What a great way to start off my first official blog- by mentioning the wonderful article in the LA Times about looking for the "other" menu while dining in Thai Town. I will always have a soft spot in my tummy for Thai Cuisine. A few years back, I made two trips out to Thailand and then took a Thai cooking course in Berkeley with Kasma Loha-unchit, author of "It Rains Fishes: Legends, Traditions, and the Joy of Thai Cooking", a wonderful collection of authentic Thai dishes. Every one I've tried rocks my world and I highly recommend this book if you want to impress yourself and others with some amazing curries and stirfries.
So apparently, the Thais, like the Chinese, have "secret" menus at their restaurants. I'm looking forward to checking this out because even when I go to Thai Town, I find some of the dishes, quite frankly, suck. At least they are not made with fresh ingredients, which I might understand if you lived in Nebraska(where it might be tricky to score some Thai Basil or Tamarind Paste). But here in LA, there should be no excuse for not making everything with fresh bird chilies, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves...you get the point. Anything you want can be found in a Thai Town grocery store. I find it insulting that several popular restaurants in Thai Town will take shortcuts and use prepackaged ingredients.
But then again, I guess that's how they are able to have lunch specials for $3.99.
Anyway, here is the link to the article that appeared in the LA Times today:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-thai19sep19,0,4880707.story?coll=la-home-middleright
And if you are in Northern California and want to take a Thai course that will change your life, visit Kasma's website:
http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com
Kasma also does two-week cooking classes/tours in Thailand, taking you to small villages and off-the-beaten-path kind of places.
Stay tuned for future posts. I will be sharing recipes of some great dishes and introduce, for the first time, my "mish mash" recipes.
Good eatin'!
L
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