Book review: Thai - the essence of Asian cooking

I love Thai. So many people think they can't eat Thai food as it is too spicy. That is not true. There are many less spicy dishes and you can always tone down the heat, spices, chiles etc. Plus a lot are sweet and spicy. You have not tried Asian food until you get away from the same old Chinese recipes you always cook or the restaurants you frequent. If you are looking for a Thai book this one is not bad to try. The recipes are not difficult and you can get most of the ingredients from Asian stores but sometimes in your local food stores. The photos (preparation, food , results, techniques) are spectacular. There is a nice forward section with photos of the history , thai cuisine in general and differences from the regions. Traditional meals, holiday meals and information are also covered so you also getting a geographic and history as well as a food tour. What I like is there a little paragraph which tell about the background for the recipe. I have not tried many recipes from this book yet but the steamed fish (with Lemongrass and chilies) was pretty good (9.6/10). There are quite a few to try like appetizers, vegetable, fish , beef , , soups , side dishes and food shopping. There are a lot of Thai books but this one gives you a tour on the side and more. Take a look and see what you think and try Thai!

Awesome Blog/website in food/recipe techniques with photos

Examples I found interesting immediately "how to skin a hazelnut" and "what is "al dente" (I have never seen a photo of this method only people talking about it ).
Much more. Check it out. You won't be sorry

http://www.rouxbe.com/drilldowns

Iron Chef 10/19/2007

The next Iron Chef that took place 10/19/2007 was a surprise to me. Not by what went on but I thought Morou would make it because of his dish not because of his lack of plating and variety. The battle was resourcefulness . He and the other guy from New York (who did not show enough variety.

Up next a jet

Is this gourmet? BEST COFFEE MADE FROM

BEST COFFEE MADE FROM MONKEY POO; CRAPPUCCINO
DAILY STAR

Wed Nov 21 2001 10:22:30 ET
Coffee drinkers are going bananas over a brew that's made of
MONKEY DUNG.

Brits are flooding exclusive US stockists with orders for the brew, called
Kopi Luwak, made from berries that have passed through the digestive
system of Indonesian monkeys. Unlucky coffee plantation staff have to
search through the dung to gather the bizarre "harvest" of coffee berries,
which are said to emerge virtually intact.
Experts reckon the monkey business gives the drink a unique "earthy"
taste, which has made it the most expensive and sought-after coffee in the
world.
It is in such short supply - just 500 lb of it is harvested a year - that
it is virtually impossible to get hold of in Britain and has only limited
availability in the States and Japan.
Experts say the brew first came to light hundreds of years ago, when
explorers sampled it on the Indonesian isles of Java, Sumatra and
Sulawesi.
The monkey - known as the Palm Toddy Cat - lives on a diet of alcoholic
tree sap and coffee berries.
US-based food and drink critic Chris Rubin said:
"Whether it's because the intestinal juices give some special flavour or
because it eats only perfectly ripe berries, the Toddy Cat's droppings
produce what many say is the world's finest coffee."
Some exclusive US outlets sell Kopi Luwak for around a FIVER a cup.
US Coffee supplier Mark Mountanos has snapped up 110 lb of the beans.
He said: "We've had interest from all over the world because it is very
hard to get hold of."
US coffee shop owner Richard Karno ordered a pound from Mark's firm - but
only after he convinced him it wasn't a joke.
He said: "It's the best coffee I've ever tasted. It smells musty, but it
roasts up real nice