Greyhound Cafe @ Central Chitlom

I took my Japanese friend, Mさん here for lunch. She's been in Bangkok only one month, so I wanted to introduce to this place, as it is popular with women.

I ordered....

a green apple sour (no alcohol, sorry!)...

...and a spinach & eggplant lasagne.

My friend and I chatted in Japanese only. ^_^ During our time together, I noticed:

• For me, it is very difficult to switch from Japanese to Thai. My brain was very confused.
• When switching between English and Thai, it's not so hard. Hm. Why?

My friend, from Nagoya originally, told me she had never experienced Stone Cold Creamery, so naturally, I introduced her to the shop. ^_^ Here, I tried a new taste: Chocolate Brownie. Yummy!

Making...

Ready to eat!

(The cow was a present from another friend...she noticed my affection for cows.)

Greyhound Cafe is located on 4F of Central Chitlom. Stone Cold Creamery is located on G1, near the Food Loft of Central Chitlom. Prices from 80 Baht and up. (¥240/ $2.40)

***Special News***

I will be visiting Japan from 9/1. I have gotten a request from a reader to challenge writing a "live blog". I expect the posts to be delayed by one day (posts will start from 9/2).

Thank you! ^_^/

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 6

We conclude our time at a Thai cooking school....

The final and most difficult dish was: Roasted Duck in Red Curry. The difficulty lay in making the red curry paste. We had to pound, by hand, many dried red chili peppers, using a peste and mortar. The sound was very noisy!

My work station & ingredients for the paste:

After pounding for 10 minutes, my curry paste looked like this:

Next, we watched the chef prepare this dish. Cooking red chili peppers creates a lot of smoke, and the smell is quite strong. It's important to cook at a fast pace, to minimize the smoke....

Finally, we moved to our cooking stations, where I used a wok.

My station...

There was a father-and-son team from the Netherlands, cooking in our group. I thought it was neat to see, so I took a picture. Men who cook = very cool! ^_^

After about 15 minutes, I could finish my curry. Here is the final presentation:

Ms. D and I enjoyed our experience immensely and have already made plans to visit this school again. We both would recommend this cooking school for those looking for a unique way to meet other foreigners, and to enjoy cooking/ eating Thai cuisine.

Ms. D and cutenekko:

Our class contained people from: Australia (2), the Netherlands (2), Germany (3) and Canada (me!). We hope you'll give it a try! ^_^

Our international group:

(You can easily find me, doing the crazy poses again...^_^)

Baipai Cooking school website is HERE. Highly recommended on Trip Advisor. Cost: 1,800 baht per person, you cook 3 dishes. Recipe book and a souvenir photo are included. Free pick up from your hotel for tourists. All instruction is in English. More photos are sent via email after the class has been completed; these photos are also free. ^_^

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 5

We continue our visit to a Thai cooking school....

After enjoying our Golden Bags, we learned how to cook the second dish, Chicken & Galangal in Coconut Milk. Some readers are likely wondering, "What is Galangal?" Here is a brief explanation:

Galangal is a spice native to Java. Widely used in Indonesia and Malaysia, it has a similar appearance to ginger, but is soft and easy to cut. For more information see HERE.

This dish is quite simple, but the hardest part is making sure not to burn the coconut milk. First, we watched the chef...

Then we moved to our cooking stations. My station's ingredients were all prepared...

I started cooking. In the pot, you can see coconut milk with lemongrass stalks. The ends of the lemongrass must be smashed with a hammer to release the flavor. o_O I am against all forms of violence, so this part was difficult for me. I apologized to the lemongrass, then beat it. (laugh)

Cooking...

Finally, after all the ingredients were added, the end result looked like this:

We garnished the top with red chili pepper oil and coriander leaves...except for Ms. D, who hates coriander. (laugh) The taste was nice but we both agreed: more chili peppers could have been added for a bit more "punch". (Ms. D and I had erred on the side of caution and only added one chili pepper.)

