巴黎的巧克力沙龍與天津的陰陽音樂節

All of us may be trying desperately (or at least occasionally) to eat enough wild Alaskan salmon, leafy greens and quinoa salads. But let’s be honest; if we’re making the effort to pack a bag and book a flight in search of flavor, it’s going to be for something decadent.

我們大家可能會努力（至少也是偶爾）去吃很多阿拉斯加三文魚、綠葉蔬菜和藜麥沙拉。不過，咱們實話實說吧，如果我們不辭辛苦地整理行裝、預訂機票去尋找美食，那一定是去找不健康的食品。

The Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival in Ireland and the Salon du Chocolat in Paris are two more obvious choices for edible extravagance. Having just celebrated its 60th anniversary, the oyster festival has grown from a banquet for 30 to one of Ireland’s most celebrated events, with music, shucking competitions and historical tours marking the beginning of the oyster harvest (Sept. 25 to 27).

愛爾蘭的戈爾韋國際牡蠣海鮮美食節和巴黎的巧克力沙龍是享用侈美食的兩個好選擇。牡蠣節剛慶祝完60週年紀念，它從一個30人的宴會發展成愛爾蘭最著名的活動之一，包括音樂、剝殼大賽以及標誌着牡蠣收穫季開始的歷史游覽（9月25日至27日）。

Salon du Chocolat hosts several events focused on the darling of indulgences, this year in Japan, Belgium, Russia and England; all amuse-bouches to the main course in Paris, a virtual fondue pot of international confectioners and pastry chefs mixing, tasting, building towers out of, and designing clothing with cacao (Oct. 28 to Nov. 1).

巧克力沙龍通常會舉辦好幾場活動，全是圍繞着這種人們用來寵愛自己的食品。今年的活動將在日本、比利時、俄羅斯和英格蘭舉辦；巴黎將展示全套巧克力大餐，從小點心到主菜應有僅有。國際糖果商和糕點大廚們會在這些活動中攪拌、品嚐巧克力，用可可建大樓、設計服裝（10月28日至11月1日）。

But some of the world’s richest treats aren’t quite as refined. Take, for instance, the “doppelbock,” a doubly strong version of an already thick and malty beer first brewed by the Paulaner monks in Munich in the 17th century. Oddly, it was brewed during Lent, when fasting allowed only the consumption of liquids. The more potent the beer, the more nourishment they got, or so the story goes, and the local flock was happy to follow their example.

不過，世界上味道最濃郁的一些美食未必都這麼精緻。比如雙倍濃郁的doppelbock柏龍啤酒。柏龍啤酒本就是口味厚重的麥芽啤酒，最初是17世紀慕尼黑修士們釀造的。奇怪的是，它是在大齋節(Lent)期間釀造的——大齋節期間禁食，只允許飲用液體。啤酒越濃郁，就越有營養，或者至少據說是這樣的，所以當地人很樂意效仿修士們的榜樣。

Today, the tradition is celebrated during Starkbierzeit, or “strong beer time,” the first of Germany’s spring beer festivals (Feb. 27 to March 15). It begins each year at the Nockherberg brewery’s Paulaner beer hall and garden, former home to those crafty friars, with the tapping of the first keg of Salvator, the original brew, just as strong. Look for other varieties, as well as oompah bands and other entertainment, at any of Munich’s abundant breweries.

如今，人們在濃啤酒節(Starkbierzeit)上慶祝這一傳統，它是德國的第一個春季啤酒節（2月27日至3月15日）。每年，它在Nockherberg啤酒廠的柏龍啤酒屋和啤酒花園開始，當年那些手藝精湛的修士們就住在這裏。啤酒節的第一個活動是擰開第一桶Salvator啤酒，也就是最初釀造的那種啤酒，它依然濃郁。你可以在慕尼黑的衆多啤酒廠尋找其他口味和品牌的啤酒，以及各種娛樂節目。

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival may have mile-long trains of crawfish bread and stuffed-mirliton, but the gumbos and gravies of the South Louisiana Blackpot Festival & Cook-Offin Lafayette win crowds with personality. Each pot entered in the festival’s 10th anniversary cook-off this year (Oct. 23 to 24) represents centuries of Acadian and Cajun history, family recipes tweaked and tooled over the years to compete for modern palates.

