen of WanderlustingK

South Indian Coffee & Idlis

Soft pillowy idlis served coconut chutney, crispy vadai and steaming hot south Indian coffee is what I miss about home the most.  Home for me is Chennai, South India, where this combination is usually what we have for breakfast.  While I know how to make the idlis and vadai at home, it is not quite the same as what my mom would make. 

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

When we visit Chennai, the minute we land at the airport my mom usually hands me a box with a few of her homemade idlis along with my favourite version of coconut chutney.  As for the coffee, I would have to wait till I get home or get myself to one of my usual spots. The aroma of the coffee alone makes me homesick!  

You probably thought most Indians are tea drinkers, the exception to this though is Southern India! Traditional South Indian coffee also called filter coffee is enjoyed here for generations. The South Indian filter coffee is usually brewed in a unique metal device and served in a tumbler and dabarah. The coffee is always served piping hot with milk and sugar. You would pour back and forth between one receptacle to another to make it frothier.

The best place to enjoy this traditional South Indian breakfast if you find yourself in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is Sangeeta, Saravana Bhavan or Murugan Idli shop.   Idli and Vadai by Priya from Outside Suburbia

English Fish and Chips

Whenever I miss home, I think of one of my favourite meals, good old Fish and Chips. However, not just any Fish and Chips. They specifically have to be English Fish and Chips – with lots of salt and vinegar accompanied with a side of mushy peas. Being on the road most of the year, engaged mostly with Cultural Travel in and around Latin America. The people I speak to, no matter where I am, when I ask them about British food, they usually mention Fish and Chips. Hence, one of the reasons why I miss this spectacular dish so much.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Fried fish and chips in England, have become somewhat of a National Dish. At one time, you could find a Fish and Chip shop on most street corners but today has become a dying trade in most cities. Generally, this versatile dish is seen as an unhealthy meal because they are deep-fried in oil. Nutritiously, though, they provide a valuable source of fibre, protein, vitamins, and iron. Or, in other words, a meal perfect for lunch or dinner. So, if you ever find yourself in England you know what dish to try first. by Danny of Cultural Travel

English Trifle

There are many foods that I miss when I am away from home. Sometimes you can cook versions of your favourite meals from home using local ingredients but one dish I can never replicate abroad is the quintessential British dessert trifle. I have never been able to find all the ingredients needed plus there is usually very little in the way of dessert making equipment in self-catering apartments or Airbnb’s!

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Trifle is a delicious, calorific, rich dessert consisting of three or four layers. Trifle is best served in a large glass bowl so you can see the attractive layers. The base layer is made from strawberry or raspberry jelly which is filled with pieces of sponge cake that have been soaked in sherry or fortified wine.

We prefer to leave out the strong tasting sponge and instead, pack our jelly with berries.  Once the jelly has hardened, the second layer of thick creamy custard is added. We like to fill the custard with chopped bananas. Finally, a layer of stiff whipped cream completes the trifle. The dessert is topped with a single cherry or colourful sugar sprinkles – or in our house, we prefer to use grated milk chocolate. If you would like to try mouthwatering trifle in the U.K you will find it served in most traditional pubs and restaurants but it is also very simple to make and ingredients are easy to source in local supermarkets. by Sinead of Map Made Memories

Rye bread and salmiakki by

I miss from home mostly the traditional rye bread. For me, the only real rye bread is Finnish all rye sourdough bread. We, Finnish ex-pats, are so hooked that we ask friends to bring us this staple abroad.

All Finnish supermarkets carry several rye bread brands. Just be careful to choose the traditional wholegrain rye bread with a sourdough starter and without yeast. My dad used to bake his own rye bread – and so can you if you’re feeling adventurous.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Oddly enough, rye bread remains the most popular snack in Finland. Please taste rye bread burgers, as well, they’re my favourite! My stomach handles rye and oats much better than wheat, which explains my lifelong love affair with rye bread.