Tomorrow, we will cook the final dish. Be sure to visit again!

Baipai Cooking school website is HERE. Highly recommended on Trip Advisor.

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 4

We continue to blog about this cooking school in Bangkok...

The first dish was called Toong Tong (Golden Bags). The inside contained: minced pork, pepper, garlic, water chestnut, onion, sugar and soy sauce.

The minced pork & other ingredients:

This mixture was then placed on a spring roll sheet, wrapped and tied using a Pandanus leaf.

Our "Golden Bags" prepped and ready:

Toong Tong are deep fried, so we watched as the chef demonstrated...

...checking the temperature of the oil....

..then frying:

The students moved to their stations for the frying. After about 15 minutes, the bags changed color to a "golden brown". These are mine ^_^:

The taste was very good. I liked the crunchy shell and the tender pork inside. My friend commented: "This dish is perfect to prepare at a party!" I agree. ^_^

Please return tomorrow. We'll make the second dish, Chicken & Galangal in Coconut Milk.

Baipai Cooking school website is HERE. Highly recommended on Trip Advisor.

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 3

Ms. D and I continue our cooking lesson....

After enjoying some lemongrass tea and doning our aprons, we were ready to be introduced to the kitchen area. There were two stations:

The cooking area for students...

...and the demonstration area:

Before starting, we washed our hands of course! I thought the water tap was so unique and interesting, I took a photo....

The first dish was "Golden Bags" -- pork filled dumplings, which are deep fried until golden brown. In the demonstration area, each person had all the ingredients placed in front of them:

Our chef was very funny and kind, going through the process step-by-step.

There was even an overhead mirror to enjoy the view looking down....

There are too many photos to share, so please visit again tomorrow to see my friend and I cooking the Thai dishes. ^_^

Visit the Baipai Cooking School website HERE.

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 2

The challenge of attending a Thai cooking school continues...

We walked through Otoko Market a little more, listening to our guide explain different Thai ingredients. I found several interesting things....

A huge assortment of rice(!):

Dried chilies....

...and Thai fruit (which we ate).

Next, we piled into two vans and drove to the school. The building and grounds were spectacular.

View A:

View B:

We were served lemongrass tea before starting....

All students were given an apron, a towel, and a recipe booklet before starting. According to a friend, Japanese men love girls in aprons. I didn't know that! So, for my Japanese readers, I will show the sunny Ms. D, modeling her apron. Enjoy! (laugh)

Model wears "Baipai Full Apron" by Baipai Cooking School, Thailand:

Tomorrow's post -- onto the food and cooking! ^_^

Baipai Cooking School's website is HERE. To visit Otoko Market, take the MRT to Kamphaeng Phet station, Exit 3.

Baipai Thai Cooking School | Part 1

I used to hate cooking and relied on the kindness of my friends to be fed. A year into living in Thailand, I changed and now enjoy cooking--even when some of my creations are failures. (laugh)

My blog associate, sparkly Ms. D, asked me to join her on a challenge: attend a Thai cooking school. (!!) I said: "Why not?" while inwardly panicking after agreeing to go. My friend too, had some worries, sending me an email saying: "I hope we don't have to kill a chicken or something". Haha!

We first met our guide at Otoko Market, where we learned about common Thai ingredients. I enjoyed this part very much.

Our guide explains Thai Holy Basil...

Ginger....

...and lemongrass. ^_^

Next, we moved to another area of the market to pick up some fresh coconut milk. I was really surprised -- I didn't know you could buy it freshly squeezed! My eyes were like this--> O_O

This machine shreds the coconuts...

...then, the shredded coconut is put into this machine (a press) which squeezes out the milk.

Neat, eh? ^_^

Be sure to visit again tomorrow; I will post more photos from this market and the cooking school.

Otoko Market is a very clean outdoor food market in Bangkok. MRT Kamphaeng Phet, Exit 3. At the top of the escalator, the market is on your right. Baipai Cooking school website is HERE. Highly recommended on Trip Advisor.

