Twinkies To Thailand

A 10-pack of Twinkies. Get 'em before they're gone.

Since I hail from fairly humble beginnings a Hostess cream-filled Twinkie was a rare treat, but as a small child I sure loved them. I know there are folks who grew up with their own regional junk foods, but Twinkies - and a few other Hostess baked goods - have stayed high on my list of Worst Guilty Pleasures to Consume. Dolly Madison cakes? Little Debbie cupcakes?  Feh.  Pale substitutes, at best. Hostess Cupcakes, Hostess Snoballs, HoHos and Ding-Dongs... now those were  superb junk foods.

It was joked about for years that the cream-injected sponge cake bars had a half life, and were so far removed from anything natural that they'd keep on your shelf for decades, but that was, unfortunately, merely an entertaining urban myth.

News today that the Continental Baking Company was rather abruptly throwing in the towel after 87 years has started a somewhat frenzied run on their more popular products as people learned that CBC's 33 factories across the USA are ceasing production immediately. Labor disputes are being blamed for the decision, but it's a shame that something couldn't have been worked out. The company had filed for bankruptcy protection in January.

When I read the news this morning I stopped and emailed the article to my friend in Thailand, and that, my friends, is my segue to the story of him and these soon to be gone forever treats. For privacy's sake I'll call him Top today.

Five years ago we were chatting online about some remodeling he was planning for his home. It was late in the evening there, and Top was in his office, so he was able to chat via a camera he had at his desk.

All of a sudden he stopped, looked directly into the camera and got that "I'm serious about this" look on his face; a look I rarely see, so I waited to see what was coming.  I suppose it more was more where it was coming from, and not what it was that surprised me - because it came from far left field, as we in the U.S. would say about the unexpected. I was expecting to be asked for a loan for the remodel (he's borrowed money a couple of times and always repaid it per our agreement), but that wasn't it at all.

"What are these Twinkies?" he asked, emphasizing the name.

It's probably just as well I didn't have a camera, because he was using the look that said he wouldn't have appreciated my initial surprise that gave way almost immediately to a laugh I could just barely hide.  "What?" I asked.

No change of expression. "I would like to try these Twinkies."

I was somewhat at a loss. I did my best to give him a thumbnail description of the cakes without editorializing too much, and he seemed to get that they were tasty if you liked that sort of thing, but that they were, without a doubt, in the same category as donuts, McDonald's burgers and other artery clogging items.

Although the originals had a
banana flavored filling, flavored varieties
never did much for me.

"I'll bring you some," I promised, and a month or so later I did just that.  Figuring he'd deem them far too sweet I only took one 10-pack box, knowing that the younger folks he worked with would probably like them, even if his more traditional Thai palate didn't.

The day after I landed and we'd had our usual Arrival Day dinner he took the box into work with him. When I talked to him at lunchtime I asked if he'd shared them with his co-workers. He said that evidently his co-workers were a little more "worldly" than he, because he'd left the box on his desk when he'd gone to the lavatory, shortly after arriving, and returned to see the box open and empty.  "All," he said, sounding surprised "they eat all."  This time we both laughed, and I told him they probably did him a favor by eating them for him.

I've taken him a couple of boxes each trip since. One he opens, taking several out for himself - he does like them, but isn't much for sweets - and the others he takes to share with his friends and co-workers.  Today I sent him the unhappy news that the supply was rapidly drying up.

This afternoon I boxed up what you see in today's pictures, walked them up to the post office and airmailed them to my friend.  I sure wish I was flying them there myself, but I'm guessing that he'll come up with some other off the wall item I can take when I go next Spring.

Another Common Snack: Khanom Thung Tag

One of the more common snacks you'll see if you venture away from the main tourist traffic areas is khanom thung tag.

As you can see in the clip above, batter made with coconut milk and flour is spread into the bottom and up the sides of a well-heated heavy skillet designed primarily for this dessert.  Depending on where you are in the country (or, indeed, where the cook is from) they'll then add a few simple ingredients to the coconut that's almost always used, fold the shell shut, scoop it up and put it onto a rack to cool slightly before it's ready to eat.

