by Sandra Scott

Dim sum is uniquely Chinese. Consisting of a variety of dumplings and other items usually served in individual bamboo steamers, it could be equated to hors d’oeuvres, and when several are ordered they make a wonderful meal.

Dim sum translates to “touch your heart.” My husband, John, and I were introduced to dim sum in Hong Kong several years ago. A friend took us to a dim sum restaurant where a wheeled cart with a variety of dim sum choices went from table to...

My husband, John, and I have been to Singapore several times. Our son Jim was an exchange student for one semester at the National University of Singapore and often ate at hawker stalls, informal streetside eateries.

Jim said, “A hawker stall was a great place for a filling meal on a limited budget.”

Over the years, the hawker stalls have transformed, just like Singapore. The eateries are now hygienic places with food prepared by licensed staff, but they are still considered...

by Sandra Scott

“The taro plant is important to the Palauan people,” explained Ann Singeo, our guide and the owner of the ecotour company Sense of Wonder. “The legend of Palau is based on food. A simple version of the legend has it that a giant by the name of Uab was consuming all the food, so the rest of the people were starving. The villagers placed him on a fire and he exploded, creating the islands of Palau.”

In the Western Pacific, Palau is an amazing group of 700 islands...