There's nothing better than eating outdoors...

especially when 

...in many parts of the world, the food comes to us.

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Rather than waiting to find a restaurant or cafe - or even a supermarket to buy your snacks - in any number of places around the world....

all you have to do is walk down a busy street

 or 

visit the markets

and

immediately pick up your next meal.

World's fastest food - takeaways - cooked and sold from stalls

Langos in Hungary - deep-fried bread topped with sour cream and cheese - is served as a snack, but it is immense! The name means 'flame' - possibly because it is cooked in a woodfired oven. Like a creamy, cheesy pizza.

In Szentendre, a town north of Budapest on the Danube, mostly known for its artists, we discovered that Hungarian breads and pastries on market day make great snacks.

(Scroll way down to see this)

Get a free cookery demonstration as well

Still in Hungary, watch out for kurtosh, known by several names in various central European countries. English-speakers settle for calling them 'chimney cakes' - because of the shape.

To get the idea, think, sugary doughnuts without the oil, and a unique method of cooking them over a bed of coals. Can't imagine it? That's why you need to travel!

~~~

Skip across to China for another lesson

Stone pancakes are actually that. They are cooked in a pot of hot coals that give a dimpled effect to the flatbread.

Clever and delicious!

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Fritter critters

You may not recognise the name but, in a city park in Wellington, New Zealand, these delicious fishy snacks are super-popular.

Smaller than any 'whitebait' you probably know, these melt in the mouth.

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Eastern Canada has it's own temptations

May we introduce Beaver Tails here, in Ottawa, Canada - but also many other places in this country. 

Need to know: they taste better than the name might suggest!

Think doughnut base and an endless range of toppings. As you can see by the size, you might want to share one!!

Stalls that you simply can't resist

Freshly fried bites in Shanghai.

In Beijing, Wangfujiang Street’s extensive food-only night market has stall after stall offering huge selections of raw foods ready to be cooked – mainly grilled or steamed – to order.

And baked to perfection breads on the roadside.

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Feeling thirsty in Armenia? These glowing pomegranates will be juiced for you in moments.

OR

In far-western China, the stall-holder might be brandishing this!

On the pavement...

Here is the super-duper 'chimney cake' called trdelnik in Czechia. I saw others eating these and was so impressed that I made the mistake of buying one.

Find out what happened... 

(if there could be a 'thought bubble' over my head - it would be saying "hurry up with that photo'!)

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Roadside treats

As we travelled though Portugal, the cooler weather was all I needed for a reason to stop at this tiny stall on a corner.

I could not find out the name for these super-delicious 'cakes' drowned in icing sugar.

Maybe it was a family secret.

Leaving the best until last: Markets

Assemble your own salad...

...plus crispy fried bread in a Cambodian street market, in Sihanouk. A healthy light meal to remember.

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We discovered hibiscus flowers (and much more) in a busy arcade in Doha.

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Nature's surprise in Goa, India! Cashew-lovers, this is how those tasty nuts look like before they are safe to eat. 

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Not for the faint-hearted. This buyer in an outdoor market in Kashgar, western China, is haggling with the butcher.

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In hot and steamy Lautoka, Fiji, we took a raincheck on the carefully peeled taro. This root vegetable needs to be cooked before eating, and we were travelling on a cruise.

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With more familiar fruit-and-veg, at Portobello markets, London, we stocked up on fruit.

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At roadside stops, farmer's properties will often sell to the public or allow pick your own. Or you can visit the local Farmer's Market if you are in town on the right day (often a weekend). Her we see a fragrant black truffle fresh from the ground displayed on the farmer's hand.

Over twenty years ago we researched and put together the Australian Regional Food Guide, a groundbreaking book of the best regional food in Australia. It included farmgate sales, restaurants using local produce in their dishes, food tours, local markets and much more. To gather the information, we travelled the country and spoke to hundreds of farmers, chefs and locals.

There was a second edition in 2004. After a few more years, 'regional food' was so well known and firmly established, that we knew we had no need to do more.

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And just in case you need a more upbeat option...

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia understands Street Food. Here, your lunch is all ready to pass through a window to you!

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WANT even more...?

Street food in Europe - read on...

So, seasoned travellers, how much do you recognise in these pictures?

Do you know what this street food is?

HINT: It's known as maybe the world's smelliest (and also pricklest) fruit. Some call it the 'king of fruits'.

ANSWER: Durian, found in southern Asia.

Here it is, on the street in Indonesia

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Or, how about these paper-wrapped berries on a market table?

Known as cape gooseberries, because of their flavour and plenty of seeds, they are sometimes called physalis. Look for them in Peru and Columbia or markets worldwide. 

Find out some other unusual fruits...

Sally & Gordon Hammond travel together on self-funded trips. All opinions are their own.

Words and pictures ©Sally Hammond