Matthew Ryan
SPB: Is there a regional food you look forward to when you tour?
Ryan: One of the best parts of touring is getting to enjoy the local culture and foods. My times in Italy stand as my favorite experiences, meal after meal. Late night focaccia fresh out of the oven in some ancient square to absorb a fair amount alcohol stands as a particularly memorable medicine. Or some incredibly warm drink that traced a warm light through my insides after a great meal in Bologna. Still don't know what the name of that drink was. In the northeast US there's a ton of great foods: Philly Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, New York pizza, Disco Fries and inventive omelets at Greek diners and family owned restaurants. The Meat and 3s of the south. And the tex-mex of Texas. Toronto is an amazing food city of just about anything you'd want. Old Quebec too. Edinburgh, Scotland stands out as well for all the great meals and Scotch. And I'm reminded of a dish I had in Stockholm that was meat, potatoes and a raw egg. Simple and out of this world. And finally, it was a slow love for the ploughman's sandwich in England. Initially boring and odd to me, I find now that I can't wait for another one. Oh and banana milk in Germany. It goes on and on.
