World’s biggest-ever global food adventure getting ready to open doors

Milan’s Universal exhibition, a global adventure in great food, health and happiness is just over two months away – set to attract 20 milion

The latest world expo – Milan Expo 2015 – is titled "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life". And where better to hold this gargantuan food and sustainable living event than in the land of good living and eating itself – Milan, Italy.

An expected 20 million visitors will be able to revel in the tastes of at least 145 countries representing some 94% of the world’s population – the greatest line-up of foodie experiences ever.

The event will open its doors on May 1^st and during the next six months, visitors will experience a massive treat, for the eyes, for the spirit – and definitely for the stomach!

In the massive space – all the world’s tastes within a million square meters – 145 countries of the world will be seeking to outdo each other in their culinary, lifestyle and cultural offers.

Visitors will be able to enjoy strolling along thematic routes…   telling stories of mankind and food, understanding our relationship with taste a, looking towards our culinary future.

They will be able to visit vast themed clusters…   telling the stories of cocoa, coffee, fruit and vegetables, spices, cereals and tubers, where visitors will be able to understand the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, the story of rice and the abundance of the oceans. All peopled by country pavilions telling their own unique stories of food and taste.

And follow the Foody mascot family of eleven characters  all over the exhibition site to see:

The thematic areas  of Pavilion Zero visiting the inside of the planet to learn about it from a new perspective… the Future Food District: trying a unique and interactive supermarket experience where everyone can be a producer and consumer at the same time, the Children’s Park: helping children understand the topic of sustainability through  activities which are stimulating and fun and Biodiversity Park a fascinating story that unfolds across 8,000 square meters of parkland and eight large greenhouses, as home to 250 different plant types. Biodiversity Park is an exhibition that "lives" in the literal sense of the word with thousands of plants to observe, smell, touch, hear (and, in some cases, even eat). Simply an unique experience.

And the one million square metre Exhibition Site  itself – simply gargantuan, including…

The ultra high-tech Palazzo Italia destined to be the centre of technological innovation for the city after the Expo. Here visitors can stroll along the Cardo and the Decumano, visit the magnificent Lake Arena, enjoy the Open Air Theatre – tasting sublime food all the way! Take a virtual tour NOW

But, above all Milan Expo2015 is a hands-on (or lips-on) on experience of food and good living.

Amongst the thousands of unique foodie experiences that visitors will be able to enjoy are…

A taste of dishes from Afghanistan’s different tribes, Algerian traditional cous cous , tastings of typical Bangladeshi products,  the best products made in Belgium. Quinoa and other Bolivian specialties, local yoghurts, white brined cheese from Bulgaria, fragrant Burundi Arabica coffee, with its unique aroma, typical dishes of Costa Rica, including chocolate, bananas and coffee, Cuban rum, tobacco, cocoa and coffee plus genuine Cuban cocktails.

Estonia has two eateries that offer everyone the chance to try out its freshest and most sustainable food. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase traditional and fresh Ethiopian food and beverages including traditionally prepared coffee, and beverages such as Tajj (made of Honey) and Tela barley beer.

In its boutique can be found all the variety and quality of French food, while in the demonstration zone are shows of savoir-faire in the kitchen. There are three ways to enjoy the traditions of wonderful German food: an open access tasting area, a special gourmet restaurant with fine dining and a restaurant that reflects Germany’s Gemütlichkeit – the expression of its utmost and warmest hospitality.

The Holy See portrays food as nourishment of the body and as a gesture of nurturing, a meal and a convivium: a moment of encounter and communion, education and growth.

Israel impresses visitors with the fruits of the earth, tradition and inventiveness, its  typical dishes, based on rice, raw fish and vegetables are proposed as a balanced way of eating, Kenyan delicacies, including its famous coffee and tea. In Kuwait’s Arab souk a large central fire, allows visitors to relax and enjoy the flavors of the Middle East. The Latvian Slow Food restaurant showcases freshly baked bread and the aroma of forest woods for smell. Lebanon fields typical dishes of this "Pearl of Arab cuisine."

In the Lithuanian Pavilion visitors can enjoy high-quality cheese, pancakes, rye bread and traditional cakes. Try Maltese native species of bee’s honey.  Mauritania presents milk and dairy products made ‘‹’‹with goat’s milk as well as dishes prepared with vegetables grown under date palm trees plus traditional cous cous, of millet and sorghum, Mexico shows foods with healing properties, Moldova, its wines.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the flavours of Morocco, whether eating at its restaurant or at take-away eatery, or simply tasting its typical produce, such as argan oil, olive oil, saffron, local wines and honey. Visitors to the Oman pavilion can try local produce such as honey, dates and camel’s milk, or stroll in the garden. Delicious Polish cuisine can be tasted in a romantic setting.

Sao Tome cocoa may be tasted and products typical of the Senegalese cuisine made from millet, corn, rice and papaya. Visitors can enjoy a selection of Slovak dishes and modern reinterpretations of traditional specialties, or call in at its shop, Slovenia visitors can sample wide array of delights for the palate, including wines.

At the Spanish pavilion, there is a tapas bar and restaurant. Sri Lanka has on offer spices, precious stones and tea

On the island of Zanzibar, as in its pavilion, spices are an essential ingredient of its inhabitants’ life. Thailand is known for its street food and it’s all set out in an outside exhibition that recreates the atmosphere of the Festival of the Temple’s local food fair, with a floating market to recall times past, when Bangkok was called "the Venice of the East".

In the Tunisian pavilion, visitors can participate in scenes of traditional bread-making, date-picking, or the irrigation of vegetable crops, then they can then enjoy typical dishes, exemplars of Tunisia’s ancestral cuisine and its diverse cultural heritage. Uganda offers coffee & bananas and the opportunity to buy unique organic coffee in addition to commercial handicrafts and dried fruits and vegetables,

Food Truck Nation, a series of food trucks serving iconic and innovative regional American foods and beverages. Uruguay’s pavilion will feature a gastronomic area that will offer specialties from the Uruguayan cuisine and "parrilla".

Uzbekistan also unveils its wines, being one of the leading producers of grapes in Central Asia. The brand name Mocha is associated  with Yemen and, Sidr honey, a type of honey produced in Yemen. Renowned for its flavour and medicinal qualities. Sidr honey is one of the most prized gifts and represents an expression of gratitude and appreciation between Yemenis. Zimbabwe features its unique potatoes.

And Italy? It is impossible to visualize the amazing range of Italian food and hospitality on offer – after all Milan’s Expo2015 will provide the showcase for possibly the world’s greatest cuisine – on its home turf.

Expo Milano 2015 is simply the food experience of the century!

Find out more about opportunities to visit  Expo Milano 2015 – Why not make a visit? An informed, tailor-made service is available to organise exciting visits to suit any budget for groups or individuals. Just contact [email protected]

FAM trip opportunity HERE

Valere Tjolle

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