Showing 31 - 40 of 55
A salt on the senses
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 29/03/2015
» Anyone who shops knows the importance of being able to tell authentic goods from inferior imitations. Sometimes these are good enough to qualify as alternatives rather than fakes, but there are some cases where it seems odd that anyone would want to counterfeit them at all. One of them is sea salt.
Wake up and smell the coffee
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 14/09/2014
» There is no way to know how much coffee the people of Thailand drink in the course of a day. In the future, when the population grows even bigger, they are bound to consume even more. Thais and coffee are inseparably bound, and it isn't only the taste that has hooked them. One of the pleasures of Thai life is to meet up with friends in a coffee shop and relax over a steaming cupful.
A tale of two markets
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 10/08/2014
» In Thailand when we talk about a market, the term is too broad to give a clear picture of the kind of place we mean. But if we specify a fruit market, or a market for vegetables, flowers or seafood, or maybe a floating or weekend market, listeners get a better idea of what we’re talking about and what types of goods are sold there.
Tastes change with the times
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 20/07/2014
» Central Thai cuisine is full of old recipes that are total strangers to younger generations. It isn’t the fault of young people that they don’t know or don’t like these foods, because tastes change, and each period enjoys the dishes that are appropriate to it.
Destroying the past
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 13/07/2014
» The close link between Thais and water, or waterways, stretches far into the past. The cultural basis of this bond can be seen everywhere: the structure of traditional houses, Thai professions, religious and other beliefs, customs, arts and crafts, and cuisine. All are closely tied to water.
A very fishy tale
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 16/03/2014
» There is probably no way to determine how much nam pla Thais consume in the course of a year, but we can probably assume that all Thais eat at least a teaspoonful per meal, and every day. It is an ingredient in almost every Thai dish.
Not so sweet, but here to stay
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 09/03/2014
» In Thai cooking, seasonings are used to adjust four basic tastes: hot/spicy, sour, salty and sweet. At the top of the list of seasonings added to give food a sour bite are lime and sour tamarind. Kaffir lime, madan, local citrus such as som jeet and som sa, pineapple and acidic fruits such as makam khaek and taling pling are less frequently used.
Fish out of water
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 29/12/2013
» For the fish-loving foodie there are two Thai freshwater fish that warrant special attention. The pla salit (gourami) and the pla kod (naked catfish) may both come from freshwater streams and ponds, but in their physical appearance they have little in common. Also very different are their availability, the way they are eaten and their flavour.
King of prawns on the comeback trail
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 18/08/2013
» The premiere meat in Thailand is not Mutsusaka beef, Kurobuta pork (aka black Berkshire) or sable fish. Most Thais would give the award to the river-dwelling kung kam kram, or giant Malaysian prawn, and would be especially enthusiastic if the prawn were large, male and fat, with big, long claws and a colouration that combined green with deep blue.
Back to basics: Tracking down the best ingredients
B Magazine, Suthon Sukphisit, Published on 04/08/2013
» Cooks need three things to prepare any given dish: the right cooking equipment, prepared ingredients including condiments and sauces, dried chillies and the like, and fresh ingredients such as meat, fish and vegetables.