Culinary AdventuresSeptember 24, 2016

Thailand travel 29: Island hopping on Rose and Thong Krut Sunday lunch

The next morning, Sunday, we drive right down the island to the family-run Beach Restaurant at Thong Krut fishing village on Koh Samui. It’s a fave or Richard and Barb. And it’s fabulous.

Culinary TravelSeptember 6, 2016

Thailand travel 26: Jungle Club, Secret Garden and Koh Samui friends

“You’re living a fantasy movie-set lifestyle,” I comment. My mind travels to where they could be living. In a village in England. OK. English villages can be charming. But this is exotic and there’s no fog and we’re outdoors and the beer is cold. Tables in the sand. Fire artists on the beach. Warm ocean for paddling. A Tiger beer and sixties music in the background.

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amasi ice cream dessert

Culinary AdventuresSeptember 3, 2016

Kings Cuisine celebrates heritage with nouvelle isiZulu style

Durban chef blends tradition, King Shaka’s palate and childhood memories with his inspired hi-end menu featuring isigwaca (quail), umgxabhiso (tripe), imbuzi (goat), straight-out-the-water Cape salmon, […]

Culinary TravelAugust 30, 2016

Laos 25: Cheers to Luang Prabang, 3 Nagas and Mango Garden

It says “traditional Lao stew” on the Mango Garden restaurant menu. They do themselves an injustice saying on the menu that the dish has sweet basil, coriander, spring onion, chili, young eggplant — and I choose the beef for the meat option — period. It is, in fact, a pretty good version of the Lao specialty, Or Lam, which the manager admits to when I ask her and point out the wood ear mushrooms, the twist of lemongrass and the yard-long beans.

BuddhismAugust 29, 2016

Laos travel 24: Laung Prabang alms parade and morning market

The morning market opens at 6am, just after Sai Bat. To quote from the official Luang Prabang website: Lao cuisine draws almost exclusively on fresh foods. Few homes traditionally have refrigerators and modern supermarkets are rare. So at this market, you’ll find every possible type of food regionally available, including an amazing mushroom selection. Everything fresh is seasonal.

Culinary AdventuresAugust 18, 2016

Laos 22: What’s cooking at the Luang Prabang night market

The Luang Prabang night handicraft market is good for browsing and bargaining. The Luang Prabang night food market is good for indulging what with all the barbecued meats and fish and sausage and a pigs heads and all manner of meaty bits and bites cooked over fire on grills.

Culinary AdventuresAugust 18, 2016

Krakow’s Stary Kleparz Market: a must for foodies visit Poland

Krakow’s historic Stary Kleparz Market, which dates back to the 12th century, is a must for foodies who travel to Poland. It’s where locals shop and travel writer Wanda Hennig found it ‘the best’ for a sensual photo adventure.

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Culinary TravelAugust 3, 2016

Thailand travel 11. Chiangrai Saturday walking street food feast

Near the city gates in Chiangmai on Saturday night is a fabulous street food market frequented by locals and tourists that stretches on and on and has irresistible “everything” from whole fish being grilled over the fire, coated in coarse salt, to fat prawns and squid and — you name it. Smells, visual temptations and fresh fruit stands.

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Culinary TravelAugust 2, 2016

Thailand travel 10. To market, to market in Chiangmai and boomer no-buy joy

Walk down my side of the Ping River to upscale coffee shops and arty places. At some point across the Ping to Talat Warorot, which I now know is Chiangmai’s oldest and most famous market. Right next door to Talat Ton Lam Yai, which is the city’s fresh flower market.

Culinary AdventuresJuly 31, 2016

Thailand travel 4. Kamala Market cooks in a swirl of pink flounces

A walkabout in the village and down a side street brings me to a food market. It’s hot. Humid. The market is buzzing. Veggies, fish, meat, cakes. People frying stuff. Grilling stuff. And Markets are always places to be trigger-finger happy with a camera, aren’t they?

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