Jak prepares green papaya salad Usually my blog posts are from the opposite season from most other people. That’s because most of the time I live in the southern hemisphere. For this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Scott at Real Epicurean, Jak and I in the northern hemisphere at the Three Elephants Cooking School in Luang Prabang Laos. Unusually, we are cooperating with each other in the kitchen in what is the only food we have prepared for the […]
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Deep fried seaweed
It’s happy hour. Instead of one tumbler of rice whisky I am served two. At least a snack of deep fried Meekong seaweed helps line my stomach.
Water rat season
I think it may be water rat season in Phonsvanh in Laos. There are also voles, flying squirrels and deer in the market. In five minutes though the whole lot is sold. Only a single haunch and head of deer is left. What really catch my eye are the beuatiful game birds. It’s a shame you just can’t get this stuff to eat in restaurants or at street BBQs.
The meaning of chilli hot salad
Now I really do know the meaning of green papaya salad at the Srassrang View Restaurant near Angkor Wat. You’ve been working in the fields all day – or as I have cycling 40km along hot dusty roads. Your mouth is dry, your mind weak and the body is tired. Green papaya has everything you need. First the finely chopped/ grated papaya refreshes then the chilli kicks in and releases the endorphins that will keep you going. Protein comes in […]
Chicken: Thai for starters
Dragon fruit to the right. Fresh off the plane, I haven’t quite got my street food legs yet. Off for a Thai instead at Chivit Thai ( 130 Ph Wat Bo, Siem Reap 012 830 761) set is a wooden pavillion and garden. Complimentory spring rolls, a scorching green papaya salad ( I asked for hot) and fish cakes in dipping sauce. The most interesting dish was squid served with egg yolks. That’s solid yellow half yolks. The tiny squid […]
Only in Sydney…
Ed, we’re in Syd about to eat at Garfish in Manly. They have a very innovative booking system – reminscent of Dan Murphy’s famous check out process – that I think you should invite opinion on from your readers. You can’t book, but they put you on a list and call you within 30 mins of your desired eating time to confirm your table…only in Sydney…
Last of Gordon Ramsay for this year
Gordon Ramsay: “Ladies, I’m 100% real, there’s no need to pinch quite THAT hard!” Ellie the Kitchen Wench received a pack of Monsieur Truffe raspberry truffles for her winning entry (above) to my Gordon Ramsay caption competition. I think she liked them. She says: “…oh lordy, I don’t think that taking a bite of chocolate has ever made me whimper before…” Food fascist 1. No more Gordon Ramsay this year please 2. Enough of Monsieur Truffe. Gorged on 15 yesterday
We need your menu inspiration for modern artist
Julie Poulson is looking for inspiration Inflation is the bain of artist Julie Poulson’s life; pie and coke now costs $4.80. Nevertheless she is beavering away creating works for her exhibition in Cairns opening on 9 March. Her current work is ” Mango cheeks $14 a box” is taken from roughly painted roadside signs, printed, painted and assembled through stitching. Her work Hot Dog Fries is hung in the modern Italian restaurant Vivos in Palm Cove in far north Queensland. […]
ENJOY THIS … BUT READ THE FINE PRINT IN YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY BEFORE YOU GO – DON’T FORGET TO PACK THE POLICY
By Ed Charles COVER STORY It pays to read the fine print of your travel insurance policy carefully, Ed Charles writes THE air tickets are paid for. The boutique hotel and spa resort is booked. And the designer label luggage is packed. But have you bothered to check whether you have the right level of cover for that once-in-a-lifetime holiday? The likelihood is not, as illustrated by the number of complaints going before the Insurance Ombudsman, Sam Parrino. He says […]