The clip was taken at the night festival in Laem Sing, and the coconut was young and moist. I've also seen it made with colored and more dry coconut and other things.

The black sesame seeds and the sprinkling of sugar weren't really necessary (in my opinion, anyway) but it certainly added to the overall sweetness of the treat.  They were soft, warm, sweet and gooey.  Magnificent.

If you see them being sold from a cart somewhere and haven't already tried them, do so - even if you're not particularly hungry and think you won't be able to finish it. you do. They're truly delicious.

Same Same, But Different! Pt. 12: Bud's Ice Cream

An open air Bud's Ice Cream shop on Laem Sing Beach, Chantaburi Province

OK, it's nostalgia time for those of you in the USA of a certain age, and I know there are some readers who will remember this. For the rest of you it's just a little background information about a product you're still likely to run into in the US - and Asia, strangely enough.

From the A.F.C. site

Bud Scheideman opened the first Bud's Ice Cream in San Francisco back in the 1960s. Then it was a small production facility and retail shop at 24th and Castro, and people soon learned that it was about the best ice cream around.

While Baskin-Robbins had opened in Southern California in the mid-1940s, this was before the days when Haagen-Daz and Ben and Jerry's were everyday staples of chain supermarket freezer cases. Several local dairies made their own house brands, of course, but the the brands we're talking about today have a higher butterfat content, and the "mouth feel" is noticeable.

Candied coconut, banana and sweet potato of some form were the base for my sundae. Syrups aren't often added as a topping.

Local treats in the freezer case

As a side note, Baskin-Robbins also branched out into the international market (including Asia) and they claim they also sell in Thailand, but I've yet to notice them there. I might have seen them and just don't remember it, but that's unlikely; when I travel I usually notice reminders of home.

I can see malls at home, so I don't usually spend a lot of time in them while overseas. Nothing against those who do, but I don't fly that far to see Swarovski crystal, regardless of the possible savings.

Standards aren't strictly enforced, as you might imagine, but it was still Bud's

My friend's sundae, although I've forgotten what was below the ice cream.

Alvin Edlin bought the Bud's operation from Scheideman - his cousin - in 1952. He upgraded the business and ran it until he sold it to a group of guys in 1982, who then sold it to Berkeley Farms in 1992. They were the ones who licensed it to American Foods Corporation, and that's when it truly went international, beginning in Singapore, Malaysia and, of course, all over Thailand.

"Base" options for your sundae

I have to admit - it was hot that noontime and it was a pleasant surprise to see the familiar logo sign sticking out over the walkway along Laem Sing beach on my long weekend in Chantaburi, and I told my friend we needed to stop in there after lunch. It was a happy break and a delicious - if different - treat.

Wall poster advertising ice cream cakes

Shave Ice, Revisited

In the original August 15th post about shaved ice (what most of us in the West would call a variation of the snow cone) in Old Chantaburi Town I'd intended on including a video clip of the young man preparing my cool treat, but I'd misplaced the file. Another attack of disorganization and forgetfulness, I suppose. You can read more about the snack in that post, too, if you wish.

I'd recorded it while he was putting my add-ons into the bowl and shaving the ice but since I couldn't readily find it I just used the stills I'd taken while he was putting my friend's together before mine.  I'm correcting that today.

The Hawaiian version mentioned in that other post is more firmly packed down, so there's actually more ice involved, but this portion was plenty. The little girl having a bowl of it nearby me sure wolfed hers down, and I enjoyed every last bit of mine, too.

The guy preparing them seemed a little amused that I was photographing the process of assembling them, and you can see his "ting tong farang" smile near the end of the clip, but I didn't mind... what  was a simple thing to him remains a nice example of everyday life to me, and I'm glad I found it to share with you.

We're having hot weather through the inland portions of California now, and I may just have to try to find such a cold snack today myself!