Salmiakki is another Finnish treat that I miss on the road. Internationally sometimes known as salmiac, this weird salty and sweet liquorice candy divides opinions. Best salmiacs are strong and astringent, and some are coated with extra salt or salmiac powder. Many foreigners hate salmiac, as the taste profile is pretty exceptional, but give it a try. Every supermarket and kiosk in Finland sell multiple salmiac candies. You can also find salmiakki ice cream and booze. Niini of Bizarre Globe Hopper

Bansh Pora Chicken

The best homemade food that I miss is Bansh Pora Chicken which is a traditional Indian dish found in the Eastern frontiers. The chicken is burnt and small pieces of it are grilled and then served to the customers. They are normally served without any side items like salad or onion raita in most city outlets. The dish can also be prepared at home in a convection oven where raw chicken is first boiled to remove the germs and bacteria and then spices are added to it.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

After adding the spices, they are put in the oven for near half an hour before they acquire a brownish appearance. They are taken out from the oven after a stipulated time and put in sticks and some masala spices are added to its outer surfaces. They are then served hot with green chillies and tomato sauce to get the best taste.  from Somnath of Travel Crusade 

Texas Queso

When I describe Queso to my non-American friends, they’re more often than not horrified. You guys eat an entire bowl of melted cheese?! Well, yes. But there is so much more to queso and as a Texan, it’s what I miss most while living abroad. Tex-Mex is a staple in any Texans diet, and as a whole, it is much cheesier than its parent cuisine in Mexico. And queso is the ultimate culmination of this cheesier version of Mexican food. 

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Your average Mexican restaurant in any small Texan town will serve a simple bowl of queso alongside a bowl of pickled jalapenos and bottomless hot sauce. But the best queso, in my humble opinion, is in Austin. The capital city in the Texas Hill Country has a number of restaurants all offering their own version. For example, local favourite Kerby Lane puts guacamole at the bottom of the bowl before pouring in the queso. On top, they put sour cream and pico de gallo. It’s truly paradise in a bowl.  

The taco powerhouse Torchy’s serves up my other favourite (it’s impossible to have only one) queso in town. Torchy’s Queso is just the right amount of spicy and is topped with queso fresco and a small scoop of guac. I like to put out the jalapeno fire with a glass of Prickly Pear soda, this is when I feel peak Texan and what I miss the most when I’m away. from Erin of Sol Salute 

Hilsa Fish Curry with Steamed Rice

You can’t imagine Bengali cuisine without plain or steamed rice with fish curry. Any fish items are my favourite, and the special one is Hilsa fish curry, which is locally known as ‘Ilish Machher Jhol’. Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh. The real taste of Hilsa is only possible to get if it collects during the monsoon time from the freshwater river the Padma in Bangladesh.

The big size of Hilsa is too delicious, and you can cook in many ways. Interestingly there are many types of Hilsa fish dishes available in Bengali cooking. The taste of every Hilsa item is heavenly.  Some of the most popular dishes of Hilsa fish are Hilsa fish fry, Hilsa fish curry with brinjal, Hilsa fish with mustard seeds (Sorshe Ilish), Hilsa fish curry with vegetables, Steamed Hilsa fish  (Bhapa Ilish/Ilish Paturi).  

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Hilsa is now becoming a part of Bengali culture and tradition. You can’t think of celebrating Bengali New Year without having Hilsa fish fry with water rice and best to say in Bengali’ Panta Ilish’.

Homemade Hilsa fish curry/fry with steamed rice is my must-have favourite food and can’t miss eating when I’m home. However, I’ve tried Sorshe Ilish from Kolkata as well, but nowhere else the taste is as good as Dhaka in Bangladesh. 

Mawa Ferry Ghat is one of the popular places in Bangladesh to have fresh Hilsa Ilish fry. Furthermore, you can try this traditional Bengali cuisine in almost all Bengali food-based restaurants in Bangladesh. from Nafisa of My Own Way to Travel

Polish Dumplings

Dumplings are a source of comfort food all over the world; potstickers, momos, ravioli- the list goes on and on. Having grown up a Polish girl in Chicago, which boasts the world’s second-largest Polish population after Warsaw, I’ve been fed my fair share of pierogi over the years, little pockets of dough stuffed with savoury fillings, like onion, cheese, and potatoes, or sweet fillings, like strawberries or blueberries.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Given the time-intensive process of making these heavenly pillows of deliciousness, though, my family usually saved them for holidays and other special occasions. In college, I lived in Krakow, Poland for several months and, while I loved my time there, also struggled a bit with feeling out of place, without Polish language fluency and the creature comforts of home.

