Street Food Series: Food Trucks
Source: Pexels
Hiya, hungry globetrotters!
Welcome back to our Street Food Series! Together, we are exploring how street foods and local cuisine can enhance your language learning and cultural immersion experience during your mobility program. If you haven’t seen the first installment of the series, click here to get in the know.
Did you know there are 86 countries with English as the official language? How lovely to know that you can experience different cultures and easily communicate because you speak English!
Sweet or savory, food can be its own language. Whether it comes from the cooks pouring their passion and expertise into every dish or the lucky diner who gets to enjoy every flavorful bite, food is a language we all love to indulge in even when we don’t have the time to make it ourselves.
During mobility, it’s not always easy to find time to sit down in a restaurant and enjoy a meal when there are so many things to do, places to go and things to see. Busy schedules are what brought food trucks to the masses. Although food trucks started gaining popularity in the early to mid-2000s, they’ve been around dating back to 1866 and were originally called a “chuck wagon”! Although once thought to be a temporary trend, food trucks around the world have shown they’re here to stay.
Food trucks are a traveler’s way of tasting some of the best
local cuisine while on the go. From the Americas to Europe to Asia, food trucks
are providing a multitude of different cuisines at affordable prices.
Are you ready to sample a few food trucks in four anglophone countries? Let’s go!
AMERICAN FOOD TRUCKS
Source: Pexels
American food trucks are much like America itself, a melting pot of delicious cuisines. Some of the most popular food trucks are serving up the following:
Barbeque! Where would the US be without its deep love and history of barbeque?! The popularity of this method of cooking is so popular, you can find a diverse array of barbeque styles from good old Texas barbeque to Korean.
You can’t go far without running into a taco truck or two (or five!) as they are also extremely popular in the United States. From tacos to burritos to tortas, there’s something to satisfy every palate.
Not to be missed, you will certainly find some classics like hamburgers, hotdogs and french fries on the menu. Food truck entrepreneurs are creating new and interesting twists on the classic burger and providing some incredible toppings to ramp up the traditional hotdog. Often vegan and vegetarian options are largely available too!
Sandwich trucks are keeping up with the competition. Being able to grab a sandwich on the go makes staying on the move even easier. No need for utensils, just your own two hands are needed to dig into this popular food type. And just like the majority of food trucks out there, there’s lots of variety to provide a little something for everyone.
It might surprise you to know that pizza is another very popular food that our mobile eateries are bringing to the masses. By the slice or by the pie, pizza is a favorite (as some of our discussions can attest to!)
Indian Food Trucks
Source: Public Domain
When I think of India and its cuisine, I immediately think of curry. However, India has some very diverse food trucks! The popularity of food trucks in India has largely followed the trend of the US. Food trucks in India are serving up traditional foods such as curry, kebabs and momos, but they don’t stop there! From curry to burgers to waffles there’s a massive variety of cuisines available.
From chicken Tikka Masala to Palak Paneer to crispy samosas, you won’t leave hungry after visiting an Indian food truck!
SOUTH AFRICAN FOOD TRUCKS
Source: Public Domain
In South Africa, food trucks are striving toward “next level” food. Many trucks are considered gourmet and slinging out food that rivals many of the best sit-down restaurants in their areas. Many of these trucks strive to use fresh, local and often times organic ingredients. Sometimes these ingredients are quite high-end. It’s not every food truck that’s serving designer beef burgers with truffle infusion!
As we’ve seen, burgers are a popular food truck item around the world and South Africa is no exception.
Although not actually native to South Africa, samosas made its way into the hearts of South Africans and their tourists. These delicious fried South Asian pastry can be filled with meat, fish or spicy potatoes.
Bunny Chow is a popular classic South African food truck favorite. Bunny chow is a hollowed-out white bread loaf filled with curry and served with salad on the side.
Another popular traditional dish is the boerewors roll. This is a local style hot dog which is often served in a hot dog bun with a tomato, chili, onion relish or chakalaka.
Bobotie is considered one of the national dishes of South Africa, so of course it needs to be readily available on food trucks. Bobotie is a baked dish made of curried minced meat topped with milk and egg mixture.
Which one are you ready to try?!
IRISH FOOD TRUCKS
Source: Pexels
When out adventuring for food in Ireland, you’re likely to come across some food trucks serving up pizza, burgers or tacos; but it shouldn’t surprise you to know that seafood is quite popular within the food truck industry of Ireland.
Fish and Chips are a classic! Chips, sometimes known as french fries, can vary in thickness, length or crispiness. Many food trucks are serving this time-honored combo with a side of mushy peas.
Lobster is another very popular food truck item. With local sourcing of lobster, you can enjoy this tasty red crustacean in a variety of ways. Freshly barbequed, steamed or served in a roll, it’s a delicious and decadent treat!
Fresh clams and mussels are also readily available to enjoy! Steamed to perfection, cooked in a chowder, or served with some pasta; there’s something to be said about the difference between fresh and frozen seafood. Luckily in Ireland, it’s often fresh!
Oysters are also a big hit on Irish food trucks. Freshly shucked and served raw, oysters have a consistent fan base.
Connemara lamb is also very popular. Surprisingly (or maybe not), this lamb is often served inside of the food truck favorite: samosas!
OVER TO YOU
So, is your mouth watering yet?! Tell us about your favorite food truck experience. What country were you in? What cuisine did you discover? Do you have a favorite food truck that you go to in your mobility country? Tell us about it!
Curiously (and hungrily!) yours,
Iya, OLS Community Manager - English