chayohome2020

Beginner’s Choice: Fun Fast Food

The slow food movement is international, but some slow food is slower than others. Some traditional Asian cuisines were capable of keeping women gainfully occupied in the kitchen the whole day, and I can understand why. If curry pastes were made from scratch and every ingredient was cut, chopped, minced, grinded and pounded by handContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Fun Fast Food“

Beginner’s Choice: The Birthday Specials

Birthdays are not just to remind us that we are one year older. They are occasions to celebrate with some small detail and to give thanks. We celebrate with those closest to us and who are part of our life. Last week I went to the supermarket to buy pork knuckles. I asked for fiveContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: The Birthday Specials“

Beginner’s Choice: Fruits and Flowers

It is particularly hard to write a post this week after following the news that shook a peace-loving country – the news of the abrupt ending of the lives of twenty-four toddlers while they napped. Some were still holding milk bottles in their hands. They left the world more silently than they had entered, andContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Fruits and Flowers“

Beginner’s Choice: The Pumpkin Story

A fruit or a vegetable Have you ever asked yourself if the pumpkin is a fruit or a vegetable, or if it should be served as a savoury dish or as a dessert? Some people might just think of it as a decorative item for Halloween. I googled “pumpkin” and found that it’s a cultivarContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: The Pumpkin Story“

Beginner’s Choice: Mexican Dinner, Mocktail and More

Mexican Marvel When Carmen announced last week that she and Gen were going to cook chile poblano con queso, frijoles y mole (featured image) and quesadilla and to bake tarta de ricotta con dulce de leche I was very impressed! It was their cooking debut and it sounded very ambitious. For a start, they hadContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Mexican Dinner, Mocktail and More”

Beginner’s Choice: Kaya Toast for Breakfast and Kueh Kueh for Dessert

Every Sunday is a reason for celebration. We get to start another week. It’s a new beginning, just like the sunrise everyday which marks the start of a new day. We get another chance at making a better day, a better life, a better world… A good way to start is with a goodContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Kaya Toast for Breakfast and Kueh Kueh for Dessert“

Beginner’s choice: First Steps in Baking and Cooking

It has been a busy week as usual, but I have had time to work on the Basics of Cooking Thai Workshop materials. Val’s sourdough delight While I was thinking of what I could feature for this week’s post, Val (of Val’s Amazing Lunchbox posts) sent photos of the sourdough bread she baked, with aContinue reading “Beginner’s choice: First Steps in Baking and Cooking“

Beginner’s Choice: Miang Kum Appetizer and Mango Desserts

Discovering lesser known Thai dishes When most people think of Thai Cuisine, the dishes which come to mind are usually: tom yum goong (tom yum soup with prawns); som tam (papaya salad); pad Thai (Thai fried noodles); gaeng khiao waan gai (chicken green curry) and pad kra pao gai (basil leaf chicken). Khao Chae Recently,Continue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Miang Kum Appetizer and Mango Desserts“

Beginner’s Choice: Family, Friends and Food

Family time Cooking for the family is part family life. The family meal is often the time when the family meets, it’s the family get-together time. When the children help in preparing the meals, they take pride in the meal. Children can start helping from the time they are toddlers, like Ferninda’s boys who helpContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Family, Friends and Food”

Beginner’s Choice: A breakfast worth waking up early for

The most important meal In response to last week’s post about breakfast, Brenda wrote “Thanks for sharing more about breakfast – the most important meal of the day, but one that most people don’t wake up in time for!I usually only eat breakfast when I’m back at my parents’ house. But when I’m left toContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: A breakfast worth waking up early for“