Epicureans discover a place through its tastes. From the sweet sticky juices of mangoes or lobster, the sweetness of roast lamb or tomatoes, they learn about the climate, the soil, the topography. In the mingling of irresistible spices, the fragrances of cookies and bread, they discern intricate histories. And, of course, in the sharing of food, they encounter the people who harvest and cook it. Fine restaurants are not the destination, though they certainly can provide part of the pleasure. Instead, it is the markets, neighborhood crannies, farms, vineyards, and docks that beckon where the heart of place lies, and therefore its best tastes. So where are epicureans traveling these days All over the globe —there’s no corner untouched by that great taste imperialist, imagination. Yet, in the most recent search of cooks, one thing stands out. The demand for food is not for the newest dish but for the newest old dish —the flavors and traditions that endure undiluted and undisturbed by modernization.