Trip Report: Pt. 21A: Wat Carnival / Fundraiser 2

A monk shared thoughts and bestowed blessings on the assembled, using a long bamboo brush he would dip in water

[This is part 21A of a series that may or may not ever find its way to a proper conclusion. It has to do with my latest trip to Thailand, and the people, places and things I encountered along the way. You can find the rest of the series by clicking here on Trip Reports.]

As you saw yesterday, the work-in-progress temple area along Laem Sing Beach was holding a fundraising festival a few of the nights I was staying nearby at the Seashell Village Resort. Since I don't know the name of it I'm just going to call it the Laem Sing temple. If anyone can provide more of a name than that I'll be more than happy to amend the post.

Boys playing with radio controlled cars at the festival

This monk spoke some English
and was kind enough to spend
some time visiting with me

Both evenings I spent there were fun, even if I did get a little tired of standing to watch the entertainment up on stage after having already walked around sightseeing most of the day.

I confess that part of my time sitting and listening to the monks speaking wasn't entirely driven by a desire for enlightenment - after all, I don't understand much Thai - but it did provide some meditation time; something I'd been shy on for a few days.

Since I didn't understand much of what was being spoken I just tuned it down and spent the time lost within my own thoughts, listening to people nearby having fun and the laughter of the children playing, and frankly that and of itself was as much of a blessing as the water sprinkled on me by the monk that evening.

After my blessing that evening I noticed a somewhat handsome 30-something monk apparently waiting for me at the edge of the group, on my way to the games and food area.  As one of the faith does I offered a high, respectful wai to him, but as he got closer I noticed the unmistakable scent of some form of whiskey on his breath. While I tried to back up he kept moving towards me so it wasn't easy to keep at arm's length.  Then he began to speak, in very limited English, and his speech left no doubt that he'd been celebrating something. [Note: this was NOT the kind monk pictured to the upper left here].

The faithful gather at the festival

I don't mean to sound surprised about a human being acting human, and monks - although they are living life in an honorable service - are human beings. My Thai friend was within reach so I looked to him for his reaction. The monk reached for my arm and held it, pulling me gently towards the area where the new building would be built, off in the direction of the monk's residence.

Worshipers participating in a ceremony

My friend translated for me that my company back off somewhere more private was being requested, but while it was flattering I smiled and shook my head at the monk to indicate "no, thank you." He let go, but he followed us around for a little while afterwards. It's hands down the oddest thing I've ever had happen to me on temple grounds.

The rest of the festival was all I'd hoped it would be, and more.  Children of all ages were playing different games and watching the singers and dancers on the stage to one side of the large, open area.

What you catch you can keep... but it takes some quick reflexes!

In addition to the "fishing" game above, there was a ball toss, a long counter lined with people throwing darts at a wall of balloons, radio controlled cars to race and several other games of skill and chance. The fish game the boys are playing above cost 10 baht.  For that, you were given a cup and a small "net" - a wire circle covered with an extremely thin layer of what I took to be some sort of tissue. The tissue quickly became too week to hold a fish, so you had to move fast to catch even a single one.  I handed the man running it two 20 baht notes and pointed to the two above, giving me time enough to get a picture, but not much more than that.

The stage was a hive of activity. Group after group were introduced and took the stage. Most appeared to be amateur acts; perhaps there was a better-known act of sorts after we'd left, but what I saw were more or less just regular folks you'd see at any small town show.

The little kids were the most fun to watch, because it seemed as if they were having the most fun in the spotlight. I usually don't care for heavy makeup on little girls - like the ones below - but it was difficult not to smile along with them as they giggled while attempting to do their rather graceful routines. 

There were snacks a-plenty, and fireworks, to boot.  In fact, the fireworks were set off right in the middle of things and not off in a separate area as they'd be done here at home.  We were close enough that it made me jump when they started in with them, and, as you can see, they weren't all that securely grounded!

Some of the mortars launched one night

Popcorn for sale at one booth - there were three popcorn booths

They were both nice evenings, and it was even nicer to be welcomed in by the locals for the event.  As usual, a few wanted to come up and say hello to practice their English, and that was an added bonus.  If you ever see an event such as this, I encourage you to stop and wander through. 

