You know you are in an Asian store when the signs above the aisles have the following (this is the high end, fancy grocery store in the mall):
Pickled Green Mustard
Religion Goods - incense stick & candle
Fish Sauce
Instant Curry Paste
Coconut Milk
Bean Thread
Exterminate Rat
Bird's Nest Beverage
Essence of Chicken
Cuttlefish
Seasoned Seaweed
Yakisoba (have no idea what this is)
And down one aisle there was Smuckers, Hershey's & Campbell's soup & right across the aisle was all the food from Japan - seaweed, fish snacks, miso - just seemed amusing to have different stuff in the same aisle, but I guess it was the international aisle.
I was actually looking for pie crust & pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie for one of the women at the office. It is her birthday on Monday & she asked if I'd make pumpkin pie. So I went to 4 different allegedly "Western" grocery stores, but no canned pumpkin & finally found pie crust at the last one (I just hate making pie crust from scratch). So I bought a Japanese pumpkin & cooked it up - a lot cheaper & probably will be just as good if not better. Doesn't seem as strong a flavor as USA pumpkin. Found a good recipe on foodnetwork.com by Paula Dean that has cream cheese in it, so should be good.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sun Suk Wan Mae - Happy Mother's Day
Mother’s day in Thailand is Aug 12, which is The Queen’s Birthday. It is a national holiday! Each day in Thailand has a color, for instance Monday is yellow & The King was born on a Monday, so yellow is The King’s color. The Queen was born on a Friday which is blue (for all my southern friends – it’s a Carolina blue); thus, today most people were wearing blue shirts to honor The Queen. There are large photos of The Queen at various ages posted all over the city with blue ribbons surrounding them. Some of the main streets are lit up with white lights like we have a Christmas.
For lunch I met up with an Aussie friend of mine who works full-time, so only time we can meet is on holidays. She brought a friend with her that she’s just met (he’s staying in the same building & visiting Bangkok for 10 days). He’s an American, on vacation from Afghanistan, where he works in the police headquarters as a lawyer. He couldn’t share a lot about his work, but he was very glad to be away for a few weeks. We met at the ferry pier & took the ferry up the river to the last stop. This took almost an hour since it stops at all the stops along the way – 30 in all. I was surprised that we were still in an urban setting this far from the main city. Being a holiday, there were huge groups of blue shirted people on the ferry enjoying their day off. We enjoyed a simple lunch by the river & then headed back.
For dinner I was invited out with my Thai friend, Pam, who is also the Thai language teacher I’ve worked with before. She is the one who last spring invited me to her nephew’s 2nd birthday party at her brother’s home that was like a wedding. So the family sort of knows me. She was meeting her family for a Mother’s Day dinner in Chinatown. She had found out that John as out-of-town & didn’t want me to be alone. I told her I would go, but she had to let me pay for my meal & she agreed & said it would be about 1,000baht ($34).
Pam has 7 siblings & all but 1 was there. There were 2 sisters-in-law also, so 12 people at the “adult” table. At the other table were her nephews & nieces & their various spouses & the one grandkid (the one whose birthday party I went to), another 12 people. I felt right at home with this big noisy family.
Pam told me that Chinese restaurants like this serve a 10 course meal. They were very impressed that I could use chop sticks so well, because some of them asked for forks & spoons (that is what Thai’s use for eating). After some appetizers, we had shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy & had I known that is what it was I might not have eaten it (just feel sorry for those poor sharks). Next came fried soft shell crab, scallops, crab & egg & onion mixture. Then another delicacy called sea cucumber, that is not actually a plant, but also not a fish. It is very difficult to clean & cook, which makes it a delicacy – it was delicious. There was fried river prawns (shrimp) which are gigantic, almost like lobster. Some vegetables were brought out next, then a whole fish that was cooked & cold with gelatin surrounding it. Next they bought fried noodles. The last thing was Peking Duck – but there was no actual duck meat, just the skin, which you wrap in a small flour pancake, add some onion & cucumber slices & special sauce & eat with your hands. Peking Duck is another delicacy because it takes so long to get the skin brown & perfectly crispy.
Finally we were at dessert. They brought out some sweet dumplings with yellow bean curd in the middle. The dumplings are white & have red Chinese writing on the top of each one. They are for good luck. The mother went around the table & made a ceremony of giving each of her children & me one & saying “Good luck to you, may you be happy, healthy & wealthy in the coming year.” Then the other mother’s went to their children & did the same thing. It was really nice & the dumplings were delicious. The final thing was a thin sweet cold soup with tapioca & beans & coconut slivers.
