For all the gourmands out there who fancy themselves epicurean artists as well as mere eaters, a great way to experience a culture is to learn to cook its traditional dishes. This idea can conjure up scenes of one being made privy to your new BFF’s abuela’s close guarded family recipes after you’ve been invited into their home to help prepare a family meal. However, for the introverts who take a little longer to meet the locals or for those with only a few days to spare in one place, a great alternative is to sign up for a cooking class.
I am so enthusiastic about Thai cuisine that that was exactly how I spent my first day in Thailand. And it was marvelous.
There were copious course pamphlets at hostels and restaurants, many catering to vegetarians as well. I asked the desk of my hostel, Julie’s Guesthouse, whom they recommended and they had pictures and reviews from a few places. They signed me up with Thai Farm Cooking and I was picked up at my hostel in Chiang Mai and after a few stops at a few more hostels we arrived at a market. We were given lists of what to purchase and stocked up on a few essentials (don’t worry, the teachers help you find what you need, and it feels like a culinary, cultural scavenger hunt).
We then got back in our songtow (truck with benches) and headed over to the farm. We took a delightful stroll through the gardens, received an agriculture lesson, and then started to cook!
We each picked 6 dishes off a menu to cook, and I wish I had chosen spring rolls. Those are tricky and would have been nice to get a tutorial. And be warned: Making curry with a mortar and pestle takes a long, long, long time. There is no short cut. Just elbow grease.
By around noon we were ready for the best part: eating! Thai teachers and foreign students all sat down to a shared lunch and passed a delightful meal together. I dug into my spread so fast, I didn’t even have time to snap a picture. It was arroi mak mak (very delicious)!
You can check our Thai Farm Cooking if you are planning any trips to Chiang Mai, or peruse their website for delicious and authentic Thai recipes.