Chiang Mai - Cooking Class

Multiple people recommended taking a cooking class while in Chiang Mai.  This was definitely the most fun part of our trip.  We did not make any reservations prior to arrival, with the hope of finding a recommendation from someone local.  The woman at the hostel (Chada House) came through again.  After selecting several pamphlets about cooking classes, and letting us thumb through them, she pointed to one and said that a young woman whom she knew had started the company by herself.  A young, female entrepreneur?  Done.  Due to our schedule changes, we had hoped to be able to find an afternoon class.  We called up Ann on Sunday and got two spots for Monday afternoon, no problem.  She would be picking us up (and dropping us off).  Even better.

Monday afternoon a pickup truck with a roof and 2 benches running along the length of the truck bed gathered us from our hostel.  Ann greeted us and introduced herself.  Inside of the truck already were two Russians, a Frenchman, and a German.  This sounds like the beginning of a joke.  We exchanged the usual pleasantries, which rarely includes names, where are you from, how long have you been here, where are you going next, have you ever been to - fill in the blank?  Generally when we tell people we are from The States (no one outside of America calls it America), the follow up question is, "oh which part?"  When Carey shared that she was from Michigan (that's the nice answer, which means you stand a chance of continued conversation), the Russian woman shared that she went to high school in Michigan for a year.  Which town?  Traverse City.  Which high school?  They went to the same high school.

What?

Yes.

They did not attend the school at the same time, but I mean honestly, what are the odds?!  Two women.  Two countries.  Both traveling - one internationally, the other within the country.  I could go on, but I won't.  This was a strange but quirky start.  We pulled up next to a market where we were joined by two young women from London and two men from, sigh, America.  We rarely run into Americans, and when we do, it tends to be mortifying and excruciating.  This was no exception.  Brothers traveling from… wait for it..

Michigan.

I thought Carey was going to throw herself into traffic.  It was a strange dynamic that included one brother picking on the other for attention and listening to the two of them jump back and forth between English and Russian.  They are Russian, but they grew up in The States.  Anyway, I digress.  So we go to the market where Ann shows us around.  She introduces us to vegetables and fruits and herbs i've never seen.  Most of the traditional Thai vegetation i've eaten because I love Thai food, but they look so different cooked.  She shared a wealth of knowledge.  For example, I learned that when I want to make Som Tum, one of my favorite Thai dishes when I go home to the states, I will have to substitute cucumber for green papaya.

We were given time to mosey through the market to have a look, and then we all piled back into the truck and headed for Ann's home.  Her brother and dad helped transport all of us.

 First shot of the group; at an open air market.

Ann has a beautiful outdoor sitting area next to a lovely garden.  This is all situated right outside of a huge kitchen for groups of people and the family's home.

Apart from the one bump in the road (or two), we had a really great time.  Each person selects four dishes they want to make and a type of curry.  C and I each picked different dishes so that we could try as many things as possible.  It was more food than I could ever manage to eat.  By round three, I thought everyone at the table was going to explode.  I think one of the mouthy Americans did in the privacy of our host's toilet.  This same American requested chopsticks.  C and I tried to explain to him that the Thai people eat with a fork and spoon because the king decided silverware and tables and chairs were integral in developing Thailand.    

Som Tum or Papaya Salad (3 peppers)

Pad Thai, Fried Noodles

Nam phrik kang phanaeng, Phanaeng Curry

Tom Yum, Prawn Hot and Sour Soup 

A lot of the preparation was done individually.  Ann stood at the head of the table and showed ingredients and demonstrated the proper technique for cutting and readying our goods.  The curries were prepared in groups - curry is time consuming and involves a great deal of work.  Your meal selections determined in which group you were placed.  My group was great, the Russian woman, the German and the Frenchman - wink, wink.  Carey's group was pretty good.  She ended up with one of the English women, and was standing near the other.  These two women could have been a grown up version of Sophia Grace and Rosie, I told them as much. 

Phanaeng Curry Group

Spring Rollers frying up the goods.

Carey made the spring rolls and they were delicious.  Even she was impressed with herself.

I cannot say enough good things about this cooking class.  Anytime you can combine learning, food, and fun, its a win.  Ann's ability to balance professionalism and entertainment is unbelievable.  One of the women in our group is severely allergic to peanuts and Ann took such good care of ensuring there were no mishaps, and even had another dish the woman could fix to accommodate her food allergies.  I'm so thankful we were able to get in to one of these classes as quickly as we did, because I feel sure that soon you will have to book your spot far in advance.  There is just no way that Ann's success won't grow her business in no time.  

Check it out on Facebook: Zabb-E-Lee Thai Cooking School