Trevor Huxham

What makes Tempe, Arizona, a great destination for good eatin’? This college town is home to the main campus of Arizona State University. And as you’d expect, thousands of students live here in constant need of snacks and caffeine. Tempe is situated in the core of the Phoenix metro area, which means there are plenty of older constructions with inexpensive rents that independent bars, coffee shops, or restaurants can afford. A handful of regional chain restaurants like Cornish Pasty or Pita Jungle had their start here before branching out to other cities. And Tempe sits at the gateway of the East Valley’s pan-Asian immigrant community. The front patio of Casey Moore’s Oyster House I had the privilege of living in this city for three years—plenty of time to try a variety of coffee shops and restaurants in central Tempe. Moving to Tempe was a great introduction to Arizona for me, and while I’ve since moved across town, I’m glad I still work in Tempe and can keep going back to my...

When I went to Portugal for Easter break this spring, my first stop was the country’s second-biggest city, Porto. While this northern city’s glorious church architecture, hand-painted tiles, and Harry Potter pilgrimage sites  initially drew me here, Porto’s rich and tasty cuisine kept me firmly in one place: the table, that is. Read on to learn what dishes to hunt down when you visit this beautiful, crumbling city along the Douro River. Porto’s old quarter seen from the Torre dos Clérigos Francesinha (sandwich) View this post on Instagram Obligatory francesinha shot: call it the typical meal of Porto, a heart attack on a platter, or a great midday pick-me-up, a "frahn-sih-ZEE-nyah" is a sandwich composed of ham, sausage, cheese, and usually a fried egg on top. It's served floating in a beer- and tomato-based broth, often with a coterie of french fries. Mmmmmmmm // #food #francesinha #porto #portugal...

It was a sunny afternoon and I had just gotten back to Zaragoza’s train station after a few days spent down south exploring Mudéjar-style Teruel and the medieval village of Albarracín . My night train back to Santiago de Compostela wasn’t leaving until later that evening, so I decided to make the most of this layover and spend the afternoon and early evening exploring  Huesca,  an off-the-beaten-track provincial capital to the north. As I rode in a diesel “train” that consisted of just a single car, the Aragonese Pyrenees mountains came into view, the natural border that separates Spain and France. Huesca (pronounced “WESS-kah” [ˈwes.ka]) holds a commanding position on the plains below the Pyrenees foothills, which formed the historic core of the medieval kingdom of Aragón . In the surrounding region, outposts like Loarre, Sos del Rey Católico, and Jaca whisper memories of a time when “Spain” was merely a collection of ragtag lordships based in the mountains. ...

UPDATE:  I have since published my comprehensive guide on  Where to Eat in Santiago de Compostela, Spain , so I recommend you check that new blog post out for more recommendations! View of the cathedral from the Alameda park at sunset This past school year, I lived and worked in Santiago de Compostela in far northwestern Spain. I love the city’s glorious, grayscale, granite architecture, its many green, tree-lined parks, and its lively old town. But what I love most of all is the FOOD! I’ve had plenty of opportunities to get to know many restaurant-bar-cafés in town (the distinctions are rather blurred here in Spain), from spur-of-the-moment octopus get-togethers to a “special” breakfast before commuting to school. I thought I’d share with y’all my personal favorite haunts in Santiago, the places you’re most likely to find me at—the places where I’ve become “a regular,” from octopus-houses (if steakhouse is a word, then that can be, too) to cozy cafés. Bodegón Os ...

Confession: I’m not that big of a coffee drinker—tea is really more my thing. But I do enjoy the occasional cuppa joe about once a week, and after living here in Spain for a year, I’ve figured out how to add some variety to my morning injection of caffeine beyond the standard café con leche . Most of these are just variations on a shot of espresso and steamed milk, but there are a few surprises, too. Get your coffee pot started and join me as I explain the basics of drinking coffee in Spain. Café solo Coffee at O Dezaséis in Santiago de Compostela “Coffee alone” is simply a shot of espresso, the coffee beverage that is made from forcing hot water at a high pressure through ground coffee beans. It’s served in a short, tiny glass or ceramic cup with a saucer, spoon, and a bag of sugar. A good  café solo  will have a thick, almost bitter body capped with thin layer of foam. This is coffee at its purest. Café cortado (Source: Alexandra Guerson ) A café cortado ...