A moveable feast

From binging on bugs to foraging for bush food, 12-year-old RAFFERTY LAIGHT shares his love of exploring culture and making connections through cuisine.

- RAFFERTY LAIGHT

I’m on all fours, sniffing at the ground, when I yell out to my parents, “I think I’ve found one!” They come rushing over, paying far more attention to the beautiful dog beside me. In all fairness, the nugget of black gold they start to carefully dig from the ground was his find.

I was, at the time, a five-year-old human child whose future career as a truffle dog was never really on the cards. Still, the truffliers were kind enough to humour me, placing the fragrant fungi in my upturned palms. One sniff of the earthy truffle and I was sunk. Six years later, truffle is still one of my true loves, as much for that first fabulous experience as its earthy fragrance and flavour.

I’ve always found food to be one of the best ways to click with a place. Seeing, tasting and even learning to cook what the locals eat and grow kind of helps me understand them a little. Plus, I just really love to eat. Jokes aside, going out of my way to eat locally and from the source has definitely made me a more respectful and responsible traveller.