Topics

Jun

The Art and Philosophy of the Doggy Bag

by Meredith Mullins on June 27, 2016

Dog with Doggy Bag, showing how different cultures deal with restaurant leftovers. (Image © Meredith Mullins & Charlie Meagher.)

Did someone say “Doggy Bag?”
© Meredith Mullins & Charlie Meagher

How Different Cultures Look at Leftovers

Are restaurant leftovers going to the dogs?

That depends on to whom and where you pose the question. Different cultures have different approaches to taking restaurant leftovers home. The history of the doggy bag is a bit furry . . . er, blurry.

The First Doggy Bag

Some say the idea dates back to Roman times, when food was often taken home in a napkin from multi-course, recline-while-you-eat meals.

We can trace the first doggy bags back to the U.S. during WW II when food was scarce and waste was unthinkable. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 8 Comments

Cultural Do's & Taboos

Jun

Travel Adventures in Afghanistan

by Meredith Mullins on June 7, 2016

Kurdish family in Herat, Afghanistan, characters that provide travel stories and travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins)

People play a key role in travel adventures of the memorable kind.
© Meredith Mullins

Memorable Moments Live On in Rekindled Travel Stories

Sometimes a journey is so memorable that you can relive every detail—every sensory impression—decades later. My travel adventures in Afghanistan were such a journey.

The powerfully felt “Oh, I see” moments are rooted deeply in my memory. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 6 Comments

Adventure Travel/Afghanistan

May

Challenging the Cultural Traditions of Food

by Meredith Mullins on May 16, 2016

A Fascinating Fasting Adventure

We love to eat. It is one of the pleasures (and necessities) of existence. Food is a feast for our senses—a visual journey of color and form, a delight in smell and taste, often a tactile adventure (especially when you eat with your hands!), and even an auditory experience as we crunch an apple or carrot . . . or as we listen to the popping of popcorn or the sizzle of shrimp on the barbie. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 7 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Germany

World Views: