Chiang Rai, Thailand Day 14, 15
Perfect Weather
We got up early but it was tough! We were tired! But we had to get up at 530am as we needed to get to the morning market. We met Chef Suphot, the head chef who was ready to go. We were whisked away in a van that dropped us off at the morning market. Chef Suphot, was wonderful. He’s a big guy and very very nice. Nothing like Gordon Ramsey! He patiently answered all of our questions and introduced us to special vegetables and herbs used in Thai cooking. I have to say the oddest item we were introduced to is “pork chin”. I’ve never seen it before and can’t quite understand where the chin of a pork is. Anyhow, he also bought some sticky rice wrapped in bamboo and we also bought some rice cakes that were grilled with sesame sprinkled on it and wrapped in banana leaf. It was delicious and tasted like kudzu mochi although looks quite different. Since Sandra was looking for her stone mortar and pestle, Chef Suphot took us to where they sell it and she bought one just like mine! And, Chef Suphot carried it around the market for her!
Chef Suphot
A type of olive
Can't remember the names of the herbs but they were very fresh
Galangal - a type of ginger found in SE Asia
Dried fish
Tilapia: The ocean is miles away yet the fish looked so fresh!
Marinated fish
This looked really good.
The lady who sold us the sweet rice cake. I found her face to be so interesting that I forgot to take a photo of the rice cake.
Rice steamed in bamboo: Yummy!!
The Chef's herb garden
We then had a breakfast break where we stuffed ourselves as the hotel has the best buffet breakfast I’ve experienced. (Well, the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo has a Dom Perignon champagne breakfast that is over 200 USD per person that is spectacular but Le Meridien's was included in the room price!) In addition, Chef Suphot had the kitchen prepare an omelet using one of the vegetables he bought at the market. After stuffing ourselves, it was time for our lesson. The Sous Chef Kamsin, was our instructor and he was fabulous. We chose the Northern Thai class which was so different from the Thai food I was used to in SoCal and in Bangkok. And the setting was fabulous as it was out on a covered terrace overlooking the pond. Chef Kamsin and a young chef from his staff taught us how to make 4 dishes and sticky rice. Unlike Southern Thailand, in Northern Thailand sticky rice is preferred type of rice. We took lots of photos and learned alot about the different seasonings and spices used in Northern Thai cooking. I found it very interesting to use Fish Sauce to season the dishes. Everything was first class. One big worry we had was how are we going to eat the lunch after a very filling breakfast. Well our worries were unfounded because they kept our meal for us in the kitchen so that we can enjoy it for dinner.
Me and the Teachers
Some of the ingredients we used
Larb Muang
Tom Yam Jin Gai
Kaeng Hung Lay
Nam Prig Ong
I spent the rest of the afternoon at the spa. I had a wonderful body scrub, massage and pedicure and I needed it! I stubbed my toe on the first day of the vacation while walking around Phnom Penh in flip flops. Looks like I'm going to lose the toe nail but at least it is painted red now so is not the ugly black and blue color.
I came back from the spa just in time for dinner. I found Sandra all dressed up with make up on and her new aquamarine earrings she bought in Cambodia. Unfortunately, I did not have any make up with me but at least I wore a dress and did feel good after the fabulous spa experience. When we got to the restaurant, they had a table all ready for us and served us the dishes we made and some "bonus" food! We also learned that our lesson was not finished and that after dinner we were to make our dessert - banana fritters! The pastry chef taught us how to make it. I was the photographer while Sandra was cooking. Lots of fun! The banana fritters were served with ice cream. Yum! After stuffing ourselves, we called it a nite.
Bonus food: I can't remember what the fruit is called but it had a very strong sweet/sour taste. I thought it was OK but it is definitely a taste to be acquired. The greens were very bitter. It was difficult to eat.
Banana Fritters
The next day and last day of our vacation was a lazy day. We thought of exploring Chiang Rai but decided to just hang out in the hotel instead as it is a gorgeous hotel. We were able to check out late (4pm) and when checking out, a surprise was waiting for us. Chef Suphot and Sous Chef Kamsin came to see us and gave us our recipes and a gift - a framed photo of Sandra and I! We also got a certificate of completion signed by both chefs. Wow, now that is service. I've always been interested in doing a cultural tour of Thailand and will definitely go back to Chiang Rai and stay at Le Meridien.
Since we had about 3 hours to kill before heading to the airport, we decided to check out the market and glad we did as we saw many different types of snacks including fried bugs! We then had to leave for the airport to catch our flight to Bangkok. Sandra and I had another fabulous trip to an exciting part of the world. Although the scenery was gorgeous, again, it was the people we met during the trip that made it memorable and special.
Bugs!
The pineapples are so cute!
Qual eggs sunny side up.
Pretty sushi
The market was alive with townspeople and tourists like me.
