BAMBOO SHOOTS ---naw mai

I NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAM EVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET TO PEEL FRESH BAMBOO SHOOTS IN THAILAND ---LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES

HERE ARE THE BAMBOO SHOOTS, BOILED AND READY TO PEEL

THIS IS THE BLACK HAIRY LEAVES THAT COVER THE FLESH OF THE YOUNG BAMBOO SHOOTS

THIS---- IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE AFTER THE LEAVES ARE REMOVED

A PICTURE OF THE LEAVES AND FRESH SHOOTS ALL PEELED AND READY TO SLICE ,

NOW ,THIS IS A LOT OF BAMBOO SHOOTS , WAITING FOR A GOOD COOK TO PREPARE A LOT OF WONDERFUL THAI DISHES.

HERES LUNCH, BAMBOO SHOOTS IN RED CURRY , PLA 2 FISH AND LAP MOO, AND FISH SAUCE. --------" YUM YUM "

Every season in Thailand ,brings with it a special fruit or vegetable that can be harvested during it's time, usually for a couple months.This time of the year is no exception (the rainy season) and with it comes two of my favorites.And additions, to use in cooking many Western and Thai dishes .Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots are plentiful this time of the year , and can be found at every Tuesday and Thursday market here in our small village of Whang Pho , you can also find then for sell on roadside stands all along the highway between here and Kanchanaburi , with most of their customers coming from Bangkok, after a trip in the country ,to visit the many caves and waterfalls and the famous hot springs ,up the road from us .They love to stop on their way home and buy fresh veggies along the side of the road and from the country farmers , they just taste better than the supermarket veggies for some reason, maybe it's all in our minds.

Last year Ciejay and me grabbed a bucket and a long knife and headed up to the mountain just a few hundred yards, from our house. Ott, our neighbor always goes there every few days during the rainy season and ,always comes back with a rice bag full of bamboo shoots for the meals she cooks for her family , and she always shares fresh bamboo shoots with us . But , one day last year, I wanted to give it a try for myself and also to be able to write home to my family back in the USA , that I had cut,boiled and peeled and cooked bamboo shoots fresh, right out of the jungle , what an adventure. And what a adventure it turned out to be , noone warned me about all the mosquitos, that we would encounter while cutting fresh bamboo shoots, I thought they were going to eat me alive, we got a bucket full and then got out of there . I did it one time and that's enough for me , now it's Market Day for my bamboo shoots from now on. We haven't given mushroom picking a try yet because, most of the places where they grow are closely guarded, and also a secret known only to the gathers, because mushrooms are a real money crop for lots of the Thai families in our area,lots of mushrooms grow around our mountains and jungles.

Today ,while we were visting a neighbors new home being built , the workers were taking their lunch break and they were eating fresh bamboo shoots , they invited me to share (and you know me when food is offered ) so I joined in and what a wonderful tasty dish they had prepared right there on the construction site , fresh bamboo shoots and scrambled eggs with thai chilies and onions, of course. WOW, was it ever good.. When we were leaving the boss came up to me and gave me a bag of fresh bamboo shoots to take home and cook and enjoy, which I did .

A bamboo shoot is the start of a young bamboo plant,if not harvested, it will grow into a tall bamboo plant.The leaves that cover the shoot are black and covered with tiny hairs. The black leaves are peeled off untill you can see the off-white meat inside.The white meat turns yellowish after it is cooked.When the shoot is cooked on the day that it is harvested it is very sweet.

There are many different types and sizes of bamboo shoots depending on the plant. Big ones are usually sliced and used as an ingredient in a main course dish.The little ones (half a inch in dismeter) are cut into finger size pieces and eaten as a vegetable with sauces like nam prig gapi.

In Thailand, bamboo shoots are available during the rainy season,May through October.Otherwise,they are available in cans and jars . In the US,bamboo shoots come in cans and glass jars, pickled or sour, non pickled.

When I lived in America ,I never saw fresh bamboo shoots for sell ever, but then again, I was not married to my sweet Thai wife ,except the last few years we lived there .And I had never visited an Asian Market until , I married Ciejay, and even then before ,moving to Thailand ,I was not use to the spicy and smelly (sometimes)Thai dishes, or their way of cooking things .Ciejay's sister would come for a visit and bring all kind of strange stuff with her and when they started to cook , most of the time ,I would leave the house until all the smells were gone ,and I would try and eat a little of what they had cook and act like I was enjoying it , some things I did , but some things I endured, for my sweet Ciejay's sake .

Now I am happy to report , that after 5 years here in the LOS , that, I not only love the Thai food (almost everything ) , but I also love all the strange and wonderful , spicey and pepper, smells that come out of the kitchen when Ciejay is cooking .