A Close (Ice) Shave In Old Chantaburi Town

My Hawaiian friend gently packs the "ice shave" into a cup before adding the flavored syrup(s). In Thailand it's usually served in a bowl.

Having been active all of her working life, a retired friend of mine in Hawaii wasn't ready to simply live out her years in the somewhat remote small town of her childhood without something to do, so she runs a Shave Ice shop. This not only keeps her in touch with the other folks in town, but also the tourists who stop on their way by her place. The picture up top is of her forming what many of us would call a "snow cone," but it's a different animal altogether.

The kid selling shaved ice in the Old Town part of Chantaburi shaved his ice with a hand-cranked device

As a child I'd never heard of shaved ice, just what we knew then as snow cones; very finely crushed ice in a paper cone with flavored syrups poured on it. It was somewhat dense and heavy. Shaved ice in many other parts of the world is like fluffy snow; airy and very light, and there are many variations. For example, sometimes the flavors and additions (cream, etc.) are frozen and the flavored block of ice is then shaved. Naturally, there are different names for it in different countries and different languages.

A close-up of the Thai hand-cranked shaver

The Japanese brought the treat to Hawaii, where it became known in English as shave ice... except on the island of Hawaii itself. If you're "from big island" you know it as ice shave, and not shave ice.

If you're on Kauai or Molokai and order "ice shave" you're bound to hear "Oh - you from Big Island?" Since I have more family from there than any other island I have long known it as ice shave, but feel free to call it whatever you want.

In Thailand it's usually called nam khaeng sai; a chunk of ice is put into a mechanism that presses it down onto a sharp, spinning blade at the bottom that "shaves" the flattened base of the ice and "snows" into the bowl or whatever below it. If you've done any woodworking you could liken this to using a plane on the ice.

In addition to flavorings there are also a variety of preserved fruits, beans and things to add into the bowl, if you wish. That's what the kid in the photo to the above left is doing for me.

Adding cream to the snowy ice

Call it a snow cone, if you must - but the granular crushed ice treat some are more familiar with is really only a cousin to this light snack.  Call it shave ice, ice shave or nam khaeng sai and you'll be closer to the truth, though. You're likely to see it in many areas of Thailand - city and countryside alike.

Two local boys wait for their afternoon cooler at my friend's shop in Hawaii

There's one small caveat to enjoying this snack in a foreign country: if you have a delicate digestive system that tends to revolt at local bacteria other than those you're used to at home, remember that this ice may not be as pure as what comes out of your freezer and be cautious. Personally I've had shaved ice in Thailand many times and never had a problem with my intestinal track. 

I'd say unless they pull a chunk of ice out of a filthy cooler to make your order, go for it!

My friend holds up his dish of shave ice in Chantaburi

Trip Report, Part 18: "Steak" Lunch Near Rayong

"Steak", on Sukhumvit Highway 3 in Rayong

[This is part 18 of a series that may or may not ever find its way to a proper conclusion. It has to do with my latest trip to Thailand, and the people, places and things I encountered along the way. You can find the rest of the series by clicking here on Trip Reports.]

Chantaburi Province rests between the Gulf of Thailand and the Cambodian border; right above Trat, the Southernmost province on the Eastern "leg" of the country.  The name comes from two Sanskrit words: chandra, meaning moon, and buri, meaning town.

While the island of Koh Phangan may host the grand bacchanalia that is the full moon party I was relieved to learn that this area is the polar opposite, thank goodness. In fact, other than areas more commonly visited by foreigners set on raising hell most places are far more normal; something - as television hostess and former convict Martha Stewart would say - is a good thing.

The daughter, working in the open kitchen of "Steak"

After the detour to see my friend's "new" home we pulled out again onto Highway 3/Sukhumvit (yes, the same Sukhumvit that runs through Bangkok) and continued South. I was looking forward to what promised to be a fairly calm and restful weekend, but I couldn't seem to pry any more details about it out of my friend other than our destination was a small, family-owned resort in the Laem Sing area, near Chantaburi. I was satisfied with that, for the time being, and watched the scenery sail by.

