Thai Food Jones
on 03/28/2008 at 08:34 PM
We have a Thai place just outside the main gate here @ Cannon. I called Saeng one night, she asked if I wanted regular hot or Thai hot. I said Thai. It was. Oh GOD it was good! Of course, I really LOVE a good KimChee. One of my NCOICs in the past had a Korean wife, and she would make it fresh for me whenever I’d ask. EVERYbody in the shop would leave when I’d pop the lid on my jar. The guys at POL across the sidewalk knew when I’d pop that lid. Paradise! And we’ve got a Korean food shop here in Clovis that makes a really good one. And the KimPop is to die for. Oh, the wonders of a long and varied military career, and a mother who always said “Try it, you might like it”. Even as a child, I was far more adventurous than many adults. It’s been worth it to experience “beyond our borders” delights. Baloot never did much for me, but rice bugs weren’t bad.
My neice was a Korean interpreter in the AirForce, so I’ve *heard* of Thai/Korean hot although I’ve never experienced it personally. But when I read this, it made me think of the time my brother took my 77 year old mother to a Mexican restaurant less than 5 miles from the border. We have a long-standing tradition of letting each other taste something from one another’s plates to see if they like it. He oredered something, I don’t remember what, and passed it to her to taste. The people who worked there, who all knew my brother by name, all tried to talk him out of letting a 77 year old great-grandmother taste it, tried to tell him it was too spicy. While they were trying to talk him out of it, she took a bite. The poor folks looked like they had just seen their business end, like they were looking at the birth of a lawsuit that would break them, if not the death of a favored customer’s aged mother.
My mother took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, and said, “Mmmm, very good. Muy bueno, gracias.” While the owner stood there in shock, my brother just looked at him, smiled, waved dismissively and said, “Tejano.”It was truly a Kodak moment.
GoF - if you ever get the chance, try some. Korean cuisine is very different from Thai. Both are completely different from Mexican. Even the hots are different, because they use peppers with vastly different flavors. If you are used to eating Texas chili that packs a big kick, or real Jamaican Jerk made with fresh peppers, or that Pakistani spicy chicken, then you can handle it. CM’s mom had good advice; try some and see. Just start with mild, and ask for the spices on the side. You can always add more hot, but you can’t take it out.
MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmGooooooooooooooooood. I like mine COOL!
Oh yes! I’ve long enjoyed a local Thai restaurant. Delicious stuff and the spices are nuclear grade - just the way I like ‘em. I still can’t even pronounce most of the dishes, but the waitress/owner is kind and patient and it’s all been delicious.
WOW, That there spices sounds like the ticket Dr.Jeff.....Just what you need!
I make a Chinese/Japanese/American oriental version of our Oriental night - we keep adding as we find something we like - I have had Korean - love most of it - can’t find decent recipes (ok - don’t search the Web enough - usually disapointed with online recipes). . .Have one quasi-Greek in my lineup - Gyros not like is sold around America - surprizingly a German married to one of my hubby’s men taught it to me - absolutely fab. Mexican - I can eat what I make - and my greatest cook’s moment was when one of my hubby’s guys in Germany asked him where he got sopapillas (first time I’d cooked them) felt great that he recognized what they were! I hate Tex-Mex (too bland) and surprizingly outside of Ft Hood - not many good Mex options - glad I could make my own. CA Mex - will put me into the hospital (and my poor daughter can’t quite understand why I’m having a problem with her newly learned [from a CA raised Hispanic] Mexican cooking is doing me in. . .
As for Thai - I’ve never gotten over the appearance - it is not my cup of anything. . .kimchee and I are also not on speaking terms - I’ve been introduced to Korean, Filipino and Hawaiian - a real lost cause. Even Saurkraut - will eat homemade in Germany - won’t touch any out of can, ever. Good story on kimchee however, as I said I encountered Hawaiian version - in of all places Germany. Friend had a wonderful story about it, as we were discussing landlords, learning functional German and life in general. Her landlord asked what her kimchee pot was - she was attempting to explain it - cabbage caught her landlord’ s ear - so she asked for a taste. Friend kept saying heiss (hot) - woman takes a taste and tears flowing said - Scharf, scharf nichts heiss (Spicy, spicy not hot)!
Your description of eating Thai is a lot like going native and eating chilli in TX - back here in OH, I’ve been re-acquainted with ‘chilli’ - as in the local Skyline (et al) chilli - and believe me - it is not chilli at all. Use to say in TX, if your nose and eyes aren’t running and sweat isn’t pouring - it ain’t chilli. . .Or done.
I have to agree - the joy of eating around the World - and with others who have been even farther - makes for wonderful eating.
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