Food
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Eating Mickey (or, how I overcame one of my last food prejudices)
I ask that you have an open mind about this post, because the conclusion may surprise you – it sure surprised me. Here I am with my pal Mickey Rat: Mickey was a gift from Max’s babysitter’s husband, who went hunting for the fat critters in the rice fields last Friday night. Mickey came dressed and with all fur removed, and upon first inspection seemed clean enough… Why then did the mere sight of Mickey’s long tail cause such feelings of repulsion and disgust in me? Therein lies the irony: Originally, we were to be given a much larger present, but it was determined that such a large specimen might…
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Volunteering in Kalasin
Last week a few of us teachers were asked to visit some classes being taught on a volunteer basis by our Business English major students out in Kalasin. We went out without much info and assumed these were classes being taught at a school. As it turned out, one of our student’s family had created an ad hoc classroom outside their house and was hosting free lessons for two weeks since schools are mostly on holiday during October. Children from their village as well as neighboring villages attended, with younger kids coming in the morning and older ones in the afternoon, perhaps 30 kids per session. The classes were being…
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Quick ‘n Dirty Beef Panang
Beef Panang is considered a dry curry (for Thailand at least) because it contains less roux (liquid base), and specifically, less coconut milk than other Thai curries. It is also one of the best uses for lean/tough beef, which is great since that’s pretty much all we have around here. Panang is an easy dish to make and my way is even easier than most. I’ve tried it the normally advocated way, by heating curry paste in coconut milk first, but I’ve found this is a waste of time when using ready-made curry paste. So without further ado: INGREDIENTS Beef – Any cut. Any quantity approximating that in the photos…
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Insect appetizers
These went really well with the snake soup last week. We forgot to take photos of them past the prep stage, though. They were salted and deep fried, and then their heads were taken off which allowed easy deveining ala shrimp. As far as I could tell they were a cross between a cricket and a potato bug (mmm, potatoes), but as large as your thumb.
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This be rat snake soup (tom yam)
If this gets to you, wait until I post the appetizers.
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It tastes like chicken…
I had snake soup for breakfast this morning. It was one of the snakes on this page. More to follow.
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Culinary subversion (Pancake Puff vs. Moffle)
A while back, G-man tipped me off in the comments that he’d found something pretty funny: Pancake Puffs, which seem an awful like something we’re used to seeing in Japan all the time (incidentally, I love how Google asks if you meant “teriyaki” when you search for “takoyaki”). Check it out: I guess this can only be described as the result of a firesale at a takoyaki pan factory. ///////////////////////// – – THA FLIP SIDE – – ///////////////////////// Word of the day: Moffle What is a moffle? Waffle is Mochi + Waffle, much in the way that “lion” + “tiger” = “liger” (or “tigon”) I don’t have a problem with…
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Half full
I just came in from picking chillies off our bushes in the front yard and began errantly picking my nose when checking email. At least I’ll never make that mistake again.
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Food link shortage
Here’s some food-related links a reader sent me a while back: Meatwater, High Energy Survival Beverage Incredible Sushi Art Beijing takes dog off the menu for Olympics
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Underneat this
Okay so this is how I imagine this conversation went: Walmart Employee: “Hello ‘dis be Walmarts, how can I help you?” Customer: ” I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.” Walmart Employee: “What you want on the cake?” Customer: “Best Wishes Suzanne” and underneath that “We will miss you”. (original link) //////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Bonus question: Which is better, Walmart cake or third-world cake?
