Food Pointing

Breakfast in the garden

Most of our days in Chiang Mai start with breakfast in the garden of our guest house.  One day, while we were waiting to be served, I went up to the balcony of our room and took the attached photo.  Usually there would have been more of our group present, but this was a Saturday and we were the only ones not sleeping in past six a.m. - crazy seniors.  But Kathleen is not really alone - she has her iPad with Scrabble!   Kathleen often has fruit with yogurt while I most often enjoy good old bacon and eggs with coffee.

Coconut Milk

At the CMU dinner

We have done a lot of our shopping at a neighbourhood of Chiang Mai known as the Night Bazaar, so we frequently eat there as well.  One of our favourite spots (introduced to us by John Evans) has a system of purchasing coupons to be used at various stalls that convert coupons into food or drinks.  Because of our non-existent Thai language, it is a point-and-hope situation, but most of the time the food is delicious and always interesting.  On one occasion, Kathleen ordered a coconut with two straws. The coconut milk didn't go down too quickly (we have learnt something in 44 years of marriage) and it was very refreshing.

Many of our lunches have been eaten in the CMU cafeteria and this has also been also a point-and-eat situation. Most of the time it has worked out well and choices are always very inexpensive, but there were a few times when flames could be seen coming out of our mouths. One of the food highlights there was eating the cooking class results, as noted in a previous blog entry.

Thai dancing girls

One evening our whole group attended a traditional Thai dinner set up by our hosts at CMU.  We sat on the floor in front of low tables but there were cushions and a place to put our feet so it was quite comfortable for us westerners.  During dinner we were entertained with traditional Thai music and dance.

Thai BBQ

Another interesting meal we shared with John Evans and Madi and Jen was at the Thai version of an outdoor BBQ.  There was one long table with all the ingredients laid out.  You chose from those (no pointing in this case) and then cooked them at your own table over a charcoal fire with an inverted cone over it.   The cone had a place for liquids around the edge while the center part could be used for grilling. The juices from the grilling ran down into the liquid so you basically made soup at the same time as you were grilling your meat.   There were no labels on anything so all I could figure out was that some items were vegetable and some were meat.  By trial and error I discovered the bacon so I enjoyed that while Kathleen enjoyed the vegetables and whatever soup was produced - all cooked over the same fire.  It was fairly warm sitting right next to the fire and all the time I was hoping the brazier was well supported as it was just over my knees.

Huen Phen dinner for two

On anther evening we visited a restaurant that had been recommended by Colin Ying, a friend of Kathleen's whom she knew forty years ago and who currently lives in Australia.  The Huen Phen seemed like a very traditional Northern Thai (Lanna) restaurant. We were the only farang (foreigners) in a full house. I doubt if it has changed at all since Colin was there. We did not understand the menu but we figured out there was a dinner for two so we had that - selected by pointing, of course.  I have no idea what we ate but we finished it all in short order so it was either very good or we were very hungry.

We also enjoyed the meals during our recent stay at a Karen village.  Every meal included rice and was accompanied by locally farmed fish, chicken, or pork, and vegetables we had no way of recognizing. But the organic food must have agreed with us because we both felt very healthy on that diet.

We have obviously been greatly enjoying eating in Thailand.  When we return to Canada the moment of truth will come when we find out what our scales will say about all the rice we have consumed .