Ride 'em, cowboys...

Once again I was slightly surprised at how much of a load some Thai will stack on the back of a pick-up truck; this time it was sections of gate mesh, piled high above a reasonable level, topped with two workers like cherries on a sundae. Those of you old enough to remember the old ticketing system at Disneyland will understand my saying to my friend "Now THERE'S an 'E' ticket ride!", but he didn't get it.

It swayed like the palms along the roadside, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief when my friend pulled around and left them behind us.

"Are you hungry?" my friend asked, and I had to admit that I was, even though I'd had a large bowl of rice porridge with pork for breakfast. "I've eaten at this place before," he said, already slowing and pulling to the side of the road "I think you'll like it."  "What's it called?" I asked, and he replied "Steak".  "No, I meant what is the name of it, not what do they serve..." I began, but he looked at me as if I'd asked five times already and said "It's called 'Steak'," but they serve many things."

My lunch entree - pork on rice

As it turned out it was what I'd call a typical Mom and Pop place back home; basic, home style food in a casual setting. The same as you're likely to see in any of ten thousand other locations throughout Thailand.  About the only differentiating feature here were the packaged snacks for sale on each table, and the bottles of their own BBQ sauce that were also available for purchase.

Along with the banana chips and crispy crepe-style rolls there was a domed cup of small dumplings that reminded me of deep-fried gnocci. My friend called them what sounded like "gahree" puffs, but I'm unable to find an online reference for them. Filled with fish, peppers and yellow bean they were just slightly sweet, and the crust that held it all was crisp.  You can see the insides below.

I'd already taken a picture of the daughter while the man behind her cooked our meals, but wanted one of him, too, so she called out "Papa!" and he turned and posed.

It was a good break in a good spot, despite the traffic along Sukhumvit.  Drinks, an appetizer, two entrees and the snacks we purchased to take along with us came to less than 150 baht.

The dining area, thankfully in the shade

Our next official stop was said to be our destination.  I dozed a few minutes along the way, and woke up as we pulled off of the highway.  "Almost there," my friend assured me, and I was ready.

Kanom Dok - A Crispy Street Treat

The Thai people don't eat like many of us do in the West. Yes, buffets exist; but they're more of a way of sampling different dishes and not an opportunity to stuff ourselves as if we're being bred for the production of pate. It's a gift, really.

They tend to eat when they're hungry, and decline the opportunity when they're not. They're much more likely to snack a bit here and there throughout the day. My friend calls it "grazing," and it certainly seems to fit. The whole idea of "Super-sizing" is an idea that's been foisted on some folks, and again - I don't believe we're doing them any favors.

Even something as light as a bag of the delicate, fried pastry-type cookies above, sold in small bags of perhaps three to six, isn't a portion - although it would be a single serving for most of us. Kanom Dok is made from cassava (tapioca) flour, rice flour, coconut water, white and black sesame seeds, sugar, lime water (made from red lime paste), egg yolk and salt, for the most part. The pink color comes from the red lime paste.

The scent of these delightful treats greeted us as we strolled slowly along the narrow streets of Old Chantaburi on my last visit. I thought the aroma was drifting out of the open corner restaurant, but my friend pointed to the tiny cart in front of the shop a couple of doors down, and I took a quick detour to watch the woman there cooking a few before tasting the sample she held out for me; fresh from the fryer. It was magnificent, and I bought a half-dozen to take along with us.

Heading back to the restaurant where we ended up stopping for lunch I resisted eating the bagful. I offered them to my friend, who first said he'd wait for lunch, but then gave in and had one.  One.

The "Old City" section of Chantaburi is something I'll post about next week.

Streetside To-Go (Take-Away) Breakfasts

A couple prepares breakfast for morning commute customers

There many, many options for take-away breakfast items throughout Thailand.

