Showing 1 - 10 of 12
Ministry of pests
Life, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 03/08/2020
» I find it very hard to believe that the Ministry of Industry has listed 13 widely used herbal plants -- citronella grass, neem, turmeric, ginger, Chinese ginger, African marigold, Siam weed or bitter bush, tea seed cake, chilli, Chinese celery, ringworm bush, glory lily and stemona -- as hazardous substances.
An acquired taste
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 09/06/2019
» Pla ra (fermented fish) is a big part of Thai cuisine. Thais, like Mon, Cambodians and Vietnamese, have a long tradition of eating fermented fish. In Isan, people traditionally make their own pla ra. And when children there are old enough to eat solid food, the first thing their parents usually feed them is freshly-steamed glutinous rice dipped in pla ra.
Chilli's complicated history
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 05/05/2019
» Thai food without chilli is not Thai food. Despite its significance in Thai cuisine, there are many questions that remain unanswered about chilli. How did chilli first arrive in Thailand? What kind of chilli was it? How many chilli species do we have now? Which one is most popular? Do Thai people consume the highest amount of chilli in the world? These are questions many people want to explore.
If memory serves
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 14/05/2017
» Something strange happens to people who have been around for some time and adopted a certain taste for the past. At times, it could be so bad that may make them either nostalgic or fussy -- maybe both at the same time. They can get depressed thinking about the fact that nowadays Thai food doesn't taste the same as it used to. Those bygone dishes may look the same, perhaps slightly different, but they simply don't taste the same. Such a disappointment is hard to swallow.
Diningat the toptable
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 18/12/2016
» Everyone must have heard the term "royal cuisine" and know that it refers to food prepared in the palaces of high-ranking nobility. In the past there were palaces belonging to many branches of the royal family and at each one, in addition to the standard dishes, there were special ones prepared that were particular to that one palace.
Surviving the tempest of time
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 02/10/2016
» Even though historical knowledge concerns facts and events that are often long behind us, they continue to hold interest and can be enlightening. The history of food is just one example. When eating kaeng khio waan nuea (the popular, coconut cream-based spicy beef curry), we may wonder where it came from and what it tasted like its original form. How has it changed over the years? Answers to these questions found in old recipes can help in appreciation of its combination of flavours and aromas.
An oasis under threat
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 28/02/2016
» Last week in this column I discussed Thailand’s system of managing tourism, one that is causing the degradation and destruction of many old communities and valuable historical sites. I suggested a number of reasons for this situation, some concerned with the tourists themselves, some with investors, some with the government offices that oversee tourism and some with an ongoing deterioration in the communities. This week I would like to look at what is happening in one riverside community in Chanthaburi, a very old one that is a new member among the ranks of the victims of Thailand’s destructive tourism policies and practices.
Rravel Blight
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 21/02/2016
» This may be taking a dim view of things, but our approach to promoting tourism here seems to be geared toward travellers who like things quick and easy. This is the way things are working now, and it has caused the deterioration of many of our tourism sites.
Thanks for the memories
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 11/08/2013
» When things that we like disappear it is normal to miss them for a while, but with time the feeling fades and eventually we may forget them. But when the thing that disappears has to do with food that we love, it can be hard to forget.
A mixed plate of cultures
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 30/12/2012
» The new year is almost here, and with it comes many good times. It is a time to forget about the dispiriting and boring things such as the endless political scrapping.