Forget Pinot Grigio or Pinotage. There are plenty of much more interesting varietals out there. Have you ever tried a glass of Encruzado or Teroldego? Let's also not forget that many of Europe's finest wines are made from a mix of grape types rather than a single varietal.
Full marks to Hurtigruten for an imaginative and varied wine list. The caveat, and it's a big caveat, is the price. For those who are not inclined to smuggle a few bottles on board as they embark on a Hurtigruten voyage, we review the company's wine list.
hidden europe looks at some famous wines used for pastoral purposes and draws the attention to a lesser known one from Moldova and the Ukraine: Kagor
hidden europe celebrates a distinctive Caucasian cuisine
in search of Europe's best dumpling, hidden europe investigates Czech and German candidates
Inns, pubs, cafés and bars are often the very essence of travel. We check out two of our favourites, one in Berlin and one in Prague.
On a November night there are tens of thousands of bottles of Beaujolais wine on the tarmac at a remote Russian outpost.
Not for the first time, hidden europe salivates over north Italian food. Guest writer Peter Wortsman takes a few Piemonte byways in search of truffles, the perfect ravioli and a tongue tingling grappa.
It is possible to happily munch one's way round Europe. Train restaurant cars sometimes offer a few surprises. We review train dining from Finland to Hungary, Scotland to Switzerland.
Ever been completely fazed by a foreign menu? Are there shepherds in shepherd's pie in England? And do they really eat toads in Yorkshire? We look at how the food on our plate says a lot about national identity.
speciality beers and boutique cheeses: Poland's entrée into the Slow Food movement
When did you last see a bottle of Unicum for sale outside Hungary? We try out a few drinks that are inexorably associated with a particular region: from Kvint to kvass, from Irn-Bru to Almdudler.
If you do not have Lithuanian ancestors, don't even think of trying to make sakotis, the spiky punk-style confection that is Lithuania's trademark dessert. We make a diversion through the sweeter side of Europe.