Over the course of 10 weeks I have taken eight trips, four of them to different countries. I love being able to explore different places, but one of my favorite things to do in a different country is try the traditional food from that region. Now I will take you on a what I like to call my own personal European Food Tour.

Belgian Waffles displayed on the streets in Brussels.

Belgian Frites on the streets of Brussels.

First stop is Brussels, Belgium. Many have heard of the Belgium waffle, but you haven’t truly lived unless you have eaten these amazing waffles. The waffles were topped with fruit, chocolate or caramel, candy, and heavy whipped cream. The best part is you can find them anywhere on the street. Brussels also offered Belgian Frites or as we know them as french fries. The fries came in a cone shaped container and were topped with not only ketchup but also mayonnaise. This trip was filled with awesome grab and go snacks. They were so good I helped myself to two helpings of each.

Pork roast with a side of red cabbage and a potato dumpling. Oh and don’t forget the Radler!

Second stop is Munich, Germany. Munich not only offered great food but amazing beer as well. At Augustiner Keller we were served Radler (lemon beer), pretzels, pork roast, red cabbage, and a potato dumpling. The homemade flavors filled our bellies and we were set for the night. We were so satisfied we decided to go back for round two the next night. This night was filled with Radler and a creamy potato soup. After finishing our food, we danced and sang the night away at the local festival.

Enjoying tartiflette before we hit the slopes.

Third stop is Grenoble, France. While I was in France I helped myself to an overwhelming amount of cheese and meat platters. Some cheeses were very good, while others slightly freaked me out because of the mold growing on them. On top of the weird cheese, I got the opportunity to ski in the French Alps and I got to experience the traditional skiing food tartiflette, which contains cheese, bacon or ham and potatoes. After hitting the slopes, we took a break and got both a savory crepe (filled with ham and cheese), and a sweet crepe (filled with Nutella). You can say I had my fair share of cheese that weekend.

Pasta dish containing bacon, tomato sauce, and topped with parmesan in Florence, Italy.

Last stop is my host country, Italy. Just as you have heard, Italy is great when it comes to both pizza, pasta, and wine. My friends and I have had our fair share of aperitivo; endless appetizers with a drink of your choice, but my favorite meal choice is a sit-down dinner at one of the restaurants lining the canal. Here you get to experience a three-course meal. The first course is called il primo (pasta or rice), the second course is il secondo (meat or fish), and the third course is your choice of dessert.

– Haylee is a spring 2017 SAI Milan student from Missouri State University.