One of the best ways to appreciate a travel destination is in their kitchen, writes Domhnall O’Donoghue.

When I was a teenager, few would have praised my culinary skills. I once attempted a cheesecake from a recipe that I spotted on an All-Bran box, but later fled the dining room in tears when everyone - apart from my unfussy father - spat the soggy, bitter result onto their plates. ‑ roughout my college days, food was merely an afterthought or, at times, a costly inconvenience. However, as the years passed, things changed - thanks in no small part to my globetrotting adventures.

When I began travelling regularly, my maturing appetite and I developed a taste for national and international cuisine - before long, not only did I want to sample this cornucopia of delicacies, I wanted to create them as well.

As the readers of Woman’s Way know, the benefits of travel are limitless – whether our reason is work or pleasure, sightseeing or sun-seeking. For me, one of the best ways to appreciate a region is through food and the secrets it reveals - so whenever I compile an itinerary, I aim to include a cooking or baking lesson.

BREAD & BUTTER

One of my most enjoyable experiences in someone else’s kitchen was a recent trip to County Down. There, I spent a fun-filled afternoon with the delightful Tracey Jeffery in her farmhouse kitchen, housed in a converted thatched cottage on the shores of Strangford Lough.

“My kitchen may not be the tidiest or the fanciest, but it’s certainly lived in and loved,” my hostess joked while teaching me the quick-and-easy- to-make soda farls, potato farls and wheaten bread - staples that have been embedded in the culture of Northern Ireland for centuries.

“What’s special about this griddle bread is that it’s hard to find them anywhere else in the world,” Tracey, a former schoolteacher, told me. “Even soda bread flour is unique to Northern Ireland.”

In terms of the other ingredients, she proudly noted that local potatoes boast the coveted Protected Geographical Indication status - joining the likes of champagne, cognac, feta cheese and, lest we forget, Waterford blaas. During my baking lesson, I also discovered that the Ulster-Scots were responsible for these delicious soda farls after introducing them to the region 400 years ago. The name ‘farl’ - meaning the fourth part - originated in Scotland.

Despite my best intentions to be a disciplined student - pen and pencil ready to jot down the recipe and instructions – Tracey assured me that there was no weighing or measuring required in her kitchen – “We make this bread in the traditional way – you put in ‘what you know’ as we’d say!”

I PAS-TA TEST

Tracey wasn’t the only expert I encountered who shunned the rulebook. Scattered across Venice’s lagoon are 118 islands - one is Isola Delle Rosa, where the five-star J.W. Marriott hotel has breathed new life into a former respiratory disease clinic. There, I attempted to make the food synonymous with Italy - pasta - and was surprised when our chef insisted we pour a rather generous amount of salt into the boiling water.

‘Isn’t salt bad for us?’ a health-conscious participant and I probed in perfect unison. In response, the chef simply raised his eyebrows. Salt promotes thirst - thankfully, there was an unlimited amount of Prosecco at our disposal during that particular class, a fizzy tipple produced nearby. Despite being knee-deep in vino, I recall being told that the word pasta originated from the Italian for ‘paste’ - a reference to the dough, made from a combination of flour and water or eggs.

Legend would have us believe that in the 13th Century, one of Venice’s most famous sons, Marco Polo, introduced pasta to the country in the form of noodles following his gallivanting across the Far East - although Italians don’t widely embrace this theory. Whoever is responsible, foodlovers across the world owe them a great deal of thanks.

SHA-MAZING SUSHI

The influence of the East was certainly evident in Spain’s SHA Clinic. Located a short drive from Alicante, this luxurious facility has become a honeypot for the world’s glitterati, keen to reboot and recharge using ancient Eastern philosophy and Western techniques. Three years ago, I accepted an invitation to review their cutting-edge treatments and acquire some helpful nutrition and culinary tips.

With former Dragon’s Den star Duncan Bannatyne and his charming wife, Nigora, as my fellow students, I mastered the art of sushi-making. While this particular dish hails from Japan, we used ingredients produced in Spain, which was key to the manifesto of our instructor, Laura Gonzalez.

Amongst the many benefits of locally sourced produce, Laura believed that our bodies respond best to food found on our doorsteps. As such, our yummy sushi rolls included tomatoes, olives, peppers, avocado and rice - so fresh, they could almost speak.

Unlike me, who was lost for words after devouring our impressive efforts.

While this magazine’s recent cover star Darina Allen need not feel threatened by my culinary skills – not by a long shot – thanks to my travels, I can at least claim that inedible cheesecakes made from breakfast cereal are long in the past.

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