One of my favorite dishes of course ( the reason for this post ) is FRESH BAMBOO SHOOTS, added to many Thai dishes and also to eat as a fresh veggie dish with various sauces that Ciejay mixes up, I love them hot ,drizzled ,with fish sauce and served over a steaming hot cup of Jasmine rice . Wow I'm making myself hungry, glad dinner is almost ready , and of course there will be several dishes made with the fresh bamboo shoots from our friends, the builders. For those of you living here in Thailand, do you like fresh bamboo shoots? and do they grow in your area and do you or your Thai family or neighbors harvest them for cooking at home or as a money crop ?

Some of my info came from a site that has lots of recipes using fresh bamboo shoots , visit them sometimes if you have a chance or need a recipe for a Thai dish, you can find them at http://www.thaitable.com/ . Thanks for the read and hope you get your fill of fresh bamboo shoots before the rain stops . Malcolm

Look at Me " I'm a Mommie"

LOOK AT THAT SMILE

HEY KIDS ------ LUNCH IS THIS AWAY

I'M COMING AS FAST AS I CAN

A couple months ago I looked out the window ,to see what I thought was a set of conjoined twin doggies in front of the house , so I grabbed my camera, and was off to get a photo that I was hopeing that I could sell to a couple of tabloids, but on closer observation ,I saw that it was just the neighbors dog Pooie, locked in LOVE with one of the Soi Boys (a big black one ) from down the street , after a little cooling off period they were separated , (without surgery), and Pooie ran down the street, as another one of her Soi Boys was waiting his turn (a small brown one ) they too ran to each other and fell into each others ("should I say ARMS")and they too,soon, became locked in love and looked to me like another set of conjoined twins. Separated,( again sucessfully with out surgery) soon this time ,the neighbor saw what was happening and locked her in the gate, and for a day or two, her Soi Boys could only look at her thru the fence , pretty soon they gave up and ran down the road ,because, my own dog, Smokey had gotten jealous of all the attention Pooie was getting and ,nature stirred inside her and down the road she went ,to meet up with the Soi Boys , now I am (glad or sad ) to say that in a very short time ,I will be a grand-pa .

The man we paid for the shot asured us that it would keep nature under control , but what man of us can control nature when a mind is made up (if you know what I mean).

Well , here it is 63 days later and I am happy to announce that Pooie is the proud Mother of three of the cutiest(they all are at this age ) puppies and I have seen ( in a week --ha ha )and as usual not a Father in sight. That too, is the nature of the male Thai dogs.The pictures are of Pooie and her beautiful babies. There are two black ones and one little brown one .

I will post pictures of Smokey ,the proud Mom, and the grand-kids when they make their appearance into our world. By the way ,I have to brag and say that Pooie and Smokey are two of the smartest dogs in the hood and ,if anyone needs a good house dog , let me know in a few weeks and I'll give you PICK OF THE LITTER . Malcolm

YOKO UP-DATE

I got a couple of e-mails and calls from folks wanting to see a few pictures of the Cave Houses at the Yoko Resort and Spa, and it's only a 5 minute Honda ride to there, from the house sooooo I took off to snap a couple of pictures for the up-date .

It looks like something out of the Flintstone movie ,of a few years ago , they are building a beautiful lounge area with a swimming pool and small bar and karoke area , which will be finish in about one month , just in time for the high season here in Thailand.

Malcolm

YOKO RIVER KWAI RESORT AND SPA

CLICK ON MAP FOR LARGER VIEW

MY!!!!!! WHAT A LONG NECK YOU HAVE

THIS IS "BIG -T "

DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS THESE ARE SOOOOOO REAL LOOKING

CIEJAY LOVES THIS TUK TUK

I have never taken the time to post on the many resorts that Ciejay and I get to visit on a monthly bases, as a result of Ciejay's wine business ,as a dealer for Hanuman Winery. I'll start with one of our great customers and a really beautiful resort right on the River , the YOKO RIVER KWAI RESORT AND SPA. There's no need to call a cab or, have a tour guide ,take you to the River , all you have to do is step out of your room or bungaloo and there you are . The Resort is located on the banks of the famous River Kwai and there is a great selection of rooms and floating raft rooms , and the clay village , and the dinasour park where it looks like a trip back in time . The Yoko also has a great restaurant and lounge ,overlooking the River Kwai, and a karoke stage for your entertainment, they also have a huge Seminar and meeting room in case you want to have a business meeting along with you vacation time .The selection of rooms is up to you and your families, needs ,as there is lots of area for the whole family ,they have European style Bangalows ,Traditional Thai houses, floating bangalows on rafts and the all new Clay village ,( like living in caves in prehistoric times) you will have to see this for yourself, they are in a central location and can provide transportation, for a visit to many attractions in the local area , such as , the famous Death Railroad Viaduct, elephants treks, thru the jungle , Sai Noi Waterfalls , and a very famous old ancient village and temple ruins,they can also arrange , float trips and swimming in the River Kwai.they have transportation to and from the Train Station at our village of Whang Pho and while at the resort they provide tricycle service , and for short trips to our village and you can take a ride in their very own Tuk Tuk. They have a wonderful Organic fruit and veggie garden to grow their own produce and you can be assured of a fresh and healthy meal when you dine in the huge ,but quaint, Kobori Restaurant, (or you can take a short trip to our little village and enjoy ,lunch or dinner from lots of vendors selling their home cooked food to eat there or take back to your room ) where you will recieve some of the best service you'll find anywhere , a great staff and very importantly, there is a on site manager and security force, to make sure you stay is the best ever, and something very important to all of us "safety."And did I mention that the Resort is FAMILY FRIENDLY. Opps, I almost forgot , all the toilets are western style for your enjoyment and pleasure.Hot water too.

