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Barack Obama’s Official Dinner in Thailand: My Thoughts on the Menu

By on November 19, 2012 in She Rants and Muses

Photograph Credit: © Mary Ungrangsee. Used with permission.

I’ll let other people who are qualified to deal with the other aspects of the US president’s trip to Asia and his stop in Thailand do their thing. I’m all about the food here. So while the economists and political analysts are discussing things such as the US-Thai bilateral trade agreements, I’m turning my readers’ attention to the menu of the official dinner at the Thai Government House to welcome President Obama. This happened less than 24 hours ago; that tells you how giddy I am.

Firstly, I’d like to thank vocalist, Mary Ungrangsee, who was at the dinner last night for having graciously allowed me to use the photo which she’d snapped of the menu. (The original photo was posted on Twitter by @MaryUngrangsee.)

Secondly, wha?!? (Insert a gaping mouth, bulging eyeballs, and flailing limbs here.) No pad thai on the menu?!?

Just kidding. Please read on.
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How to Eat Satay

By on September 29, 2012 in She Drizzles and Smears, She Explores, She Grills, She Rants and Muses, She Thais

pork-satay-set

Not too long ago, as I was sitting all alone at table number 10 in the middle of one of my favorite places in all of Bangkok, Or Tor Kor Market, I thought of you.

Sure, I was eating alone, but, no, I wasn’t lonely. One cannot possibly feel lonely with a bag of mangosteens and a bag of durian nestling against one’s left hip — or right hip, for that matter. I was just thinking that you might be interested in how the Thai people eat their satay. I could be totally wrong about that, but I’m already four and a half sentences into this post and I’m not a quitter.

Disclaimer: there’s no canonized set of rules when it comes to eating satay in Thailand. Heck, there’s no canonized set of rules when it comes to eating anything anywhere. My role here is to report what’s usually done. Also, I’m a fan of personal freedom. Though I might avert my eyes when seeing someone eating Thai food with rice with a pair of chopsticks and firmly believe that it is a less than optimal way to enjoy Thai food, I will defend their right to eat that way.

So, anyway, in general this is how most Thai people eat their satay. Take it for what it’s worth.  Continue Reading →

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What Is “Authentic” Thai Cuisine?

By on September 18, 2012 in She Rants and Muses

Before I begin, please allow me to make it absolutely clear that this is a separate issue from whether or not a restaurant can add bamboo shoots, potatoes, and carrots to Tom Kha Gai, whether Nam Prik Pao should be fried, or whether dairy is allowed in Tom Yam, etc. That is the issue of what can/should or cannot/should not be done to a dish and to what extent before the dish ceases to be recognizably what it’s generally perceived to be1, and I’ll write a post on it someday.

This post is about what represents “authentic Thai cuisine.”

And just so you don’t waste your time, let me state my position unequivocally at this point: I don’t know where I stand; I don’t even have an answer that satisfies me on a personal level. If you think that’s bad (or too post-modern), it gets worse: not only do I not have an answer, the more I think about it, the more questions I have.

So this could be a case of mental incontinence on my part. But since you’re still reading, I’m just going to let loose. Continue Reading →

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