Sammy's Organic Cookery class

Nov 12

Getting up at 7 was difficult. Think I could've slept several more hours. No sign of breakfast, it seems it doesn't start till 8, which means I'll miss it tomorrow too. I'd better get something in tonight, although it's hard to believe I'll be hungry again after today's cookery school, crikey, I'm still full up and it's nearly 9pm.
Anyway, Sammy turned up at 8.15 (actually, still no sign of breakfast....) and took us first to a food market, where all the locals buy their ingredients.

Was so hungry, I bought a banana for 10B, and then realised I didn't have any more money. Of course there was a handy ATM close by, but I still managed to lose the little case I've been using to keep my cards in. Lucky, Sammy found it for me.😊

On to his farm (where he has 20 coconut trees, and the most beautiful toilet in Chiang Mai!)
So beautiful! A lot of buildings here look a bit like they belong in a shanty town, tin roof, wobbly walls etc. His was no different, but when you get inside it was absolutely beautiful! His garden/farm covers 10 acres, and is full of Palm trees, herbs, and whatnot, all of them with a different fragrance and taste, and dotted in-between, are rest areas with hammocks, and cushions, wow, I was blown away!

And the food we cooked! I always thought of Thai food as one dimensional, ie, chilli and not much else, but there are so many flavours! I made a red Thai curry paste, stir fry chicken and cashew, chicken and coconut soup, papaya salad and mango with sticky rice. And I ate it all, which would account for the still full up feeling, 6 hours later.
I had chicken coconut soup once before, when we came to Thailand in 1994, and the first mouthful blew my head off. Luckily for me, they brought me some more, sans chilli, and it was beautiful!
What is it about chili that so many people love? It completely ruins the taste of food for me, and today was an eye opener, that so many other flavours go to make up Thai food, and that I absolutely love it!

Sammy spoke pretty good English, having studied something or other in Birmingham several years ago, we talked about winter in England, versus winter in Thailand....... He said, I love Thailand! Don't blame him, now is apparently winter, so it's only 28 degrees, and it rains a bit more. I remember struggling with the temp back in 1994, but it doesn't seem too bad now - as long as you don't spend too long in A/C rooms, you get used to it.
An excellent day, looking forward to another one tomorrow, when I do the Elephant thing.