The biggest sporting event in the world occurs every four years - and it isn't the Olympics, the World Series, the Super Bowl or March Madness.  Thirty-two nations compete in the FIFA World Cup to determine the best soccer team on the planet.

But here in the U.S., soccer isn't that big a deal.  Most of us are oblivious to the excitement and passions that the World Cup engenders in the rest of humanity.

Four years ago, we had just started dating.  Jeff, who developed an interest in soccer while studying in England, wanted to watch as many of the 2002 World Cup matches as possible.  Alisa was not that interested in staying up late to watch soccer live from Japan and Korea with her new boyfriend.  To help her connect with the tournament, Jeff devised a plan.  They would eat a meal from each of the thirty-two countries participating in the tournament.

It was a bold challenge - one that took us nearly six months to complete.  We had such a good time doing it that we're going for it again in 2006.

So join us on this journey as we sample the diverse flavors of the globe, wherever we can find them.  Look for new posts for each country.

Bon Appetit and Play On!

Jeff and Alisa