Food & Wine

Fred Steinberg; Greenwich, CT

John and I have been to Cambodia twice, and we love Cambodian, or Khmer, cuisine.

9-day/8-night tour includes cooking classes. Highlights: Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca/Es­saouira/Berber village of Anrar/in Marrakech, harem quarters at Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, craftsmen at the souk/snake charmers, magicians, music in Djemaa el-Fna Square/Yves Saint-Laurent gardens. Land, $2,990 (Dec. 26, $3,290). Access Trips (Oakland, CA; 650/492-4778).

I am very sensitive to MSG. I also am diabetic and need protein. When I first went to China, in the 1990s, I took those little packages of peanut butter crackers with me. Other than that, I ate lots of boiled rice.

On more recent trips to China, I found that local establishments were catering to American tourists. Especially if you are traveling in a group, you will be taken to restaurants that do not add MSG to food. “Add” is the magic word, however, since packaged goods and sauces used in restaurants generally already have MSG in them.

If you’re in the enchanting town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Nov. ’12, pg. 14), saunter over to Café San Agustín (21 San Francisco), owned by an Argentine movie star who occasionally drops by. They offer a choice of Mexican, Spanish or French hot chocolate, and the churros are legendary (about 9 pesos, or 70¢, for three with a hot chocolate).

by Beth Habian; Features Editor

Venice’s famous sights — the Basilica di San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, the Grand Canal — draw millions of visitors every year, but an overnight stay in October ’12 afforded a glimpse of the magic that hides around every corner and down every alleyway.

During a March-April ’12 India trip, my husband, Clyde, and I arrived in Darjeeling late in the afternoon to check into the Dekeling Hotel* (51 Gandhi Rd., Darjeeling 734101, West Bengal, India; phone 91 354 2254159, fax 2253298 — room rates, INR1,400-INR3,300 [near $25.50-$60] per night).

We have visited France 30-some times but until recently had stayed only in hotels, mainly family-run places in small towns. We had noticed attractive vacation cottages for rent but learned that they generally go for a week at a time and almost always Saturday p.m. to Saturday a.m.

My husband, Jim, and I visited Nicaragua to experience the beauty of the land, lakes, volcanoes, art and history. Our 12-day custom trip, Jan. 19-31, 2012, from Latin American Escapes (Chico, CA; 800/510-5999), was a modified version of their “Magic of Nicaragua” itinerary. We saw everything we wanted to see and more.

by Ann Seibolt; Pleasant Hill, MO

Sometimes reading about a location is the motivation that leads one to go there. That was the case for Mary Pat Meyer, Marge Gardner and me after our book group read “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.