Whenever I was feeling a bit disconnected from my surroundings, I would go to my local grocery store, pick up a tray of handmade pierogi, and instantly feel a wave of comfort and familiarity wash over me. Although I haven’t lived in Chicago for years, I always make sure to get my fill of pierogi when I head home for the holidays; my favourite place there is the Chow Brothers, which serves unique and modern takes to elevate this humble dumpling- think sweet potato Thai green curry or mushroom, quinoa, and sage. But let’s be real- the best place to get pierogi will always and forever be my grandma’s kitchen. from Jessica of Uprooted Traveler

Jamaican Patties

I love travelling and trying new foods, but eventually those deep-rooted cravings for “home food” creep up and I always crave the same thing – “Jamaican beef patties.”The taste, smell and flavours all remind me of home. Growing up in a West Indian household, spicy food was the centre of everything.

Jamaican beef patties are kind of like meat pies but they’re made of a flaky pie-like crust that has been infused with turmeric giving it a yellow hue that then wraps spicy ground beef. If it’s not yellow, it’s not a real Jamaican beef patty.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Growing up patties were my favourite go-to snack. They’re a cheap snack that you could buy at West Indian stores for $1-$2 and they’re even better when wrapped in delicious fluffy coco bread. In Toronto, there are a few really popular places where you can get patties like Randy’s Patties, Tinels Patties and Tasty Patties. Each is slightly different, but they’re all amazing. When I’m travelling this is the home food I miss the most, there are a lot of options that are similar, but nothing compares to a real Jamaican Patty from home.  from Naomi of Eat Love Explore

Canadian Poutine

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

One of my favourite parts about travelling is all the delicious new kinds of food you get to try. But after a long time on the road, I find myself craving something you can only get in Canada – the poutine.

Traditional poutine is french fries topped with fresh cheese curds and rich gravy. Although many variations of the dish now exist, including vegan poutine! There’s just something about the combination of those three ingredients that is endlessly satisfying. After a big night out abroad, I often find myself craving poutine the next morning. It’s the ultimate hangover cure.

Poutine can be found all across Canada, from Victoria on the West coast all the way to St. John’s, Newfoundland, the most easterly point in Canada. But the best poutine in the country, where it was born, comes from Quebec.

If you find yourself visiting Montreal, Quebec, one of Canada’s most charming cities, don’t miss the chance to try this Canadian delicacy.  One of the most well-known places for poutine in Montreal is La Banquise, offering vast variations and late-night hours. Whenever I return home from a trip abroad, the first thing I do is treat myself to a big poutine! from Lora of  Explore with Lora

Hitsumabushi, Nagoya freshwater eel

I have to admit, being German that I don’t crave or even miss German food while travelling. Even when I started living in Japan I rarely craved any German food. What did happen when I left Japan to go on a one year trip around the world, I really missed Japanese food.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

During my year I had the opportunity to visit Japan twice and before going back each time I had already a list of foods written down that I simply had to eat in the short time that I was back. The list went something like this: Sushi, Tonkatsu, Yakiniku, Hakata Ramen, Udon etc.

But on the top of my list of things I really wanted to eat is Hitsumabushi, Nagoya style freshwater eel. For me, it is simply the best food there is. Hitsumabushi is grilled eel in a thick and sweet sauce served on a bowl of rice and while eel can be found all over Japan the special style I love so much can only be found in Nagoya.

