I’ve talked about overtourism before – over on Personal Parlance where I wrote about Traveling with Intent – trying to be part of the solution not part of the problem.
But I recently saw an article which reminded me that one of the most exhausting drivers of overtourism these days is viral food trends. And being food related, I decided my response should live here on Fabulous Foodie.
So, this article I saw. Tourists on pastry quest overrun scenic spot in Italian mountains describes something we’ve seen over and over these days; hundreds of people descending on a location – in this case a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites – to take a picture of themselves not among the panoramic views but with a pastry that social media told them they needed to check of their algorithmic checklist.
And I thought to myself, ten years later and things have just gotten so much worse.
Today is World Milk Day – not to be confused with National Milk Day in the US. Actually a lot of countries have a national day devoted to milk but the FAO picked June 1 to bring everyone together on the assumption that no one would mind a second day spent talking ‘moo-juice’ (as my uncle Allen would say).
Of course, they also declared the last Wednesday in Sept each year to be World School Milk Day so it’s possible that the folks at the FAO have a TEENY milk obsession.
Sometimes I have to wonder about the Milk Lobby. Not only are there quite a few national milk days, milk is the official state beverage for more US states than any other beverage. And when I say more, I mean WAY more. Something happened in the world of milk in the 1980s…
Now, I know what you’re thinking – a month to celebrate a BLT? How much time do you really need to celebrate a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich?
And I don’t disagree.
I could absolutely get behind a month dedicated to exploring the glories of bacon sandwiches – there are, after all, many kinds. But a BLT is just one of them. Do we really need four weeks to delve into the details of a BLT?
“Nougat? What is nougat, exactly?” I hear you cry.
It’s a good question but, like many good questions, it might be better never to have an answer. Isn’t it better to wonder what’s under the kilt or what the meaning of life is than to actually settle it once and for all? Don’t we all love a little mystery?
Sure we do – but not so much with our food.
And if we are to be served nougat – much less be asked to celebrate it – I say we look into it and find out what makes it tick.*
From a food observance perspective, December is all but over. Today is Bicarbonate of Soda Day ( a day too early considering tomorrow is New Year’s Eve but never mind.
So I’ve decided it’s time to focus on January. Besides, the weather is cold and January is one of the cosiest months on the foodie calendar.
January is …
Hot Tea Month: Yes, I know I’ve said I don’t like hot tea. I don’t like iced tea either. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate that lots of other people enjoy the stuff. And I can also appreciate that it is a topic around which people have VIEWS. Views on which comes first, milk or tea; brew strength; bags vs. loose leaf… etc. I tend to stay quiet during these moments since no one wants to hear ‘Ewwwwww, just give me coffee.’
Slow Cooking Month: what could be more on brand for winter than slow cooking? Also, I am very much on board for anything that delivers far more comfort than the effort required. And since ‘simplicity’ seems to be on all the 2026 food trend lists, slow cookers will come into play there too. I mean, what could be easier than throwing a lot of stuff in the pot, turning it on and walking away for the day?
Oatmeal Month: When did oatmeal get so … varied? steel-cut oats, baked oatmeal, bowls gone savoury topped with eggs or greens are showing up all over the place. What is your favourite oatmeal topping? If you are an oatmeal person, have you tried savoury options?
Soup Month: OK, when I say what could be more on brand for winter than slow cooking, I should have said ‘well – soup.’ because it is also very on brand for winter. And so trendy – from bone broth to noodle bowls, soup shows up on all sorts of trend round ups – from gut health to batch cooking, from ‘how to hygge’ to reducing food waste. Bottom line: soup is good food. Enough said.
Personal Parlance is where I keep my opinions and insights on… well, just about anything. Mainly digital marketing, travel and indexing. But honestly… almost anything.
While over on The Banburian, I am keeping an eye on what is happening in North Oxfordshire.