From a simple bag of porridge such as johk to artery clogging delights like youtiao, from warm, yeasty waffles to bags of ready-to-eat cut fruit, from hot dogs/sausages on a stick to what would easily pass as a real breakfast in a styrofoam box.

Take-away breakfasts from the temporary stall shown above

Since I'm usually out and about early in the morning it's a safe bet you'll find me at one of these carts or stalls somewhere along my walk. More often than not I'm just stopped for a morning snack between my early breakfast and lunch, but some of them I see while just glancing over out of curiosity while I'm meandering through a morning market or through an area with a lot of commuter traffic.

One morning this past trip I stopped to say hello to more folks along the way than usual. If you take a right when exiting the Glow Hotel and walk past the Villa Market in the same building you'll come to a  smallish local market, stocked with a wide variety of things.  Not as much a commute route as it is a basic open market it still had some of the familiar foods I'd consider breakfast material.

The couple preparing the waffles above stopped to pose for the picture below. Some of you might remember we've covered waffles in the past, and they remain in my Top 5 favorite walk-away snacks. These pleasant, helpful folks have been at this for many years.

Almost all of these stalls are mobile. Not as easy to move as a cart, but still just set up in front of a store, along a sidewalk, on the side of an alleyway or some such place. I'm told they move where the business is, which is logical.

The women below sell battered hot dogs; actually what often pass for sausage in Thailand, as you'll note at most hotel buffets. At first glance they're reminiscent of a Western corn dog, but it's not a corn meal based coating. Still tasty, and worth a try.

Pomegranates - A Sweet Street Treat

A Thai pomegranate, split open and ready for eating

Ripe Thai pomegranates,
still hanging on the tree

When I was a child and had a bit more patience to deal with them, pomegranates were a special treat I looked forward to each Autumn. I could spot the rich deep red of their skins from fifty paces in the produce section of the supermarket as my mother gathered far more mundane things, resisting my plea to go directly to them. Being of humble beginnings I was allowed only one, and I took my time looking at the color, judging the weight and checking the dried blossom stub of the end as if I could determine the freshness by the remains.

Back home I was made to sit at the kitchen table to open them up, thus keeping the crimson juice from staining the carpet or sofa or my clothes. I didn't care - I just wanted it open.

The tart, ruby red jewels wrapped beneath layers of thin yellowish membrane were worth every minute spent carefully loosening them, gathering a dozen or so before popping them into your mouth where they the tiny seeds inside made a satisfying crunch as the juice burst from the kernels and startled your taste buds.

Having had the privilege of visiting Thailand during every season at least once I'm still (pleasantly) surprised when I note it's the season for a special fruit or vegetable, and this trip just ended I found myself there during pomegranate season.

Ripe pomegranate skins don't turn the deep red we in the USA expect to see, and the kernels inside also aren't the bright ruby red I'm used to, but the flavor is still as delicious as expected and as full of vitamin C and anti-oxidants as ever, so other than the possibility of staining your shirt, what's not to like?

A sidewalk cart near my hotel prepared small bottles of the juice right in front of you each morning, the young man putting a handful of kernels into a press he pushed the handle down on, releasing the fresh juice into a stainless steel cup he emptied into the plastic bottle, capped shut and put on ice.

Pink kernels of pomegranate become sweet juice with one quick pressing

Two bottles were B30, or right about $1US, and that was difficult to resist.  I had it several mornings, and surprised a few friends with it, too.  If you see it while out wandering around, don't miss trying it.

A dollar's worth of juice goes into a take-away bag

No Joke - It's Called Johk

Ground pork is spooned from a dish into a hot pot of johk

If you're out walking in the morning - especially in a commute area - you're likely to see a knot of people queued up to buy johk. Chinese would call it congee and some Westerners might call it rice porridge, but johk is a delicious dish, even if it comes in a bag.

Pronounced most closely to the English word "joke" it's basically just boiled (or in some cases twice-cooked) rice, reduced to a soft soup. Johk that's cooked from raw rice tends to have a little firmer consistency - or "tooth", if I may liken it to al dente pasta - than johk made from already cooked rice, but both are good, I think. Both involve boiling the rice to a very soft consistency.