So, if you ever have the chance to visit Nagoya, do yourself a favour and visit one of the many great Hitsumabushi restaurants in the city. Hitsumabushi in Nagoya isn’t cheap, it’s a delicacy but it is an interesting experience to say the least. One restaurant I recommend is right next to Nagoya Station called Hitsumabushi Inou in the Esca underground shopping street. from Lena Nagoya is not boring

Catfish Po’boy

Homesickness is something that many travellers encounter at some point away from home. While I can say I never desire to stop travelling and go home to Louisiana, I certainly miss the food.

Louisiana has some of the best food in the world. Of all the famous and delicious Louisiana food, one thing I miss terribly when travelling is a good fried catfish po-boy. A po-boy is a true Louisiana sandwich. Usually, they are meaty or with fried seafood, likely oysters or shrimp. Those are great! As someone who hails from North Louisiana, my preference is fried catfish.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

Fried catfish is a treat of the American South. The freshwater fish is flaky and best served in a crispy, salty cornmeal batter. A fried catfish po-boy with all the fixins’ reminds me of home. With a healthy slathering of remoulade sauce and a splash of Crystal Hot Sauce, there is nothing better. My current favourite place for a catfish po-boy is a relatively new restaurant, Marilynn’s Place in Shreveport. If I’m in Baton Rouge, The Chimes also has a good one.

New Orleans and Cajun Country may get all the attention, but the food in North Louisiana is great, too. For the best-fried catfish in Louisiana and the best catfish po-boy, North Louisiana has the cure for my food homesickness. from John Paul of the Hangry Backpacker

Mom’s Lasagne

The sauce itself takes three days to make and all of the lasagna noodles are prepared individually by hand. Only the finest mozzarella and ground beef is used, as well as the occasional bits of sausage as an extra touch. What I love most about my mother’s recipe, in particular, is that it’s always loaded with extra cheese! As an ex-pat in Southeast Asia, cheese, in particular, is another extremely missed delicacy, so that first bite of lasagna upon my return home is simply euphoric.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

I’m originally from the Space Coast of Florida (Central Florida, on the Atlantic Ocean) in Brevard County, which is the closest beachside area to Orlando (Disney World and Universal Studios! Woo-hoo!). If you are heading my way (to the beach!) from Orlando, there are several excellent Italian restaurants serving up great lasagna: Baci, Tuscany Grill, Papa Vito’s, and Brano’s Italian Grill. I can’t wait to get back and have some of that thick, cheesy goodness for myself! by Craig of Vagabond Disposition

Bacalhau

Bacalhau (Codfish) is the staple dish in Portugal, it is said that there are more than 365 recipes of Bacalhau, one for each day of the year. Needless to say that as any Portuguese, when we are travelling for a long period of time or even for two weeks we start to crave Bacalhau.

So what is bacalhau? Bacalhau is codfish but in Portugal, we only eat salted dry cod, there’s no “fresh” cod. We have been consuming it since the age of the discoveries and any dish with salted cod is Portugal’s National dish.

Feeling Homesick for your favourite foods?

The cod was salted to preserve better, thus it was a good protein to take in the boats during the long trips of the age of the discoveries. Later on, it was a very cheap ingredient, and Portugal is a poor country consumed it in abundance.

Nowadays it is simply an ingredient that Portuguese love and it’s a fundamental part of the Portuguese Cuisine. Portuguese don’t even regard it as a fish – there are fish, meat and Bacalhau…

The most famous codfish dishes are Roasted Cod with punched potatoes, Bolinhos de Bacalhau (cod cakes), Bacalhau à Brás, and our own favourite Codfish with cream.

Be aware that if you try to cook salted codfish at home you need to soak it in water for a day or two or it will be inedible (too salty). from Jorge & Cláudia of  Travel Drafts

There you have it the way travellers take care of their feelings of homesickness – they prepare or find some of their favourite foods from home (if they can).

Author

  • Faith was born in Ireland raised in Canada and has lived in over 10 countries in Europe including England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Northern Ireland, Wales, along with Mexico, Antigua, the US and has slow travelled to over 40 countries around the world. Graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Women's Studies Faith is a student of history, culture, community and food and has written about these topics for over 40 years.

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