McMorran in Singapore: January 2013

One of our favorite activities while traveling is to take a cooking class. While I recognize the irony that we only do this in the developing world (Vietnam, Thailand), I can only conclude that a) such classes are not as visible and/or popular in places like Prague and b) we are attracted to certain places in part because of the food, so we search for these opportunities.

In Chiang Mai we found dozens of cooking schools to choose from, and we decided on Thai Cottage Home Cookery School - quite a long name for such a tiny business.

Transportation to the cooking school - pick-up service

Our class began with a walk to a local market, where our teacher guided us through the various stalls and explained some of the items we would use.

Our chef introducing us to ingredients necessary for Thai food

So many fresh vegetables

Galanga and ginger, essentials in Thai cuisine

Explaining white eggplants and other items I can no longer identify

Then she left us to explore on our own for about 20 minutes while she collected what we would need for our green curry, pad thai, tom yam gum, papaya salad, and spring rolls. While at the market, we could not help photographing the rich colors and textures of the produce, rice, meat, and other items we typically see packaged in plastic. The display of ingredients is clearly an art form designed to attract customers.

Appetizing displays of rice

Fish grilling at the market

Coconuts ready to be cut open and drunk

The meat counter is never as appetizing as the fruits and vegetables to me

Customers getting fresh fruit juice

Another cooking class right behind ours

Even desserts, with freshly grated coconut, are for sale at the market

After the market we returned to the school and began chopping and frying vegetables. The greatest surprise of this experience was just how quickly most Thai dishes can come together. In fact, we felt a bit frustrated at times waiting for something to do between courses. The entire process usually involves heating some oil, flash frying some chicken, prawns, and/or vegetables, then adding some liquids to make the sauce. Done. Eat.

Walking back to school with our ingredients

Everything we need

Assembling the ingredients

Adding sauces

Ready to cook

With a large wok and the right ingredients Thai food is very easy to prepare. One thing I like about cooking schools like this one is the emphasis on how simple the cuisine can be to prepare. It takes the mystery and challenge out of it and makes it accessible.

Making soup

Finished hot and sour soup

Everything assembled for pad Thai

H's completed sweet and sour chicken

Papaya salad

Ready to make an egg roll

Frying egg rolls

Complete meal of egg rolls, papaya salad, green curry and rice - fantastic!

Our first break of the new year came in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Before this trip we had only been to Thailand once, to the island of Phuket, which I am not fond of. This trip was more my style - backpacking in an old city, trekking into the foothills, staying one night on a mountaintop with no electricity or flush toilets, and taking a cooking class. I promise I did not twist H's arm to agree to do this, and she assures me that she likes this kind of travel - less time in resorts and more time backpacking and "roughing it." She is not about to agree to a three month trek across Central Asia, but it's a start.

Waking to a view of the low-slung houses of old Chiang Mai

The signs of a backpacker haven

Chiang Mai is a backpacker's paradise, with services for all of your needs. We spent our first day walking around, enjoying the cooler weather, getting a massage, and eating good food. Then we booked an overnight excursion to trek in the foothills.

Our truck and fellow passengers

The next morning we jumped into the back of a small pickup truck with a topper and headed out of town with six others (from Germany and Austria). The trip began with two stops along the way - one at an orchid farm and another at an elephant camp. You cannot opt out of such side stops, since the guide earns some extra money by taking tourists to these places.

Typically, the guide earns a commission when one of his (all the guides we saw were men) tourists purchases an item at the gift shop. Upon arrival to the orchid farm, we were welcomed with a cut orchid pinned by a woman working there. This kind gesture doubles as a way of indicating the guide we are with, since each flower is pinned in a segment of a cut straw that has a colored piece of tape on it. All members of one group are given the same color of tape, and if one of us buys an orchid t-shirt or pendant, the sales clerk can see which group we are with and compensate the guide accordingly. This diminishes the hospitality one feels when receiving a free flower at the entrance. The impression resembles that of receiving a lei in Hawai'i. However, it is an effective and subtle way to channel commissions back to the appropriate guide.

Orchid farm

Drinking straws cut into sections and fitted with a safety pin and colored tape. Each straw functions as a tiny vase to hold an orchid attached at the orchid farm entrance to each visitor's shirt. The "gift" feels like a show of Thai hospitality but doubles as a way to identify which tour group we belong to.

The next stop was at an elephant camp. Here, tourists ride elephants from one camp to another along a road. It is not as thrilling or adventurous as riding through a forest or crossing a river, but for many it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The highlight for our group was the adorable baby elephant that accompanied us. We bought some bananas from the guide to feed the elephants. I'm sure the price was marked up, but we couldn't see anything wrong with the system, and the animals didn't seem abused. The baby stepped on H's foot (video here) when she got too close to its mother!

Enjoying the ride

The view from atop the elephant

Our gentle giant

Lunch following the ride

The highlight was the trek into the mountains, a three to four hour hike nearly all vertical through thick undergrowth. Along the way, one member of a trailing group was bitten by a snake. This made for some tense moments, with our guide sucking out poison and then helping the tourists, from Spain, back down the mountain to the nearest hospital. We met him the next day, and he seemed better. The snake had not been poisonous.

Moments after the snake bite

At the end of the hike was a village inhabited by refugees from Myanmar who have been there for decades. In a show of assistance, several years ago the Thai government agreed to provide safe drinking water for them if they agreed not to grow illegal drugs. This water makes it easier for visitors like us to stay the night. Having no electricity becomes a positive attribute, with our guide explaining we would stay in a "million star hotel." The sky was especially clear that night, and I would happily return to see the million stars again.