High on

Thailand is a gourmet paradise! In my personal view, more than simply the taste, it never ceases to fascinate, nourish and satisfy. You can find good food just about anywhere, with a plethora of swanky, sophisticated restaurants recommended by travel and leisure magazines to a sheer quantity and variety of street food in just about every nook and cranny of Bangkok’s massive network of streets. Literally a smorgasbord! Now I understand why it is rated one of Asia’s hottest destinations. Thailand is a winning blend of contradictions, ultra-modern yet steeped in age-old tradition.

Bangkok will overwhelm you with its frenetic pace and modernity, what with the city bristling with skyscrapers, gigantic malls, elevated expressways and sky trains; but then you will be enamored with the serene way of living in its beautiful countryside where time almost stands still. A country that consistently surprises, rich in sights and sounds — but more importantly in food — rivals the best the world has to offer. A note of warning to all who plan to visit, though: prepare to leave with new clothes: expanding waistlines are inevitable because gourmet temptations abound.

From May 2 to May 7, I could have put a notice on my school’s front door saying “The cook is out,” but I knew that the school would be just fine on its own for a few days without me in the hands of my reliable chef instructors. I just felt excited that the cook by profession was momentarily put on hold while the cook by passion got to spread her wings once again. Yehey! I was going to Thailand! I was invited by Dave de Jesus, Philippines marketing representative of Thailand Tourism Authority, to be among the team of food writers joining a culinary tour of Bangkok and Chang Mai. I could actually call this book two of my chronicles on Thailand, hoping it turns into a series (ha, ha, wishful thinking), but in all honesty, our five-day stay barely scratched the surface. The food we all experienced and loved was just the tip of the chili.

For the second time around, I was booked at the Siam City Hotel in Phayathai, Bangkok, familiarly cozy and genial as I remembered. Situated right in the heart on Bangkok, it makes us accessible to popular shopping destinations like Siam Square, Paragon and MBK as well as the city’s magnificent cultural sites.

Of course, right after we unpacked, I set out to accomplish my priorities which had to do with appeasing my growling belly.

Here are some highlights of our hedonistic food expedition and I did pay for the price for my sins with my personal trainer shaking her head in frustration as she measured my body fat once I got back to the gym. But that’s another story…

First on our agenda: we headed off to Baan Khanthina Terrace and Gallery along Sukhumvit Road for dinner. It was actually an old house turned into a restaurant cum gallery. It is redolent of Thailand’s signature flavors and spices from roast chili paste, yellow curry, hot basil leaves, sweet and sour plum sauce, among others. The appetizer is a standout on its own and packs a wallop. It was an unusual mix of ginger, dried coconut, dried shrimp and chili that we were to wrap in betel leaf. Unusual, but it deserves high marks. It is a visual treat as well as a memory that still lingers in my taste buds. Chicken was livened up with green curry (poo nim phad pong karee) while soft shell crab was flavored with yellow curry (pla krapong phad khee mao). The dishes tasted similar yet were different at the same time! Of course, endings were never sweeter with the staple dessert of sticky rice with fresh ripe mango. Sweet satisfaction it gives indeed as I smacked my lips. Methinks it is considered a crime not to serve this at the end of each meal, since I had it the whole five days of my stay. Lately, I have been feeling on the edge whenever I crave its taste so that I often look for suman and mangga as a substitute. Oh no, looks like I have developed an addiction!

After dinner our group took a trip to Chinatown. It’s amusing to think how the Chinese merchants successfully stamped their mark on almost every country across the globe, but would there be a Chinatown in an African country, like, Uganda, I wonder? Chinatown, the one-stop shopping ground of traditional Chinese herbs, medicines and gold trinkets, is never without its lively mix of street food and homey shop-house restaurants with smiling cooks, women dressed in aprons who look as though they’re cooking right in their home kitchen. This vast food village usually comes to life from 5 p.m. up to when most street food destinations start opening shop. We’ve witnessed a showman cook preparing noodles on several charcoal fires, sending a rain of cinders into the air. Various delightful aromas, sizzling, crackling and popping sounds filled the air. Cooking always has an air of drama and the Chinese know how to put on a good show. This leaves most spectators salivating towards the end and lining up to sample the finished product. Of course, no matter how tempting it was, that night we had to beg off. Our exploding bellies had given up on us.

Market! Market! That was our focus that Sunday. We started at the famous colorful Pak Klong Talad, a paradise for florists for it is a wholesale flower market. It also offers a good selection of fruit and vegetable produce. The locals say it is best to change hands between two and four in the morning where commerce takes place. Prices are downright cheap during that time. Despite a profusion of flora my keen sense of smell sifted through the sweet smells among the bundles of lilies, jasmine and orchids zeroed in on the fishy scent of bagoong. It led me to a stall selling Thai Bagoong — that is what they call shrimp paste. I bought a couple of jars along with chili, Thai basil, galangal, kaffir leaves and lime.

Lunch was served at the riverside market called Lam Prya, a local market by the river that is only open during the weekend. Here vendors would beckon you to sample their wares from boats and rafts. Here I saw fish vendors in the process of cleaning fresh-caught catfish (or hito) while they were still alive, then stuffing it with lemongrass before grilling.

