We don’t just see the sights, we devour them! From trying Turkish coffee to learning all about France’s aperitifs, there’s so much great food and drink to try when traveling. And sometimes, a taste or foodie trick is so fabulous, we make it part of our lives back home.  From the secret to the best Greek salad to the health benefits of the surprising breakfast dish of Hong Kong, globetrotting gals share tasty travel-related tidbits that changed the way they eat forever. The nuggets here (including a tip from NextTribe’s own Jeannie Ralston) will help your tastebuds travel, even while sitting in your kitchen.

Partake à la Parisienne

After our five-year stint living in France and numerous return trips for pleasure, my husband and I adopted two essential rules that apply to our favorite decadent foods. First, the only acceptable time for a sweet snack—preferably pain au chocolat—is between three and five in the afternoon. Called a goûter, it can keep body and soul together until (late) dinner. Second, cheese is not fattening if consumed with a vinegary salad (I swear!), or served after the main course. Cheese before dinner? Jamais!” — Deborah Baldwin, New York, NY

Handle the Heat

“I was always sort of intimidated by the idea of spicy food. Then, during a road trip in the Southwest, I got introduced to the many different hotness levels of chili peppers—and they don’t all burn your tongue off. Now there are three varieties of hot sauce on my lazy Susan at home. To make scrambled eggs into something extra? Add a few hits of Tabasco!”—Ruth Anne DeLonge, Fon Du Lac, WI

Small Side, Big Flavor

“The night before a trip, I looked at the huge tub of baby spinach in the fridge and dreaded tossing it. Then I remembered how a friend in Italy made greens: Just put them in a pan with a little butter, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. It all wilted down to two incredibly flavorful side servings, perfect with the leftovers I also had to get rid of before my guy and I left town.”—NextTribe founder Jeannie Ralston, Ashville, NC

When in Rome, and Sicily, and…

“The reason tomato sauce tastes so good in Italy? As I was taught by my family there, you must take all the seeds out of the tomatoes first. It’s the seeds that make tomatoes bitter, so this way, you needn’t put any sugar in the sauce.”—Rose Smith, Patchogue, NY

Cheese, Please

“We did a multigenerational trip to Norway, where I was brave and tried brunost or gjetost, this sliced caramel-colored, semi-soft cheese that’s a standard there. You see people eating it this way we eat American cheese here. It has a hard-to-describe, slightly sweet flavor, but I really liked it, in part because it was new to me and felt so authentically Scandinavian. Every now and then, I order a hunk from Amazon for a little taste of that trip.” – Michelle Fairley, Harrisburg, PA

Get Me to the Greek

“The best Greek salad I had in Greece was different from what I’d typically get in the U.S. For one thing, they used goat cheese along with feta, which really enhanced the flavor. And while the rest of the ingredients were familiar (cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, and a variety of olives), they chopped everything small enough to eat with pita chips—like a dip and a salad at the same time. Now I make it like that at home; it’s quick, easy, and unique.” —Cassandra Cass, Seaford, NY

Detox Rx

“Hoping to find some relief for my arthritis, I journeyed to Kerala, India, to immerse myself in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) for a month. I was placed on a strict detox diet: no dairy, caffeine, alcohol, meat, sugar, beans, eggs, or potatoes. I ate only plain grilled fish and variations of water and rice flour molded into different shapes (boring but easy to digest), plus  black grapes and oranges for energy. I started feeling better very quickly—so of course I cheated, with coffee, but immediately began to feel stiffness in my fingers. I left India with a host of do’s (ginger, garlic, curcuma, honey) and don’ts (meat, dairy, nuts) and the reminder not to eat a meal until the previous one is fully digested. I got a cookbook and followed the diet religiously for a year, then backslid. Reflecting on this has been a good reminder to start again!”—Gini Sikes, Hollywood, CA

Dessert Details

“In Europe, I was so thrilled by the little treat that sometimes comes with your coffee. A tiny square of chocolate or individually wrapped cookie. So fun! Sometimes I keep a box of similar sweets and love to give myself a little after-dinner treat with my decaf espresso. It tastes so good, isn’t too indulgent, and feels so continental!”—Hannah Lewis, Portland, OR

Salad Days

“I was lucky enough to have a one-week business trip to Hong Kong, and the hotel I stayed at had an amazing breakfast buffet. I mainly stuck to the Western section, but one morning I strayed into the Asian area, where they had tossed salad available. ‘Why not?’ I thought and began starting my day with a bagel and cream cheese and a nice serving of a green salad. It was delicious and felt so healthy. Every now and then, I do the same thing at home. Even my husband’s getting in on the act.”—Patricia Nelson, Dallas, TX

Coffee Talk

“On a trip to Paris years ago, I stayed in a friend of a friend’s attic apartment, and there was this strange rectangular box of milk on a shelf in the kitchenette. I’d never seen anything like it before. It was that irradiated, shelf-stable milk, and I was so grateful to have it for my morning coffee. I started keeping a box on hand at home. It’s the perfect thing when you return home from vacation at a crazy hour and need to get your day started…fresh milk for coffee, no worries!” Susan Harper, Oak Brook, IL