In the never-ending debate of nurture or nature, I often wonder whether my passion for ethnic foods and exotic places is a by-product of some genetic coding or a result of all the travel I used to do for work.

Afterall, I am a mix of Ecuadorian and German-American genes, and one of my ancestors reportedly sailed with Columbus on one of his voyages to the Americas. But my first overseas trip was at the tender age of two and my tally of “countries visited” is around 15 to date.

Either way, I find I can never get enough of either one – exotic foods or locales – and since my current profession (and pocketbook) are restricting my appetite for travel these days, I instead will take to exploring my new home in Hampton Roads for ethnic food treasures.

Come join me on this new adventure to satisfy my “Passport Palate.”