Pictured here is our lunch (Seafood Fried Rice) that was served on our AirAsia flight BKK-SIN. I am not used to my food looking back at me, so I tried to think of the nutritional value: Omega-3s and Calcium. These little fish were only about 1/2-inch long, sort of dried, and very salty. Cousin Roger says they remind him of smelt that come from Lake Champlain.
After nearly three weeks in Japan, Singapore and Thailand, we are on our way home - the long way - through Singapore, Yokota and undetermined points East. It will take us a minimum of five days IF we get all the flights we hope to. We left Bangkok on Monday, 5 March, spent two nights in Singapore and flew to Yokota today. I find I am really looking forward to getting back to my own home cooking.
Goldenbear70 is extremely fond of Asian food – especially Thai food, and could literally eat Panang Curry at least five times a week. Me? The further into our stay, the less fond I was of Miso Soup. Dr. Oz said eating Miso Soup helps your body burn belly fat. Now I know how that works – you just lose your appetite.
For my sake, we tried going to a couple of western restaurants. The Caprese Salad had completely tasteless sliced tomatoes with dry, tough “fresh” mozzarella. The Seafood Orzo was so salty, I had to send it back. Maybe it was made with sea water? Then I tried just plain spaghetti with tomato sauce, but the garlic was coarsely chopped – not minced – too much garlic for even a garlic-lover like me. I realize now that Thai people make great Thai food – Italian? -- not so much.
Wanting to avoid fried rice/noodles for breakfast again yesterday I resorted to buying an Egg McMuffin yesterday. By yesterday and today, I did not even want to look at another plate of fried noodles/rice, roast duck/chicken/pork, anything with chilies in it or chili sauce on it, or anything that was served in a pot of hot water or had been cooked on a stick. Those of you who know me well know I am NOT a picky eater, and I usually have a voracious appetite.
Asian desserts, never as sweet as we are accustomed to, are usually made with fruit; tapioca is another popular ingredient. Additionally I have seen a few really interesting examples, such as fungus custard I spotted recently – doesn’t that just sound yummy? (fungus = mushrooms) How does almond sauce or bean sauce sound for dessert? An Asian ice cream sundae could come with kidney beans as the topping, and apparently corn is considered a sweet treat there. Even the candy bars and bakery goods that they sell at the shops are not as sweet as we have come to expect. For me Asia is a great place to give up dessert, which is what I need to do.
We always have fun looking at the different types of foods and packaging in markets. I will post below a few photos we took in Singapore.
Hmmmm? Is it "Export" because it is not good enough for distribution in the States?
Those oranges must really be something - look at the crowd waiting to buy them!
Toy, gb70, and Bee in the Produce Dept. at Paragon Siam Bangkok --if they do not have it at this mall, you really do not need it nor could you imagine it. (Year of the Dragon - I think I beheaded him - oops!)
Ginormous Apples! I think they are grown in Japan.
To get the full effect of the photo of Durian, I need scratch ‘n sniff capability – the peel smells like garbage and sewage and is not allowed in some public places such as elevators, commuter trains, and hotels, but if you can get past that and get a properly ripe one, they are quite tasty.
Could these be "designer" mangos? Tommy Atkins - like Tommy Hilfiger?
Near the end of this trip, mango, our very favorite fruit, was just coming into season in Thailand. We learned there are different types, among them tart mangos. Our friend Toy introduced us to a tart, chewy mango, sliced with dried fish and a chili sauce drizzled on it – she said it was an authentic Thai snack, which I enjoyed trying! (A better blogger would have taken a picture of said authentic Thai snack, but I failed to do so.)
Our favorite treat is sticky rice with mango and coconut, but I limited myself to slowly savoring only one bite every few days. Our last night in Bangkok we shared a slice of mango cheesecake, with a chocolate cookie crust and a garnish of sliced mango. Some calories and sugar are worth the damage – maybe not “to die for,” but close.
goldenbear70's honey
Kanto Lodge, Yokota Air Base, Japan
2056 Wednesday 07 March 2012
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