InsureandGo releases new world map of foods

What’s better than food? Travelling to new locations to try new food. Now your trip around the world in 80 dishes just go easier thanks to a ground-breaking map that records the cuisines of 177 countries.

One of the best things about travelling to a new country is discovering the local cuisine.

It’s exciting. It’s eye-opening. It’s a chance to break out of your tuna-and-salad routine and do something wild.

To help you plan your next foodie getaway, travel insurance company InsureandGo has released a new world map that shares *the* must-try local delicacies in 177 different countries.

The list was established by analysing TikTok hashtags across more than 2600 dishes. So, what’s on the menu?

The world food map has some delicious destinations.

What the hell is a beavertail?

There were, of course, some less-than-surprising results, including the good-old US of A’s hot dog (embarrassing) and Russia’s caviar (classy, but where’s the vodka?). Then there were others that saw a collective head scratching followed by some furious googling at team delicious. However, we can now assure you that people in Canada do not, in fact, eat actual beaver’s tails. Or if they do, they’re pretty quiet about it. Beavertails are deep-fried pastries, shaped like a beaver tail and traditionally topped with cinnamon and sugar. Saint Lucia’s cow heel soup, on the other hand, is exactly what it sounds like.

Yorkshire pudding.

Pass the Mylanta

The UK was a stodge-fest of glorious proportions. Overall, fish and chips was the number one must-try dish, but each region came to the party in its own way. In London it’s bangers and mash; in Yorkshire it’s Yorkshire pudding; and in Northern Ireland it’s an Ulster Fry, which includes fried everything and some black pudding. But there was some relief for that indigestion – Scotland’s must-try delicacy is their beloved Irn-Bru. That strange, orange concoction so adored by Scots and totally not liked by anyone else anywhere. Slàinte mhath!

Germany's schnitzel.

Vild about wafels

Being home to some of the world’s finest cuisine, Europe clearly wants to keep it all to itself, with a lot of ho-hum dishes making this list. Germany’s must-try dish was schnitzel, which many people claim actually comes from Austria. What did Austria get? Krapfen. No, that’s not German for ‘bugger all’. It’s actually a jam doughnut. So that’s nice. Then there’s Italy. Is their must-try dish pizza? Pasta?

Where to find Europe’s best offerings.

Any of the other spectacular foods they do so very, very well? No. It’s panettone. That Christmas cake that sits in its box on top of your fridge all year, gathering dust. Of course, there were some outstanding dishes listed in this part of the world, but we’ll just leave you with the one that has the most brilliant name: stroopwafels, from the Netherlands.

Bangladesh's fuchka.

Hooked on classics

You can’t really go wrong when it comes to Asian cuisine, unless you think pad thai is the ultimate Thai food. Oh, whoops! Looks like it is. Let’s quickly move on. Vietnam has its pho, and you really can’t beat that. China has its dim sum (yum), South Korea its kimchi and Japan its ramen.

All excellent dishes when eaten in their country of origin. And when in Bangladesh, don’t be scared to ask for fuchka. You won’t offend anyone, we promise. This delicious street food snack is a deep-fried dough shell filled with potato, onion or chickpeas.

World food map:

All hail the Aussie pav

Now this is going to make the Kiwis cranky. The one dish that visitors to our fair shores must try? Pavlova. Meanwhile, across the ditch, tourists in New Zealand are encouraged to nosh on whitebait fritters. Honestly, we’re not smiling. It’s just gas from all that Yorkshire pudding.

For more food, travel and lifestyle news, go to delicious.com.au

Originally published as InsureandGo releases new world map of foods