I first had it served to me about 30 years ago by a Taiwanese friend studying here in the US as part of his medical training.  I was visiting him for dinner at his home, and he began the meal with a bowl of chicken-based congee.  I was in love.  No, not with him, that didn't pan out... I meant with the porridge. We've stayed friends, though, and time spent with him in Taipei will probably pop up here at some point.

Ladling johk into a to-go bag

Johk starts out as a very thick glorp that is thinned down with chicken, pork or another flavored broth to be served. Some carts have it already thinned and very hot so the additional ingredients can settle in and/or cook a bit in it while it's in the dish, similar to Vietnamese pho, which I'm misspelling because I don't have an available font with the correct "o", sorry.

Additions to the bowl are most commonly ground pork or little pork meatballs, but they could also easily be duck eggs or chicken eggs (already soft-boiled, not raw or fully cooked), scallions/green onions, grated or chopped ginger and other add-ons that vary from place to place.  Regardless of what's added to it a steaming bowl brings a heavenly scent up to the nose and a smile to the face.

You can add most anything else to it to your personal taste: fish sauce, shoyu (soy sauce), sugar, chilies (dried/flaked or in vinegar) and the likes. Let it steep a couple of minutes to allow the flavors to blend and then have at it.

At the beginning today I made a reference to dishes and bags, so let me clear that up. The stand I used photos of was primarily a to-go or take-away cart, and you can see the guy in the striped shirt holding what looks like an aluminum dish in his left hand.  What it actually is is a funnel with a spout about 2.5 to 3" wide.  He places the funnel into a plastic bag, ladles the johk into the bag, then seals the bag with a rubber band.  The customer then carries the bag off with them to the office or wherever they're headed. You get a better look at the ladling action in the second photo.

I've read that it's a fine preventative for - or help with - a hangover, which is partly why you're likely to see it being sold in the wee small hours of the morning as people stagger towards home.  No joke.

If You Can Peel It, You Can Eat It

Green skinned oranges, apples, star fruit, carrots, tomatoes and pears at a corner produce stall. All can be rinsed and/or peeled

[To address a recent email, let me repeat that I'm not a doctor and I advise you to adjust your behavior level to keep it within your own comfort zone while away from home. For example, you may keep your hands clean but there's no guarantee whatsoever that any food handler does.]

It's the day after Thanksgiving here in the USA, and my system still hasn't fully recovered from the over-abundance of things I ate a bit too much of yesterday.  While lamenting my gluttony I was reminded by a guest  of a story I'd told them of an unfortunate day or so I'd gone through after a large and varied meal at an Isaan BBQ place.  I'll spare you the details here, but it did put things in perspective.

Even in a five-star hotel there's no guarantee that the food won't give you some problems, but if you don't take some educated chances you're going to miss out on a lot while traveling. The trick is to educate yourself in advance a little bit and not take obviously foolish chances, such as using a visibly already well-used cup to drink water from a communal bucket out in a rural area.

In earlier posts about (attempting to) keep your stomach and intestinal systems within some control, stay healthy while in Thailand - and avoid what my friend calls the "rumbly in the tumbly" we've talked about a variety of snacks that are usually OK to chow down on, like corn, ice cream sandwiches, youtiao, street-side omelets and waffles.

Delicious Thai oranges: ripe and sweet, even with a green skin

Here's another tip, albeit one you need to combine it with some common sense: if you can peel it, you can eat it.

Here at home in the USA it's wisest to rinse off any kind of fruit or vegetables before eating them, and that's also true in Thailand - but having potable water to rinse them off with isn't always possible.  Before putting produce away when I get back to my hotel, bed and breakfast or whatever I wash it off as best I can under the tap. Once they've been cleaned I personally feel that grapes, apples, star fruit, mango, papaya and the likes are all reasonably "safe".

Pomegranates, Northeast Thailand

This is another area where using your powers of observation and some common sense can save you dealing with a problem... more often than not!

Bananas: probably the safest produce-type snack of all.