You can call for more information at 034-591-414-5 or fax at 034-591-410 or visit them on there web site at http://www.yokoresort.com/ .

This is a none paid for post and I recieved nothing in return for this post , it is just for your information and reading and viewing of the pictures ,in case you ever get around our area of the country and need a great place to stay. you can always call me if you need help too. Malcolm and Ciejay

AMAZING THAILAND

CLICK ON PICTURES FOR A LARGER VIEW

Well, just when I thought I had seen or heard about all there is to do and see in Thailand , I come across this story while reading a few newspapers on the net. I'm talking about the Wat Pa Maha Chedio Kaew Temple also known as Wat Lan Koad or "The Temple of a Million Bottles"

The Temple which sits in Thailand's Sisaket Province ,370 miles northeast of Bangkok ,is made of more than a million recycled beer bottles."The Temple of a Million Bottles"features glass bottles throughout the whole Temple complex, including a Worship Temple,a crematorium,monk shelters,and even toilets for the tourist,water tower,and prayer rooms.There is an estimated 1.5 million recycled beer bottles built into the temple and they are planning on building more buildings, as they get more bottles, folks donate lots of bottles for the projects.All the buildings have a core made of concrete to give strength for the structures.

It all started in 1984 when the monks were using the beer bottles to decorate their shelters and , they got a lot more bottles ,so they built a Temple, and so on and so on, they also use the bottle caps in Mosaic Murals. The green bottles are Heineken beer bottles and the brown ones are Thailand's own Chang beer bottles.The monks say that the bottles let in a lot of light and are very easy to keep clean with a little soap and water .

I've never been there ,Ciejay says she has many years ago, BUT, you can bet that it is high on my list of things to see in the near future. How about you? , have you seen or heard of the"Temple of a Million Bottles" before and if so ,what did you think ? , were you amazed ? and did it impress you as much as it has me so far.????? Malcolm

Source:Mumbai Mirror.com--Thailand News .net

Pictures:Evelyn Lee and Jill Fehrenbacher

ORCHIDS-MUST BE THE SEASON

LOOK AT THE BUDS GETTING READY FOR MORE FLOWERS WONDER OF WONDERS

CLICK ON PICTURES FOR A LARGER VIEW

THIS ONE IS CALLED A GROUND ORCHID AND WILL GROW ON POTS AND BLOOM ALL YEAR LONG , AND COME IN MANY COLORS.

Last year Ciejay and I went to the Chai Thai Fair , displaying lots of veggies and flowers,trees, and plants and a wide variety of orchids ,I have a small amount of green thumbism but not a lot, and have had somewhat, ok luck with plants and flowers , but I have never tried my hand at orchids . My Brother Jim ,in America had a orchid room when he lived in Flordia ,before retireing to Tenn.He told me there was nothing to it, and I had the Thai weather on my side which is a plus.. So" what the heck," can you believe it,a lady sold me 4 for 100 baht and I have had them hanging on my front porch, around a pole for a year and all of a sudden they have all bloomed and I'm in ORCHID HEAVEN it has to be the season , I can't stop looking at them and , enjoying them and have took lots of pictures and sent to friends in the US and they are all jealous , let me say here and now "the success of these orchids have nothing to do with my green thumb" , the only thing I have done is to spray water on them every day or two when watering my other plants Mother nature does the rest, along with their strong will to live , and yes they do have a strong will, and can severe, when most plants would just give up and die. .Do you have any orchids around your homes ???? if not ,give them a try , the flowers bloom for almost a month and take hardly, no up-keep at all. I am so proud of them and I,m sure you will feel the same way when yours bloom.

I am including lots of pictures hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy taking pictures of them. If you ever get over to Whang Pho , I have also learned how to divide them and would be more than happy to share with you . HAPPY ORCHID GROWING TO YOU. Malcolm

THAILAND ARTIST

Wow, talk about talent and art in various forms, just today a friend brought these metal tuk-tuks made from old beer cans and they are wonderful and really detailed as you will see .He is a struggling Thai teacher trying to raise a family and I bought a couple to send to my grand-kids in America and a couple for my display of toys that I collect . If you would like one he sales for 150 baht and you can send me your address and I will send to you and you can send money to me and I will get it to him, I hope that is not against blog rules , if so someone let me know and I will remove . I love them and you will be delighted too . Malcolm