Lonely Planet World Food Thailand (Lonely Planet World Food Guides) - Softcover

Cummings, Joe

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1864500263 ISBN 13: 9781864500264

Publisher: Lonely Planet, 2000

Synopsis

From pulse-pounding Bangkok to tranquil villages moored along the Mekong River, Thai cuisine is as rich and diverse as the culture it sustains. This unique culinary guide takes you to the heart of the kingdom's food culture. Here you will discover what Thais mean by im jai (full heart), and expression that fuses culinary satisfaction with contentment in life.

• the essential guide to the culture of food & drink in Thailand
• an exploration of the regional influences that make up Thai cuisine
• descriptions of utensils required for authentic Thai cooking
• the definitive culinary dictionary, a quick-reference glossary and useful phrases for every food & drink occasion
• tantalising photography & recipes

About this title

Review

If you've already been to Thailand, you may doubt that any book, even a Lonely Planet guide, could do justice to the bounty of wonderful food to be found there. With recipes for favorite dishes, mouthwatering photos, and excellent commentary, World Food Thailand will make a believer out of you. You'll learn basic phrases (for instance, if you want something hot and spicy, simply say: "châwp phèt"), the names of every delicious edible item seen at the market, and how to read menus. It's a great tool for preparing for a trip--with hints on what dishes not to miss in each region, from Muslim Curry in the south to Tôm Khaà Kài in Bangkok to Burmese-style curry in the north, as well as cultural pointers to help you avoid social gaffes. World Food Thailand also reflects the cultural and ethnic infusions that have added to Thai cuisine over that centuries, ranging from Chinese, Laotian, Malaysian, and even New World ingredients. Can you imagine Thai food without chilies and peanuts? Even if the only journey this book inspires is one to the grocery store, you'll be entering an exciting new era in your kitchen. --Jhana Bach

About the Author

Joe Cummings was born in New Orleans, and raised in California, France and Washington DC. In high school he developed a taste for rock guitar and subversive politics, playing in a succession of garage bands while publishing an underground newspaper. After he graduated from college, the Peace Corps granted his request to be posted to Thailand, where he served as an English lecturer at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology in Bang Mot, Thonburi. He later earned a master's degree in South Asian Civilization from the University of California at Berkeley, and was a scholar in residence at the East-West Center in Hawaii.      His Thailand guide for Lonely Planet was the first guidebook to that country written in English since 1928. An instant success, it remains one of the bestselling guidebooks ever published. He has authored over 45 other books, including coffeetable books, phrasebooks and travelogues.      Joe has twice been honored with the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Gold Award and is also a recipient of Mexico's Pluma de Plata (Silver Quill) for outstanding foreign journalism on Mexico. He never gave up the guitar, and continues to jam regularly at clubs in Thailand, where he makes his home.

Edition details

• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1864500263
• ISBN 13: 9781864500264
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288