Showing 11 - 20 of 39
A taste of the past
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 01/01/2017
» When we take our first steps into a new year, starting on the path can be more reassuring if we look back on the year that just ended and put some of the things we experienced in it in one place. Over the past year, the Cornucopia column looked at many things -- among them, the old riverside neighbourhood along the Chanthaburi River, the Pathumwan area as it used to be; the informal markets known as talaad nat; traditional folk medicines; smoked fish; pesticides in vegetables; local dishes you can only enjoy by doing some travelling, and much more. Today I would like to review some of these subjects and gather them together into a kind of culinary and cultural tour.
Clean cuisine
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 30/10/2016
» Bad news, and not the first time that we have heard it: Thai-Pan (Thailand Pesticide Alert Network) have announced the results of analyses that they have performed on fresh produce being sold in supermarkets, major supply markets and small neighbourhood markets. It was found that many contain toxic chemical residue that exceed the legal standards.
Modern-Day Ordination
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 17/07/2016
» In three days Khao Phansa, the start of Buddhist Lent, arrives. This important event in the Buddhist calendar never changes, although the ways in which it is observed shift with the character and social environment of the era.
Wat's the centre of Mon tradition
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 10/04/2016
» There are only three days left until Songkran, a festival that is celebrated throughout Thailand, but that is especially significant for the Mon community. The special importance it has for the Mon may have to do with the strictness of their Buddhist belief and the firmness with which they have maintained their cultural traditions. When Songkran arrives they celebrate it in a way that preserves the original character and meaning of the festival, creating an event that we can admire or, better, take part in.
Fishing for condiments
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 27/03/2016
» Think of a condiment that has all of these qualities: it is eaten throughout Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines; it is always made by fermenting the same natural ingredient; the taste is always the same so there is no barrier to using one country’s product from use in another’s national recipes. The answer: plaa raa, or fermented fish.
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.
The old and the new
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 24/01/2016
» When you read old Thai cookbooks, you will find certain very specific descriptive words often appear with the instructions on how to prepare a dish. These can be very interesting, as they give an insight into how cooks of the past chose the ingredients and techniques that would ensure the dish would turn out at its best.
Street and sour
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 20/12/2015
» A couple of months ago a survey was conducted to determine how people abroad viewed Thailand’s food. The result was that phat Thai was thought to be the national dish. Thai food, people thought, had to be sprinkled with pounded peanuts, and was made with fresh herbs that might include galangal and krachaai, although ginger could be used instead. A Thai dish had to be extremely spicy and was eaten with chopsticks. It was suitable for vegetarians and was cheap.
Danger lurking in your dinner
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 13/12/2015
» It is really incredible that the Department of Medical Sciences at the Ministry of Public Health has stated that fresh food treated with formalin can be made safe for consumption by washing and cooking. One high-ranking department official explained in detail that formalin is water-soluble, and that when it is present in fresh foods such as seafood, pork, chicken, or vegetables, repeated washing can reduce the quantity, and since most of these foods will be cooked, the heat will make whatever remains safe to eat.
A heads-up on a tasty treat
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 11/10/2015
» There is an old Chinese saying that advises “if you want to be happy for a day, eat some pork. If you want to be happy for three months, get married. But if you want to be happy for life, go fishing.”