CB-Come With Me: Thursday. Thai Cooking School.

Thursday. November 6th.

It is another drizzly day. But that's OK, we are off to Thai cooking school. I am excited about this because I am not an adventurous cook or eater. I shy away from spices and things are unfamiliar. It is just easier to have a bologna sandwich sometimes.

The cooking school is on a local organic farm about 20 km out of the city. They pick us up at our hotel and we pile into the back of a pick up truck, 11 of us. Fortunately there are seats and a canopy!

First stop, Raum Chok market to pick up some ingredients that they do not grow at the farm. Our guide and instructor Cheeky Benny takes us through the market showing us some of the things that are important for Thai cooking. of course there is rice, 20 some varieties. And curry paste - red, green, yellow curry paste. Coconut - shaved, grated, milk, cream. Exotic fruits and vegetables. And meat - even the pig's head and feet! But that's not what we are cooking - thank heavens. I didn't admit that we used to used make and eat head cheese!

Coconut.

All kinds of rices.

We arrive at the school. It is a lovely place. Four separate classrooms each its own building with an outdoor patio. The kitchen has small gas hotplates, butcher block workstation. It is bright and clean and cheerful.

Part of our group.

Benny is our instructor. She is a firecracker, enchanting. A great sense of humour she makes the day fun and lively. But she is a wealth of knowledge. She takes us on a tour of the gardens where she grows fresh herbs. She picks the ones we will be using and puts them into the straw basket she carries. Coriander, lemongrass, chives, galangal, kaffur lime.

Benny.

Back in the classroom we make our own chili paste. I have chosen green curry because I think (and hope) it tastes a little less like curry! We make a green curry and chicken dish. Coconut milk soup with shrimp, which is delicious. Pad Thai. And mango with blue sticky rice for dessert.