After lunch, off we went to the grand daddy of markets, Chatuchak (or Jatujak) weekend market in Bangkok, the largest in Thailand. It covers a sprawling 35 acres and contains 5,000 stalls. According to Wikipedia, J&J (as it is popularly called) is estimated to receive between 200,000 to 300,0000 visitors on a busy day. The market offers a wide variety of products from household items, clothing, Thai handicrafts and collectibles, food to live animals. The beauty of Chatuchak is that virtually everyone ends up fascinated with something they never expected to find in a Thai market. For instance stacks of old magazines and books that have somehow made their way from the United States and Europe. Exotic goldfish that sell for a fraction of what they would cost elsewhere or unbelievably beautiful orchids can be found in the plant section of the market. As for me, during my last trip to this market wonderland, I made a discovery that made me excited to come back here once more: I came upon specific adornments for my wedding cakes, including pollen and stamens for my cake flowers! On my last visit, I felt I had struck gold when I came upon a stall selling these decorative items among ribbons and dried floral decor at a very low cost.

My being in Ilocos Sur often must have brought out the bargain hunter in me for Ilocanos are known to be like boxers: they are tightfisted when it comes to money! This trait works well for me in some cases. It would be a shame to let such a bargain pass me by! Thailand is certainly not as accessible as Divisoria, after all!

Thailand is definitely a hot destination, in the literal sense, just like humid Manila. We were no strangers to the summer heat, so it was most refreshing to eat their version of coconut ice cream. That was probably the coolest thing I did that summer. And this coconut ice cream is served in a coconut shelI; I tasted it right in Chatuchak. This is something you should not miss when visiting this place.

An important highlight of our trip was the half-day cooking class we took at Amita’s Thai Cooking School. “Amita” translated in English means “forever” or “eternity,” and I guess that’s what the owners, couple Piyawadi and Montri Jantrupon, aspire to do: fulfill their life-long vision of promoting a love for their native cuisine — a legacy started by Piyawadi’s grandmother. The charming cooking school, which operates out of Piyawadi’s family compound, aims to captivate tourists through the endless gourmet pleasures that the Thai table brings. One takes this knowledge back into his or her own home and then spreads it through practicing the skills they have acquired in their own kitchens.

The school is very casual and personable, and Amita’s staff, comprised of Piyawadi’s (who was incidentally our mentor as well) relatives, makes sure the visitors feel comfy. Amita school is a family affair — a trait that Thais evidently share with us Filipinos, prizing a strong familial bond. 

We could have chosen to go there by the tourist bus but Montri decided to bring us to their school via speedboat. And rightly so, because it gave us a chance to enjoy the other side of Thai life — the slow side — just one of the infinite reasons Thailand never ceases to amaze me! Our boat ride through the churning Chao Phraya River gave us a sweeping view of Old Bangkok, its ancient temples such as the Royal Grand Palace and the Temple of Dawn, and as the boat turned the Bangkok Yai canal traditional homes by the water, set against a modern skyline, came into view.

Upon our arrival, we were given a warm welcome with a refreshing lemongrass cooler and moist face towels to refresh us. Piyawadi toured us through her charming garden of herbs and spices in her garden. She acquainted us with the essential ingredients that characterize traditional Thai food. We were allowed to touch, feel and even taste it in all its organic splendor.

Our teacher was a well-traveled and multi-talented individual. She has graduated in three different courses — fashion, law and tourism. No wonder she is so articulate. However, she can never turn her back on her first love, which is cooking; it runs in their genes. Her mother and grandmother were known to serve the Thai Royal family and her cooking school is her way of showing honor and respect to her clan. Her upbeat fashion sense and artistic side is reflected in the fine details of her school. I loved the school lockers, for instance; we were each given adorable stuffed teddy bears dressed as cooks as locker keys.

Once again we see the merging of the old and the new. She showed us traditional equipment dating back generations, which she still finds useful today, like a rice grinder and coconut grater.

This affirms the durability of manually powered kitchen tools, which do not rust, break down, nor require a warranty.

She also educated us on the value of herbs, not only to flavor dishes or to use as adornment but for its medicinal value as well, to cure ailments and prevent diseases. Once more this knowledge was passed to her from her ancestors.

It would be a shame to eat such glorious Thai food and not learn how to cook it. However, complex looking it may seem, “Tam,” which is how she chooses to be called, made it easy even for the inexperienced. Someone who has always lived a life being served now gets the thrill of pleasing others with his newfound culinary skills! At the start of the class, we were told that we were to prepare four dishes — Tom Kha Gai (chicken in coconut soup ), Pad Thai (stir–fried soft rice noodles with prawn and tamarind sauce), Gai Phat Met Ma Muang Himmaphan (stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts), Khao Niew Ma Muang and Mango Sticky Rice. We were given the recipes and pictures of the finished product and were led through the procedure, each of us with our own stove, necessary ingredients and cookware. At the end, we all successfully came up with dishes worthy to be called authentic. It looked every bit like the pictures given to us. What’s more, it tasted true to the dish as well! More than learning the traditional Thai dishes with ease, we had been given a feel of how the locals embrace their culture through food. It gave me fresh ideas of how we could promote regional cuisine to the rest of the world. Ilocos Sur on its own is rich with delightful food and tradition that should be shared with our global neighbors.

Thailand is an amazing land of extremes. This week I shared with you a taste of down-to-earth Bangkok street food and well-loved Thai classics; next week let me give you a glimpse of heaven with high-altitude dining created by Thailand’s top chefs in the city of Angels Bangkok. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, bring on the good times through good food! Sawasdee! (Cheers!)

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