At least half the fun of travel is to enjoy the food and wine (and spirits) of places around the world. The folks at Frommer’s understand this too.

For our last book giveaway on TravelMusings, we’re offering three copies of Frommer’s newly released 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers, (Wiley) by Holly Hughes, she of 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up (Wiley, 2009, second edition) and 500 Places to See Before They Disappear (Wiley, 2008) fame.

The nearly 500-page guide is divided into eight chapters, some of which at first glance seem to overlap (Food Vacations, On the Road in America), but the Good Spirits, Caffeine Buzz and Just Desserts chapters are nicely differentiated.

Recommendations include places you would expect in a culinary book, including some of my favorites (Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal; O. Fournier in Mendoza, Argentina; Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif.), as well as a few finds I somehow managed to miss over the years that are on my now-updated, must-visit food list: the newly rebuilt Bowen’s Island Restaurant in Charleston, S.C.; Schwa in Chicago. I was also happy to see the Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School in Thailand—where I took my first cooking class 10 years ago—included in the Food Vacations chapter.

So what do you have to do to be one of three lucky readers to win your own copy? Leave a comment, naming your favorite food, wine or spirit find—be it in your hometown or one you discovered on the other side of the world—and why it has left a memorable impression on you.

To be eligible, comments must be made by Thursday, July 2, at noon Pacific Daylight Time. Additional rules and regulations are below.

Happy eating and drinking!

Rules

The TravelMusings 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers book giveaway runs June 26, 2009 to July 2, 2009, 11:59 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest as stated below.

• Entrants must be 18 years of age or older. Employees, vendors and partners of TravelMuse and their immediate families are not eligible to win.
• Submit one comment that describes a favorite place for food, wine or spirits and why you recommend it.
• Prizes include three copies of 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers (Wiley, 2009)
• The three winners will be selected at random in a drawing to take place on July 2, 2009.
• The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. TravelMuse reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. Decisions of TravelMuse will be final.
• No substitutions, including for cash, are permitted, except that TravelMuse reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize.
• The winner will be responsible for paying any taxes that they owe on the prize.
• Winners must claim their prize within seven (7) business days after the notification of the win, or the prize will be considered forfeited and an alternate winner will be awarded.

If you have any questions please contact: editorial at travelmuse dot com.