Salvador is the perfect backdrop for both of these activities.  The city is located on the coast of Brazil and has so much to explore: the colorful old town and all of its rich heritage, the world-famous annual carnaval, Bay of the Savior, the fun-loving and easygoing nature of the locals, a plethora of shops and restaurants, and so much more.  And the beach of Salavador da Bahia is gorgeous, not to mention quite warm during our North American winter!

In your "Portuguese and Bahian Cuisine" courses, you'll learn about Bahian/Brazilian cuisine's history and influence, and discover many ingredients and dishes that you've probably never heard of!  Each class, a professional local chef will lead students through one dish and one drink, and then the class will enjoy the meal together at the end.

This is without a doubt one of AmeriSpan's most unique opportunities to get hands-on experience while studying a language! 

For details, see: Portuguese and Bahian Cuisine

People seem to love this photo of spices at a little store in Amman, so I thought my first blog would be about the food in Jordan. Since I have been on a diet since I returned a few days ago, you can surmise that I found the food delicious.

The staple seemed to be lamb and chicken and it was served in a variety of ways, but I was addicted to the many salads.  Many are commonly known abroad and were already favorites of mine such as Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and others.  You are able to find some of these at ethnic Greek or Lebanese restaurants but others I discovered for the very first time.  

One Jordanian pointed out to me that before Lebanon’s civil war and its continued unfortunate position of being caught between Syria, Israel and other Middle East powers, it had long been a popular tourist destination.  This particular Jordanian gentleman wanted me to know that what so many Europeans and Americans call Lebanese food is NOT just Lebanese food, it is a common throughout that part of the world.  His point was that much of this food so many call Lebanese could just as easily be called Jordanian food, if only Jordan had been a big tourist destination in the 50s, 60s and 70s.  And don’t forget, both the Greeks and Romans at one time ruled Jordan so their impact on the food is everywhere as well.

One widely used ingredient was Za’tar (pronounced ZAH-tur) which is blend of spices and herbs (thyme, sesame seed, salt and more) used throughout the Middle east. Za’tar is said to increase mental acuity. It is usually mixed with olive oil and baked into the crust of flat, round pita bread and boy is it tasty!

One great experience in Jordan is Petra’s Kitchen where you are taught the names of many common Arabic spices and foods, how to cook them and get to eat whatever you cooked.  Anyone going to Jordan should visit Petra where some of the ruins were highlighted in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Petra’s Kitchen experience is available most evenings.

You should never choose a language program for the food but in Jordan you’ll be able to eat well and Learn Arabic.

Learn Arabic in Amman Jordan 

Petras Kitchen Info 

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About the Author: John Slocum co-founded AmeriSpan Study Abroad 17 years ago and is recognized as one of the true experts in Study Abroad.  He has helped start language schools in Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia as well as assisted schools in Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, Argentina and Costa Rica on improving their overall language programs. Finally, John worked closely with STA Travel when they introduced their language immersion programs in Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA.

But, as with the gastronomy of India, China, France, the US, and
virtually most countries in the world, a further look at the regional
differences in Italy's cooking will reveal unique differences. 
Sicilian food is in many ways it's very own, and was recently the subject
of extreme food show 'Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern' on the Travel
Channel.  (But don't worry, like all of the other locations on this
show, you have plenty of less scary options.)

We can tell by looking at the Mediterranean Food Pyramid that seafood and vegetables play a larger role in coastal Italian diets, and such is especially the case on the offshore island of Sicily.  Some typical Sicilian dishes include "Tonno al Siracusana" (Tuna Siracusa Style) and "Sarde a Beccafico" (Stuffed Sardines).

If you have an interest in learning Italian and learning how to prepare healthy and distinct ethnic meals, we cannot recommend AmeriSpan's very own Italian and the Tastes of Sicily program enough!