Showing 1 - 10 of 48
Prices up, quality down
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 23/06/2019
» Of late, news reports state that vegetable prices are rising. This must be true. Three months ago I could buy some coriander and spring onion with 5 baht. But a few days ago, I had to pay 10 baht for a lesser amount of the same veggies. Not only are coriander and spring onion going up, but so are prices of other vegetables.
A family's pride
Life, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 21/04/2019
» In the old days, when it came to food-related social structure in rural areas, cooking was the responsibility of housewives who inherited their cooking skills and know-how from their mothers.
Thailand's traditions endure
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 10/03/2019
» In Thai culture, certain ceremonies are regarded as extremely important because they are carried out once in a lifetime. These ceremonies usually have set patterns to be carried on properly from one generation to the next.
Spice as religion
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 24/02/2019
» An old Thai national dish that will continue to excite palates long into the future is nam prik -- or spicy dip. Every region in Thailand has its nam prik with its own unique characteristics. It can be consumed daily and it's affordable. It's quite nutritious, too, despite some seasoning to spice up the flavours.
The rise of venison
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 26/11/2017
» Beef used to be the most commonly consumed meat in Thailand. Its popularity faded away due to the changing preferences of modern consumers. Some would simply say that beef is getting more expensive, so they switched to pork and chicken instead.
Mining for memories
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 04/06/2017
» Famed for its traditional way of life and architectural uniqueness, Old Takua Pa is fast on track to becoming a top tourist destination. But as it opens up to more visitors, does the ancient community risk succumbing to the overexposure that's impacted other tranquil hidden cities in Thailand?
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.
The fish that makes a great catch
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 12/03/2017
» I'm sure that there are many people who have the same relationship with catfish dishes that I do. When they think of a particular favourite -- grilled catfish with boiled neem flowers and the sweet-spicy sauce called nam plaa waan, or the fish deep-fried with spicy seasonings and crisp-fried basil leaves scattered on top -- they crave to eat some right then and there.
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.
The restos outlasting the past
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 25/12/2016
» If you are someone who has been seriously devoted to food for years, you will probably experience a special feeling when you think back to old-style dishes. They were dishes that would not disappoint, and by now have a kind of immortality to them. If you had a chance to taste food like this again, you wouldn't let such a golden opportunity pass. And if you tracked down a restaurant that has been in business for 80 to 100 years or more, and was still operating in its original location with no change in decor or in the flavour of its food, it would be like stumbling upon an enchanted palace from a fairy tale. You would feel as if you had actually passed through some portal into the past.