Thai food is great, but...

Sometimes you really want to eat something with no fish sauce or shrimp paste. And so things like this happen.


Phitsanulok cornbread. Brought to you by my kind family, the USPS, and the Thai postal service.

Okay, yes, this may have been cooked in a toaster oven with only one setting ("on"). And yes, it might have been cooked in a pan I made out of tin foil. But I think I have a semi-defensible claim to making the best cornbread this side of the Mekong.

As if the cornbread's journey across the Pacific weren't enough of an obstacle, while at the market on Saturday I forgot to buy eggs. I realized this only as I was dumping the cornbread mix into the tupperware container that, when I am cooking, doubles as my mixing bowl. I refused to let my plans be thwarted. So, at 7:30 pm on my Saturday night, with soup simmering on my portable floor burner, I ran down the alley and tried to buy one single egg from the lady making street omelets. Her surprise at my rapid approach turned to utter confusion as I began to stutter in broken Thai, "Forget egg. Cook; forget egg. I buy one egg. But no cook egg." Two other people on the street came over to help. It took about two minutes of myself and my friend Susie gesturing, pleading with our eyes, and shaking our heads that "no," we really didn't want an omelet, before the miffed vendor finally offered to sell me three uncooked eggs for 10 baht. Finally, four baht poorer and one egg richer, I was able to mix up this fine delicacy.


Not too shabby, right?

And some vegetable soup. I tried to make it like yours, mom...



But, in case you're reading this, my soup was far, far too watery and boring. What did I do wrong? Could you also advise me on your potato leek soup, because I was thinking of making that next. Also, this may or may not be a ploy to convince you to send more cornbread my way. And maybe a used copy of The Namesake, if it will fit in the flat rate box. That would be really awesome. Just if you have the time.

Okay I hope you are all well. Enjoy this last day of January, fair reader. I know I did, sitting poolside in Phitsanulok, reclining under palm trees in the 90 degree heat. Goodbye for now.

Yours,
R