Food Neighbourhoods #398: Vilnius, Lithuania

We head to the ancient city of Cusco in the Peruvian Andes to wander its breathtaking (literally) cobblestone streets, and taste both its traditional delicacies and contemporary cuisine. Here, Monocle’s Elna Schutz takes us on a gastronomic tour of what is considered the oldest living city in the Americas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we sit down with Mike Davies, the chef at the helm of one of London’s most celebrated gastropubs, The Camberwell Arms, to leaf through his new seasonal cookbook, ‘Cooking for People’. Then, Petri Burtsoff heads to a Luscher & Matiesen winery on the Estonian island of Muhu to taste some of the nation’s unique tipples. Plus: Monocle’s Monica Lillis is in Somerset to learn more about the hotel and country estate that’s committed to the land and local culinary traditions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We head to Sweden, the home of cinnamon buns, or ‘kanelbullar’, to meet award winning home-cook Lina Walstrom. Monocle’s Tamara Thiessen heads to meet her in Vaxholm to learn how to make this staple Swedish treat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We leaf through a new cookbook by Tim Anderson dedicated to the cuisine of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Also in the programme, George Ruskin meets chef Ben Slater to learn about the art of food styling and our in-house wine expert, Chloé Lake, crowns her wine of the month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norway’s capital is not to be overlooked if you want a taste of the best that the Nordics have to offer. Much like its people, Oslo’s culinary scene is not brash or showy, so its most notable restaurants and bars can be easy to miss. Here, Monocle’s resident Norwegian, Gunnar Gronlid, helps us uncover some of the city’s best spots.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s episode is dedicated entirely to umami. First up, we sit down with Christopher Beckman, whose new book dives into the history and potency of anchovies. Also on the programme: Monocle’s Canberra correspondent, Aarti Betigeri, tastes Australia’s divisive spread, Vegemite. Plus: we unearth the bountiful possibilities of cooking with fungi with Sam White, executive chef at Fortnum & Mason. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We swap city life for the hilltop town of Taormina in Sicily to soak up the last of the season’s sun. George Ruskin takes us on a tour of this elegant destination’s best culinary spots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we delve into the pleasure of ice cream whatever the season with founder of Happy Endings, Terri Mercieca. Also in the programme, Monocle’s Copenhagen correspondent Michael Booth meets chef and butcher, Michael Museth, at his restaurant and shop, Butcheria, dedicated to delivering high-quality-meat products to the city. Plus: Mae-Li Evans visits a new exhibition at Japan House London, ‘Looks Delicious!’, all about the art of hyper-realistic food replicas in Japan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re heading upstream to Hudson, a leafy town north of New York, to sample its culinary delights. Monocle’s Anita Riotta takes us on a tour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we welcome chef Santiago Lastra back to the studio to discuss his new London opening, Fonda, inspired by Mexico’s laidback eateries. Also in the programme: Monocle’s Petri Burtsoff meets Finnish chef Sami Tallberg to learn about the transformative flavours of fresh-foraged herbs. Plus: Monica Lillis heads to Lulu's, a South London neighbourhood restaurant taking the area’s culinary reputation to the next level. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.