Rick Stein's Long Weekends

Rick Stein embarks on a series of culinary long weekends in search of food excellence and brilliant recipes, heading to markets, restaurants, wineries, cafes and bars. He begins his first adventure in autumnal Bordeaux.

Rick Stein heads north towards the Arctic Circle to explore the culinary delights of Reykjavik. A perfect winter break enriched with a smorgasbord of the best Iceland has to offer - succulent roast lamb, rye bread baked in volcanic sand, langoustine soup and, of course, his ongoing search for the perfect cod.

Rick enjoys a long weekend in Berlin, where history and the Avant-garde dwell enticingly side by side. A city that once made history with its divisive wall teems today with an overwhelming array of innovative chefs offering delicious seasonal creations like pureed sunflower seeds, Jerusalem artichoke flans and crushed frozen pine nuts.

Rick Stein visits Vienna - the city that once ran the Austro-Hungarian Empire and continues to be home to comfort dishes like tafelspitz and goulash and which gave its name to one of Europe's most popular dishes - the wiener schnitzel.

Rick Stein visits Bologna in northern Italy, a city so famous for its food that it is known as the stomach of Italy. He learns how to make the local fresh egg pasta used for tortellini, tagliatelle, ravioli and lasagne. Then there is stuffed rabbit, filled with parma ham and Parmesan frittata for dinner.

Rick Stein visits Lisbon on the banks of the River Tagus, a city in love with its seafood and possibly the best custard tarts in the world. The culinary effects of Portugal's historic explorations are still seen in its dishes with hints of cinnamon and freshly chopped coriander from the east, and tomatoes and chilies from the Americas.

Rick Stein visits the home of new Nordic cuisine - Copenhagen - where ground-breaking chefs create artful dishes and religiously stick to seasonal Danish ingredients. Rick goes foraging for rosehip, learns about the art of pickling buds, bark and flowers and how to create razor clam shells from dough.

Rick's series of culinary city breaks continues with a trip to the historic city of Cadiz in southern Spain. Rick is captivated by its narrow streets as he walks in the footsteps of Phoenician and Arab traders who made a lasting impression on the city. Tavernas offer tantalising tapas including chickpea stews, freshly grilled mackerel and rice dishes flavoured with garlic, saffron and parsley.

Rick's series of culinary city breaks continues with a trip to the north-eastern Greek city of Thessaloniki nestling on the northern shores of the Aegean Sea. The city is revered as the gourmet capital of Greece and birthplace to possibly the greatest warrior general that ever lived, Alexander.

Rick Stein rounds off his travels with a trip to the fascinating city of Palermo in northern Sicily. Like a vibrant carpet, the city is patterned with echoes of Arab, North African, French, Spanish and Italian influences making its cuisine unique and irresistible.