新奧爾良爵士樂與遺產節上也許會有一英里長的小龍蝦麪包和填餡佛手瓜；拉斐特的南路易斯安那黑陶罐和烹飪大賽則以獨特的秋葵湯和肉汁吸引遊客。今年，這個美食節將迎來十週年紀念（10月23日至24日）。烹飪賽上的每個陶罐都代表着阿加底亞人和路易斯安那州法國後裔幾百年的歷史，這些家庭菜譜在漫長的歲月中不斷演變，以迎合現代人的口味。

Crowds gather at competitors’ pots on Saturday evenings while the judges decide which wins the day in five categories: gravies, gumbos, cracklins (or “gratons”), jambalayas and desserts (yes, pies, cobblers and even cinnamon rolls cooked in cast iron).

週六晚上，觀衆聚集在參賽者的陶罐前，等待裁判們宣佈當天的贏家，競賽分爲以下五個類別：肉汁、秋葵湯、豬油渣、什錦飯和甜品（是的，派和水果餡餅，甚至包括用鑄鐵鍋做的肉桂卷）。

Americana plays throughout, from the region’s best zydeco to Appalachian bluegrass, topped off with an accordion contest and square dancing lessons. And in the campgrounds, where most out-of-towners settle in for the night, there’s more grilled boudin sausage and fried catfish to be shared, most likely along with a fiddled fais-do-do from a neighboring tent

美國傳統貫穿活動全程，從該地區最著名的柴迪科舞到阿巴拉契亞藍草音樂，還有手風琴大賽和方塊舞課程。大部分外地人在露營地過夜，那裏有烤豬血香腸和煎鮎魚供大家分享，很可能從旁邊帳篷裏還會傳來fais-do-do小提琴催眠曲。

Could there be a better promotion for a new music festival than the Great Wall of China? The Yin Yang Festival, which made its debut on the wall in Tianjin last fall, is to host a second edition in June (20 to 22). And while the music is a bit narrow in scope (the website touts it as “high quality noncommercial underground electronic dance music”), it can serve as a good jumping-off point for those who want to see more of Chinese culture.

要宣傳一個新音樂節，還有什麼比得過長城？去年秋天，陰陽音樂節在天津的長城上首次亮相，第二屆將於今年6月（20至22日）舉辦。雖然該音樂節的樂曲範圍有點窄（官網宣稱它是“高品質的非商業地下電子舞曲”），但是對那些想更多瞭解中國文化的人來說，它是個很好的切入點。

Tickets include three days of access to the Great Wall, which knocks out a big portion of the to-do list, and the event coincides with one of China’s oldest cultural events, the 2,000-year-old Dragon Boat Festival. (Take the high-speed rail to Suzhou to watch races on Lake Jinji.)

購買門票後，你可以在長城上游玩三天，這是活動清單上的重頭戲。該音樂節舉辦之際，正值中國最古老的節日之一——有2000年曆史的端午節（你可以乘高鐵到蘇州觀看金雞湖上的龍舟賽）。

Just make sure to bring plenty of supplies to Yin Yang, including food and water. Unlike its predecessor, the Great Wall Music Festival (an eclectic mix of dance music at the Juyong pass in Beijing each May), there are few, if any, established vendors nearby. And catch a nap — it’s an all-night affair.

不過，去參加陰陽音樂節，你一定要帶夠食物和水。不像它的前輩——長城音樂節（每年5月在居庸關舉辦的綜合舞曲大會）——陰陽音樂節附近幾乎沒有固定商販。活動開始前，你可以先小睡一會兒——它是個通宵活動。