Holiday Directors' favourite local flavours

We asked some of our Holiday Directors to give us the low down on the food you simply must try when you’re away. And let’s face it, they should know!

Hida beef with hoba miso in Japan

Nobody should come home from Japan without trying tender, marbled hida beef. I love it served with hoba miso, a delicacy of vegetables mixed with miso paste cooked on a hoba – a Japanese magnolia leaf. It’s usually grilled at the table and washed down with a glass of beer or umeshu, a fruity liqueur. My mouth waters just thinking about it!

Sarah Wrightson

Ceviche served with pisco sour in Peru

For me, nothing beats the fresh tangy flavour of Peruvian ceviche, a dish of raw fish marinated in a citrus juice to gently ‘cook’ it, and flavoured with onion, pepper and maybe chilli. For a truly authentic experience, wash it down with a pisco sour cocktail, a blend of pisco, egg white, lime and sugar served with a dash of bitters.

Elisa Paredes Olivera

Koeksisters in South Africa

You have to try traditional south African koeksisters. Pronounced ‘cook sister’, these delicious doughnut-like snacks are made from plaited dough and are smothered in a sticky honey-like syrup. Perfect for a dessert or tea-time snack – although I have been known to eat one with my morning coffee!

Annie Forsey