The second of our calendar of events for 2009 that you may wish to plan some trips around. We have a fantastic Thai festival, cheese rolling (?) in England, and a buggy festival in Louisiana

The French eating habits are much healthier than those of other Western countries. Find out their secrets

Soup is one of the best one-pot meals. This hearty minestrone makes a perfect feast if you're staying in a hostel with friends or even cooking for your host when using a hospitality website.

This easy to make meal is cock full of flavor. It cooks within an hour and like most one-pot meals is even better made a day ahead of eating so the flavors can develop overnight.

This simple one-pot meal is originally a peasant's meal. It's quite hearty and very simple to make while on the move, whether in a hostel kitchen or a friend's house.