February 6: Chiang Mai Cooking School

I took a break from visiting temples and relaxed this morning. I had booked a Thai cooking class for the afternoon/evening, and was picked up at the hotel at 3:45 for this culinary adventure. The van travelled around Chiang Mai and picked up my fellow chefs, and from there we visited a local market to pick up the fresh vegetables, herbs and meats for our feast.

At the market we were introduced to several vegetables that were similar to, but not the same as those we might use in America. There were tiny little green eggplants, and kaffir limes and the leaves, and several different types of ginger. One long almost corrugated green thing was introduced to us as loofa — that thing we use in the shower! Then it was back into our transport — now a pick up truck with a roof and bench seating — to take us to Zabb E Lee Cooking school on the north side of the old part of town. (The name translated means “very delicious”).

There were 9 in our group and as is typical in these group events we made fast with the introductions and comparing travel notes:  a couple from Dublin, another from Brussels, a pair from SF and two separate young women both from Brisbane. We were offered a selection of several dishes so could make our own choices.  For me, it was fresh spring rolls, Tom Kha Kai soup, Pad Thai and Khow Soi (Chiang Mai curry with egg noodles). And for us all, sticky rice with mango for dessert. It was more food than I would eat at two meals, but the activity was broken up into a couple separate sections, so we could eat and then cook and then eat again. Our instructor was charming and funny and took the time with each of use to ensure that we made was edible and actually delicious.  The only dish that didn’t look perfect when complete were the fresh spring rolls — very tricky to deal with that rice paper, as I learned in Vietnam too.

It helped to have all the ingredients prepped and the dishes and pans cleaned between each course — made it all seem so simple. Of course were I do to this at home it might be an entirely different affair! All in all a very enjoyable evening and a perfect way to avoid the dreaded dining alone syndrome!