There was certainly plenty of food, but I didn’t feel stuffed, just very satisfied. It was nice to be around a family having a fun meal. I did get to talk to one niece who graduated from Duke with her MBA. So we talked North Carolina a bit. Most of the young people spoke English well, but I only was at the table for a short time. The older folks had limited English, but they tried very hard to include me in the conversation & Pam was good about translating. They gave out buttons that said “I (heart) Mom” (in English) & flowers to each of the Moms. When we left the restaurant gave each Mom a traditional flower bracelet made from jasmine (the Mother’s day flower) tiny red roses & love flowers. I love these bracelets because the smell so wonderful. They are sold along the street for people to buy to take to the temple as an offering. Whenever I pass a vendor I always take a deep breath to get the full aroma of the jasmine!
So that was my Thai Mother’s Day!
For lunch I met up with an Aussie friend of mine who works full-time, so only time we can meet is on holidays. She brought a friend with her that she’s just met (he’s staying in the same building & visiting Bangkok for 10 days). He’s an American, on vacation from Afghanistan, where he works in the police headquarters as a lawyer. He couldn’t share a lot about his work, but he was very glad to be away for a few weeks. We met at the ferry pier & took the ferry up the river to the last stop. This took almost an hour since it stops at all the stops along the way – 30 in all. I was surprised that we were still in an urban setting this far from the main city. Being a holiday, there were huge groups of blue shirted people on the ferry enjoying their day off. We enjoyed a simple lunch by the river & then headed back.
For dinner I was invited out with my Thai friend, Pam, who is also the Thai language teacher I’ve worked with before. She is the one who last spring invited me to her nephew’s 2nd birthday party at her brother’s home that was like a wedding. So the family sort of knows me. She was meeting her family for a Mother’s Day dinner in Chinatown. She had found out that John as out-of-town & didn’t want me to be alone. I told her I would go, but she had to let me pay for my meal & she agreed & said it would be about 1,000baht ($34).
Pam has 7 siblings & all but 1 was there. There were 2 sisters-in-law also, so 12 people at the “adult” table. At the other table were her nephews & nieces & their various spouses & the one grandkid (the one whose birthday party I went to), another 12 people. I felt right at home with this big noisy family.
Pam told me that Chinese restaurants like this serve a 10 course meal. They were very impressed that I could use chop sticks so well, because some of them asked for forks & spoons (that is what Thai’s use for eating). After some appetizers, we had shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy & had I known that is what it was I might not have eaten it (just feel sorry for those poor sharks). Next came fried soft shell crab, scallops, crab & egg & onion mixture. Then another delicacy called sea cucumber, that is not actually a plant, but also not a fish. It is very difficult to clean & cook, which makes it a delicacy – it was delicious. There was fried river prawns (shrimp) which are gigantic, almost like lobster. Some vegetables were brought out next, then a whole fish that was cooked & cold with gelatin surrounding it. Next they bought fried noodles. The last thing was Peking Duck – but there was no actual duck meat, just the skin, which you wrap in a small flour pancake, add some onion & cucumber slices & special sauce & eat with your hands. Peking Duck is another delicacy because it takes so long to get the skin brown & perfectly crispy.
Finally we were at dessert. They brought out some sweet dumplings with yellow bean curd in the middle. The dumplings are white & have red Chinese writing on the top of each one. They are for good luck. The mother went around the table & made a ceremony of giving each of her children & me one & saying “Good luck to you, may you be happy, healthy & wealthy in the coming year.” Then the other mother’s went to their children & did the same thing. It was really nice & the dumplings were delicious. The final thing was a thin sweet cold soup with tapioca & beans & coconut slivers.
There was certainly plenty of food, but I didn’t feel stuffed, just very satisfied. It was nice to be around a family having a fun meal. I did get to talk to one niece who graduated from Duke with her MBA. So we talked North Carolina a bit. Most of the young people spoke English well, but I only was at the table for a short time. The older folks had limited English, but they tried very hard to include me in the conversation & Pam was good about translating. They gave out buttons that said “I (heart) Mom” (in English) & flowers to each of the Moms. When we left the restaurant gave each Mom a traditional flower bracelet made from jasmine (the Mother’s day flower) tiny red roses & love flowers. I love these bracelets because the smell so wonderful. They are sold along the street for people to buy to take to the temple as an offering. Whenever I pass a vendor I always take a deep breath to get the full aroma of the jasmine!
So that was my Thai Mother’s Day!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Hunting for Cedars
I have just returned to Bangkok after a wonderful 3 months in the states, visiting with family and friends. I seem to have adjusted to the time difference pretty quickly, John is not having as much luck with that. It can be a problem. My secret is sleeping pills for the first week, does wonders.
