Aimee Billingsley, Author at Foodie Travel USA

Mustard Musings

Mustard Musings

Mustard lovers: Head to Middleton, Wisconsin. More than 6,000 varieties of mustard are showcased at the National Mustard Museum in this town just outside Madison. Admission is free, though the destination is open only five days a week during the coronavirus pandemic (face coverings are required; capacity is limited). Enter and you’ll encounter shelves groaning with mustards from all 50 states and more than 70 countries, along with displays of antique mustard pots, tins and jars, plus vintage posters and advertisements.

Aimee Billingsley2021-05-12T15:34:13-04:00May 11th, 2021|Categories: Appetizers, Condiments, Featured, Midwest, North, Recipes, Regions, Salads, Uncategorized|Tags: Cooking Classes, Markets, Museums, Tours|0 Comments

Grazers’ Dining Guide to the NC Sandhills

Grazers’ Dining Guide to the NC Sandhills

Visitors to North Carolina’s Pinehurst and Southern Pines region will find culinary options outnumber even golf courses. Whether you come to shop, explore, adventure, or golf, you’ll find the dining and libations options are as varied and impressive as the area’s storied courses.

Aimee Billingsley2021-05-10T16:49:17-04:00May 7th, 2021|Categories: Americana, Barbecue, Cuisines, Featured, Regions, Restaurants, Southeast, Southern|Tags: Restaurants|0 Comments

6 Great Farm Tours

6 Great Farm Tours

Petting zoos, picking your own produce—such as spring’s sweet berries and summer’s peaches—and winding your way through fall’s corn mazes before choosing a pumpkin can give you a taste of rural life. But if you’re looking for a more immersive event, a farm tour offers a feast for the senses.

Aimee Billingsley2021-05-05T11:00:59-04:00May 4th, 2021|Categories: Featured, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Northwest, Pacific, Producers & Purveyors, Regions, Southeast, Southwest|Tags: Agritourism, Farms, Markets, Tours|0 Comments

When in Miami, Do as the Locals Do and Eat Cuban Food

When in Miami, Do as the Locals Do and Eat Cuban Food

As soon you step off the plane in Miami International Airport www.miami-airport.com, you immediately detect you’re somewhere different: An enticing, aromatic scent fills the air. Follow your nose through the terminal, and you’ll find at least one Cuban food stand stacked with hot pastries and a barista dispensing strong cups of coffee. Whether arriving or departing, I can never resist buying a bag of picadillo empanadas (hand pies) and a cortadito (espresso with steamed milk).

Aimee Billingsley2021-04-26T23:01:31-04:00April 27th, 2021|Categories: Cuban, Cuban, Featured, Regions, Southeast|Tags: Guided Tours, Restaurants|0 Comments

11 Spectacular Cideries & Farms of the Pacific Northwest

11 Spectacular Cideries & Farms of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is one of the USA’s top ten producers of apples, and the diversity, knowledge, and craftsmanship of its apple crops shines through ciders being produced in the region. No wonder the craft ciders of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are growing in popularity. The chance to taste ciders is one great reason to visit the area, whether you favor versions made from limited-edition heritage crabapples or the star-dotted Cosmic Crisps bred at Washington State University.

Aimee Billingsley2021-04-19T22:21:22-04:00April 20th, 2021|Categories: Featured, Northwest, Pacific, Producers & Purveyors, Regions|Tags: Cideries, Farms, Markets, Tasting Rooms|0 Comments

Blue Sun Soda Shop

Blue Sun Soda Shop

Tens of thousands of soda bottles line the shelves, filled with liquids of every possible hue. Most of the beverage flavors are familiar—root beer, cola, strawberry. But some sound like a mad scientist's concoction—buffalo wing, blue cheese-flavored. Located in the Minneapolis suburb of Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, Blue Sun Soda Shop claims to stock the nation’s largest selection of soda, ranging from popular craft brands to wacky novelties.

Aimee Billingsley2021-04-12T23:28:51-04:00April 13th, 2021|Categories: Americana, Cuisines, Featured, North, Regions|Tags: Markets|0 Comments

10 Best Restaurants (right now) in Charlotte, North Carolina’s NoDa Neighborhood

10 Best Restaurants (right now) in Charlotte, North Carolina’s NoDa Neighborhood

Like most cities, Charlotte, North Carolina, is made up of neighborhoods, each recognized for its vibe and character. The NoDa neighborhood—so called for its main drag, North Davidson Street—developed a reputation as an art district more than 25 years ago when husband and wife team, artists Ruth Ava Lyons and Paul Sires, saw potential in the dilapidated mill village. They needed cheap studio space and NoDa had plenty of old buildings ready for restoration. Among other things, the couple started once-a-month Friday night gallery crawls that led to a resurgence in the area.

Aimee Billingsley2021-04-06T10:05:49-04:00April 6th, 2021|Categories: Featured, Regions, Southeast, Trends & Trails|Tags: Restaurants|0 Comments

The Yard Milkshake Bar

The Yard Milkshake Bar

In November 2019, I happened to flip on the TV just as the founders of The Yard Milkshake Bar in Gulf Shores, Alabama, made a pitch on Shark Tank. Ultimately, investor Mark Cuban offered $400,000 towards future franchises in exchange for 22 percent of the profits from the new locations. Today, this sweet business offers customers 34 different ice cream flavors plus 60 different toppings. There are even vegan, lactose- and gluten-free ingredients plus eight versions of edible cookie dough.

Aimee Billingsley2021-04-05T10:40:55-04:00March 30th, 2021|Categories: Cuisines, Desserts, Featured, Producers & Purveyors, Southeast|Tags: Mail Order, Restaurants|2 Comments

In Celebration of Women

In Celebration of Women

March is National Women’s History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women. Here, we recognize a fresh crop of female icons emerging within industries that literally feed humanity. Really, anywhere a foodie traveler explores, women graciously invite all to their tables. While many more women deserve appreciation and notice, we trust those featured here will inspire your future culinary travel.

Aimee Billingsley2021-03-22T23:23:35-04:00March 23rd, 2021|Categories: Featured, Midwest, South, Southeast, Southern, Trends & Trails, Uncategorized|Tags: Restaurants|0 Comments

12+ Best Restaurants (right now) in Washington D.C.

12+ Best Restaurants (right now) in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C.’s restaurant scene is diverse, with multi-cultural restaurants serving African, Indian, East Asian, Middle Eastern, European, South and Central American, to name just a few of the culinary options. Come taste the bounty of seafood caught in the Chesapeake Bay and the harvest from MidAtlantic region farms. Some menus showcase wine from the vineyards of Maryland and Virginia as well as dairy and meats from the Shenandoah Valley.

Aimee Billingsley2021-03-16T14:26:28-04:00March 16th, 2021|Categories: Americana, Coastal, Cuisines, Ethiopian, Featured, Fine Dining, Greek, Indian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Peruvian, Trends & Trails, Vietnamese|Tags: Restaurants|0 Comments

About Aimee Billingsley