Picture this scene: You're just digging into your restaurant meal, the wine is flowing and the ambiance is perfect - and then, bam! Your dining companion swats away your hand, scolding you for touching the appetizer before she could take a photo.

Sound familiar? The trend of photographing one's food, brought about in large part by apps like Instagram, can seem obnoxious on many levels. But Mark Hill, director of photography at Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc., says it's all about preserving memories.

"Meals are special times for people ... the picture of the food is a representation of that moment," he said. "Food is very fleeting in our lives. It's on our plate and 20 minutes later it's gone and we have an empty dish."

Those meals become even more special when they are being enjoyed while traveling. Looking back on a photo of a meal eaten overseas can conjure up the sights, sounds, scents and tastes of the trip.

This spring, chef and author Anthony Bourdain will take his adventure-seeking appetite - and CNN viewers - along on a journey of cultures and cuisine from around the world on his new show, "Parts Unknown."

Bourdain's tasty excursions may not be something we can all do for a living, but from the coastal piers of New Jersey to the mountainous terrains of Northern Africa, you've experienced amazing off-the-beaten-track meals, too. Here are some of your favorite food photos and the stories behind them.

Read the full story - Travel, order, eat: 15 best dishes abroad - on CNN Travel.

Hungry for more from Burma? World-renowned chef, best-selling author and Emmy winning television personality Anthony Bourdain is the host of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," CNN's new showcase for coverage of food and travel. The series is shot entirely on location and premieres Sunday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET.