~Maui, Upcountry Culinary Getaway~

Maui, Upcountry Culinary Getaway First of all, Happy New Year – Sawasdee Pee Mai - สวัสดีปีใหม่. I have just returned from a family vacation to Maui. While I was there I had the chance to take two days off to totally explore Maui as a culinary getaway. For foodies and culinary enthusiasts, the upcountry is a [...]

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~Amok Curry Powder Recipe, a Flavor Memory from Siem Reap~

Early Bird A Magical Sunrise Over Angkor Wat In 2010, I took a short but memorable expedition into Siem Reap, a city and province in northwestern Cambodia. The night before it began I arranged for a motor-tricycle to take two friends and me to Angkor Wat, the temple complex built for King Suryavarman II in [...]

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~Dragon Fruit Salad with Papaya and Grapefruit Recipe~

Dragon Crystal Ball - แก้วมังกร Last Tuesday a friend and I prepared a tropical fruit salad together in her kitchen to test a version of my versatile Thai mixed fruit salad recipe. It is a recipe that I have made countless times and the results are always good, though never the same due to seasonal inspirations. [...]

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~Durian: What is it? How do you open it?~

Conditional Love Durian ทุเรียน, Durio Zibethinus Merr., is a native plant to Brunei, Sarawak, Malaysia and Indonesia. Southern Thailand is a part of the Malay Peninsula and it has a tropical climate pattern similar to Malaysia. One of my memories of growing up in a village on a hilly isle of Phuket, Southern Thailand, is of the beginning of durian season. It [...]

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~Stir-fried Blue Crab with Black Pepper Recipe~

Eat Like a Local Papa Seafood Restaurant, Laem Sing, Phuket, Thailand It was less than a month ago that I was at Laem Sing, Phuket, soaking up the warm sunshine before leaving for Seattle. Laem Sing is my favorite beach for getting away for a half day—or all day—to just hang out on the beach [...]

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~Thai Spicy Stir-fried Seafood with Yardlong Bean Recipe~

A Walk for Remembering When I visit home, I often take a leisurely walk—Dern Kin Lom—เดินกินลม—in Thai this means “walk to eat the wind.” Today I walked on the beach and in the village just a bit before the sunrise, around 6am. During the first walk of each visit my mind can’t help but wander [...]

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~Thai Cooking with Coconut, What Is a Coconut?~

Chasing the Monkey Tails I have been home again on Phuket Island for a few days now but still haven’t gotten used to the weather yet. Not that I want to complain about 94°F weather that feels like 104° F because of the humidity. I always love my visits with family and the foods here [...]

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~Sweet Rice, Banana & Bean Wrapped in Banana Leaf Recipe, Kao Tom Mud~

From Las Delicias with Love It was Mother’s Day, May 8, 2011, when I arrived as part of a team of eight gracious women in the Nicaraguan village of Las Delicias. The village is situated in the hilly northern area in the Matagalpa region and is surrounded by coffee plantations. We were there with the [...]

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~Macua Cocktail with Ruby Red Recipe~

Texas BBQ Pork Ribs, Thai Side Dishes and a Nicaraguan Cocktail  I had heard so much about Austin, Texas that I was excited to get a chance to visit there. For me, the best way to get to know the town was by attending my 6th International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference. Many local culinary [...]

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~Kamala Village Open Air Market, Talad Nad Kamala~

Phuket Open Air Market at Kamala Village, Talad Nad The other day I prepared dinner for my family using Massaman curry paste that I purchased during my last trip to Phuket in March 2010. I bought it at my home town’s open air market, which is almost like the Farmers Market here in Seattle. One difference is that [...]

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~Grilled Corn with Scallion Oil Recipe~

Corn and Scallion, a perfect pair The most memorable time for me in Hoi An was getting up to see the sunrise over the Bon River while drinking Vietnamese coffee shortly before heading for the market.  Then I walked along the street, and the scenery was very beautiful. The aromas and sounds were so enlivening and the taste of the food was phenomenal. I tasted many street [...]

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~Hanoi Confetti Corn Recipe~

February 2010, Old Quarter in Hanoi Hanoi Confetti Corn from the street of Hanoi Old Quarter I love writing recipes from my culinary trip in my kitchen because it is like traveling through time.  And I love to travel, so when the journey ended then I was in pain with nostalgia. I missed the places I have [...]

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