This blog is a bit different from my usual blogging. My brother, Hubs & good friend, Reed, have been encouraging me to write some poetry, so here is an attempt. It is about a day that I spent with my father & have recalled it fondly & just wanted to get my feelings about it down. The photo is from Dad's 88th birthday party & I gave him a fly swatter crown, flies & squirrels are his his constant enemies.
Enjoy:
HUNTING FOR CEDAR WITH THE WISEMAN
Summer 2009
The Wiseman, my father, creates furniture from cedar trees.
It is a family tradition, passed down from his grandfather.
For some reason, in the past, it’s only the boys who get the “training”.
Is it because they are the ones who show the interest or just how it’s always been?
I feel sad I was not more interested in the past, I decide to make an effort.
I go to the workshop hopefully to learn, but at the least to spend time with the Wiseman.
I watch his aged hands pull the drawshave along the raw wood that will become a leg for his table.
I observe as he measures, sands, fits the pieces together.
I note the joy and sometimes frustration on his face as he works the wood.
I regret not having observed these things before & not having learned this from him.
I am selfish when I ask that the next table be for ME,
I crave some legacy of his craft, his knowledge, his loving touch of the wood & his creation.
I am thrilled when he asks me to be his assistant in a hunt for new cedar.
“It is the season”, he says, “this is when the bark will peel easily.”
We choose our weapons – a bow saw, loppers & his trusted cane.
I follow him, feeling like a young child filled with trust & admiration.
I have images of a young Native American child following the wise elder into the woods to learn the craft of creating something from nature’s bounty.
He studies each tree with a trained eye.
He points with his cane, “this one is too thick, this one too narrow, that one too crooked.”
His cane follows the trunk up along with our eyes “this one is just right, cut it!”
I, the apprentice, cut the tree.
It is not easy work, but I know this will one day be a table, I visualize it.
We cut more trees until he decides it’s enough.
We drag them from the woods.
Together we peel the thick bark from the slick wood.
He is right, they are easy to peel.
We enjoy this easy task after our hard work of cutting & dragging.
We carry the wood to its drying place.
We smile at each other, a good days work!
I wonder at this Wiseman, who at times seems so frail and fragile,
But who managed the woods with energy & enthusiasm.
I wonder, will he make another table, will I get my legacy?
Then I realize, I don’t really care,
I’m satisfied to have just spent the time with him,
Sharing his wisdom, enjoying his presence, feeling his love.
This blog is a bit different from my usual blogging. My brother, Hubs & good friend, Reed, have been encouraging me to write some poetry, so here is an attempt. It is about a day that I spent with my father & have recalled it fondly & just wanted to get my feelings about it down. The photo is from Dad's 88th birthday party & I gave him a fly swatter crown, flies & squirrels are his his constant enemies.
Enjoy:
HUNTING FOR CEDAR WITH THE WISEMAN
Summer 2009
The Wiseman, my father, creates furniture from cedar trees.
It is a family tradition, passed down from his grandfather.
For some reason, in the past, it’s only the boys who get the “training”.
Is it because they are the ones who show the interest or just how it’s always been?
I feel sad I was not more interested in the past, I decide to make an effort.
I go to the workshop hopefully to learn, but at the least to spend time with the Wiseman.
I watch his aged hands pull the drawshave along the raw wood that will become a leg for his table.
I observe as he measures, sands, fits the pieces together.
I note the joy and sometimes frustration on his face as he works the wood.
I regret not having observed these things before & not having learned this from him.
I am selfish when I ask that the next table be for ME,
I crave some legacy of his craft, his knowledge, his loving touch of the wood & his creation.
I am thrilled when he asks me to be his assistant in a hunt for new cedar.
“It is the season”, he says, “this is when the bark will peel easily.”
We choose our weapons – a bow saw, loppers & his trusted cane.
I follow him, feeling like a young child filled with trust & admiration.
I have images of a young Native American child following the wise elder into the woods to learn the craft of creating something from nature’s bounty.
He studies each tree with a trained eye.
He points with his cane, “this one is too thick, this one too narrow, that one too crooked.”
His cane follows the trunk up along with our eyes “this one is just right, cut it!”
I, the apprentice, cut the tree.
It is not easy work, but I know this will one day be a table, I visualize it.
We cut more trees until he decides it’s enough.
We drag them from the woods.
Together we peel the thick bark from the slick wood.
He is right, they are easy to peel.
We enjoy this easy task after our hard work of cutting & dragging.
We carry the wood to its drying place.
We smile at each other, a good days work!
I wonder at this Wiseman, who at times seems so frail and fragile,
But who managed the woods with energy & enthusiasm.
I wonder, will he make another table, will I get my legacy?
Then I realize, I don’t really care,
I’m satisfied to have just spent the time with him,
Sharing his wisdom, enjoying his presence, feeling his love.
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