The P&L Club @ Conrad Hotel | Part 4

My BK Magazine sponsored tour of this cigar & whiskey club continues....

This club houses not only cigars, but a large collection of boutique and rare whiskey. The majority is imported from Scotland.

I took many photos, as the labels were interesting....^_^

Spice Tree:

A bottle of whiskey locked in glass??? I can't imagine the price....@_@

Lady Luck:

While enjoying the taste and aroma of the cigars, the staff served us whiskey.

We sampled this whiskey, Asyla, from Scotland. It had a light oak taste with a hint of vanilla. Sorry the photo is blurry -- I took it after enjoying the whiskey. (laugh)

The Asyla Bottle:

My glass:

This event was not a normal activity for me, so I was pleased with myself for trying something new and different. For those who are interested, P&L clubs are located around the world; you too, can enjoy and try Cuban cigars with imported whiskey. ^_^

This P&L Club is located in the Conrad Hotel. 87 Wireless Road, Bangkok. BTS Ploen Chit. Website HERE. Special thanks to BK Magazine for organizing and sponsoring this event.

Readers can visit and enjoy cigars at the following locations:

In Tokyo, Japan:

The Cigar Club Le Connaisseur

- Iikura 2-3-9 Azabudai Minato-ku - Marunouchi Hotel

- The Westin - Ginza Hakua Bldg. 7-5

- Grand Hyatt - DM Bldg. 18-11 (Roppongi)

- Herbis Plaza 1F (Osaka) - Shibuya Mark City West

- Conrad Hotel - Akasaka Floral-Plaza 8-8

- The Peninsula - Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa

For those in Canada:

La Casa del Habano

- 1434 Sherbrooke West (Montreal) - 402 Hornby St. (Vancouver)

- 141 Yorkville Avenue (Toronto)

In Bangkok, Thailand:

La Casa del Habano White Chamber Cigar/The Divan

- The Oriental Bangkok - 87/2 GF, CRC Tower, Wireless Rd.

- Marriott Resort & Spa (Pattaya) - JW Marriot, 1F, Suk. Soi 4

- Grand Hyatt Erawan

- Siam Paragon GF

The P&L Club @ Conrad Hotel | Part 3

The tour of this cigar club continues...

After viewing the humidor, I moved to the tasting room. Here, the other contest winners gathered and we listened to a presentation on how cigars are made.

Our speaker, Ms. Chayanich (Ann) Lekachinabutr -- the club's manager:

I am such a nerd; I was the only one who took notes. (laugh)

Some interesting things I learned were..

• This club is the only distributor for Cuban cigars in Thailand.
• Tabacco is grown between October ~ February.
• The tabacco used is 100% organic -- no chemicals.
• A cigar has 3 layers: the filler, binder and outer wrapper. The aroma is in the filler.
• To dry the tabacco leaves, which are sorted later, takes 2 years!
• After the cigar is finished, it is aged for an additional 24 ~ 36 months!

It's easy to understand why one cigar usually costs ¥1,200 / $12. I enjoyed her lecture very much.

A wrapper sample:

Next, it was time to learn how to cut and prep a cigar. I knew this already, but played along. (laugh)

1) Cut the end off the cigar -- about 1 mm, using a cigar cutter.

The cutter:

Cigar prepped and ready for lighting:

2) Using a special cigar lighter, burn the end of the cigar until red hot. (At another cigar club in Japan, the owner said I should lightly burn the wrapper too, but when I asked at this club, they said "don't do that". It confused me! @_@

A cigar lighter (the gas is butane):

Burning:

Finally, it was time to taste and enjoy! I don't smoke at all, but there is something sexy about a cigar....I just can't refuse one. ^_^

Cutenekko です！

(It's blurry, I know. The lady I asked to take my picture had a full shot of whiskey before this..haha!):

Be sure to visit tomorrow. I will show you the whiskey which is also a house speciality. You'll enjoy the pictures very much!