Real Food Traveler REAL Podcast

First, she was an actress in New York. Then she ran a car dealership. Then, she made ice cream for a living. Listen to how these seemingly unrelated careers blended together perfectly, much like the creative flavors of ice cream Erika Thomas makes. Her Colorado-based company, High Point Creamery, may have started as a favorite treat she made for her family at home but it now includes four scoop sh...

With a long, rich history, plentiful seafood and a supportive restaurant scene, it's easy to experience the culinary scene in Galveston, Texas. The city's Restaurant Weeks offers an annual opportunity to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner menus at special price points that enable restaurant owners and chefs to show off the best of their best each year. Learn about what Restaurant Weeks are like in...

My guest for this episode is Abbey Algiers, a fellow travel journalist, whom I met in 2024 in Mallorca. Abbey has had a passion for Spain for years and years and has been fortunate enough to return many times. Hear Abbey tell about some of her local foodie experiences around Spain but, specifically, about the real experiences of dining - beyond just eating good food. You can see photos and get lin...

You'd be amazed how much of Vienna, Austria you can experience in a short time! As part of a river cruise on the Danube, my husband and I had the opportunity to experience a quick stay in Vienna through an excursion tour offered by Viking River Cruises, plans we made on our own, plus a lovely overnight stay at a very unique hotel. For the first time on the Real Food Traveler Podcast, I am joined b...

Thanks to its health benefits and delicious flavor, olive oil has never been more popular. Enjoy this podcast conversation with Tiffany Blackman of Aubocassa, makers of extra virgin premium olive oil on the island of Mallorca. Learn about their revolutionary techniques for harvesting and production and how best to use and store olive oil. And, you'll learn why you might have been thinking about ol...

Meet Luis, the owner of MOLTAK Kitchen Life, which provides hands-on cooking experiences (and dinner afterword) inside a centuries-old windmill in the heart of Palma Mallorca. His classes are a great way for Real Food Travelers to get to know the stories behind, and flavors of, the local cuisine. Read the article that accompanies this podcast where you can also watch our YouTube video that shows y...

With the third of his 3-part series about travel in Peru now available on Real Food Traveler, here's a conversation that shares some of the best tips and memories from a sibling trip that included a visit to Machu Picchu. Learn more and get the links to all three articles on our site, RealFoodTraveler.com.

Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana is enjoying a refresh. With a revitalized riverfront area, world-renowned genealogical center, thriving arts and culture scene, bold mural walk and new places to stay, there's a lot to see and do. And their restaurant scene has been experiencing a big boost as of late. Enjoy this conversation with Johnny Perez, owner of Te Gusto Hospitality which encompasses several re...

Let some Paris into your life, whether you're planning on visiting or just doing some travel dreaming. Real Food Traveler Podcast host, Courtney Drake-McDonough chats with travel writer, author, and Europe Editor at RFT, Irvina Lew. They cover helpful tips for visiting Paris including essential phrases, lesser-known (and less busy) places to visit, and news about Irvina's upcoming book, Forays in...

Meet Richard Lomax who introduces Real Food Traveler readers and podcast listeners to his family-run collection of restaurants in Corpus Christi, Texas. Each is a completely different concept where locals and visitors love to eat. Learn more on RealFoodTraveler.com .

A lot of destinations say they have the best beaches. But only some can say it’s official. St. George island, off the gulf coast of Florida, has been enjoying that designation of “Best Beach in the U.S.” since the venerable Dr. Beach declared it so in June of 2023. Since then, the Island has been welcoming visitors to enjoy what they’ve known for years – that St. George is a great place to go for...

Beyond what the cruise lines tell you in their promotional materials, here's a glimpse into a Discovery Princess Cruise that provides been-there-figured-that-out tips from the editor of RealFoodTraveler.com, a digital, culinary travel magazine. You'll discover tips and tricks to make your time onboard and on shore more relaxing, less rushed, and way more enjoyable. Read more about it and see beaut...

There's a new distillery on the scene that's doing things differently, taking advantage of local crops (including potatoes and quinoa), emphasizing renewable energy in the process. Get to know the owner of Dune Valley Distillery in Masca, Colorado, near the famous Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Our efforts to be mindful about what we eat don't have to go out the window just because we're traveling. Sure, there's a lot of amazing food to be had out there in the world, but it IS possible to balance that with healthy eating too. Enjoy this podcast interview between Real Food Traveler's Europe Editor, Irvina Lew and Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Huggins of Hilton Head Health, a destination...

On a recent trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin, I met Ashley Grant, owner of Bountiful Boards, a small business helping to promote and nurture small dairy farms and cheesemakers around the state. Although her shop is reason enough to go, and stock up for picnic fare, it's her own story and the stories she wants to tell about the local cheese scene that got our attention. Read more about the shop and see...

Enjoy this special podcast episode with a lively conversation between Real Food Traveler's Europe Editor, Irvina Lew, and Restaurant Manager Claire Sonnet and Chef Emmanuel Pilon of Le Louis XV Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. Gain a good sense of what it's like to experience an exquisite meal of this standard. Read the accompanying article here: https://www.realfoodtraveler.com/po...

Make reservations on a cruise ship and you have access to a seemingly endless supply of food included in your fare. But many cruise lines go a step further with specialty restaurants. Here are our tips for making the most out of those dining experiences.

It's one thing to commit to living a more eco-friendly life when we're at home. It's not hard to remember to take our reusable bags to the grocery store, use recyclable containers, and be more aware of where our food comes from. But does that all have to go out the window when we hit the road (or air, or sea) to travel? No, says Jimmy McDonough, Real Food Traveler’s new Eco-Friendly Food, Travel &...

What we eat impacts our personal health and that of the planet. As described in this article , I learned a great deal about the body/planet connection at a conference where one of the most impactful speakers was Jennifer Bushman . She introduced me to the concept of blue foods and the vital importance of healthy water ecosystems for food supplies across the globe. Jennifer shared facts about susta...

Learn how to save money, time, and stress (and maybe your back too!) with these concepts and tips for packing better when you're traveling. You'll get our quick list of 11 things to keep in mind as you plan what you want to take on a trip and how to pack it within your bag(s). 

There’s a lot to love about Cheyenne, Wyoming. And there are a lot of ways to discover the wide variety of things to do, places to go, and ways to experience the city. We visited with someone who has literally made it his business to know as much as possible about Cheyenne and to pass that information on to perspective visitors. See some images from Cheyenne in this article on RealFoodTraveler.com...

One of the biggest things that has come out of the global pandemic, is a rethinking of how we are spending our lives. When life feels so uncertain and we’re on edge every day, it’s only natural to start re-evaluating the what, why, how, and when of our lives. Diana Laskaris and Sue Reddel, founders of the FoodTravelist.com blog, were already thinking about their next big move in life when the pand...

It's 2021. I mean, 2022. It may feel like the same year all over again but there are a lot of great, new things coming our way and yours with Real Food Traveler. Our publisher and managing editor tells you why, despite the state of things, she's feeling really optimistic about 2022.

On a family camping trip in California a few years ago, parents Marsh and Jan Mokhtari watched their daughters playing, ocean within reach, and had an epiphany. Despite envious careers and success, the couple wanted to do something with their lives that would make a difference, and that be a good example to their kids. That idea to do something bigger than themselves starts with gin and ends with...

We here at Real Food Traveler certainly felt the impact of the world coming to a screeching halt when the pandemic lockdowns began across the world. We are a digital magazine that focuses on travel, afterall. Fortunately, we also cover food extensively and had no problem covering everything from the bread-baking craze to recipes for pork chops from Dollywood to chai from India. But imagine what it...