By Ceri Wilkin, Miss August 2014

When we travel, we are inclined to stay away from the comfortable familiarity of chain establishments, we like to explore the local Farmers Markets, local supermarkets and of course, the local restaurants. Local food and fare are my preferred way to discover the culture of a town or country. We have consumed pony, whale and rotten shark in Iceland, devoured ribs in Memphis, guzzled gumbo in New Orleans, dined on whole octopus and grilled sardines in Portugal, tasted kangaroo in Australia, snacked on street food in India, and sipped mint juleps in Kentucky.

I tend to research restaurants, and ensure we have a selection of interesting places to eat before even leaving town. Which is how on one very memorable occasion, I enjoyed many fine meals in Las Vegas, but, having avoided organizing accommodations until the very last minute, ended up having to stay at a cheap and tacky hotel a long way from everywhere. 

We have returned home with French butter, New Zealand honeycomb and Illinois wine to enjoy in comfort and contentment with friends and family. Because as much as we love to travel, we love to be back in our neighborhood, with our most favorite kind of souvenir. Edible.

HONEYCOMB AND BRIE WITH APPLE

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 apples, sliced horizontally, core removed

6 ounces brie, sliced

honeycomb

Heat oven to 350F. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and thyme, then sauté for 5 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place apple slices on a greased cookie sheet, top with brie and onion mixture. Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is warm and melted. Remove from oven, transfer to a serving plate and top each with a spoonful of honeycomb.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Food Network