Bran Van 3000 - Supermodel

aswell placed on their debut Record, Glee. Lyrics: Ooh, look at all this company coming round tonight. Even Catherine O'Hara's come by to say hello. You really wanna know? Well, I'll tell you, I might have to pour myself another little moonshine... Here we go: It was a sweet and frosty May, In the town of Thunder Bay, When Dale and Wendy Day went out to Sweetbrush Lake. Found a weeping willow to sit down and do the Thunder Bay a go-go, While the wind was real soft. Poor little Wendy just had to break. Later on that month, Dale went for Pepper lunch at the "we're-all-in-this-together diner". Yeah, the pea soup was fine, The corn cob on time, The chili dogs even finer. The real reason was that Wendy was working counter. Those two little kids just couldn't get enough of each other. Dale broke out like a man and said: "Wendy I think I want to take your hand and make little children, live beyond the sand. In respect to the clouds and the colony of your eyes, that day we made love, I'm going to call my little child Amber Jones" Hey supermodel, set the rest of us free. Which is exactly what happened. There ain't no genie in the bottle, or in that magazine. Let me ask you one question, and it goes: Hey supermodel, What's it like being pretty? Now everyone knows that if you're going to run a successful café, You have to hire the prettiest waitress. Amber it turns out had been working at the Pepperlunch café just like her mother did 20 years earlier, And it boils down to this very ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddA_EF8DIjc&hl=en

Mouth-Watering Thai Desserts - The Flour

A friend of mine told me that my article, " Mouth-Watering Thai Desserts" on August 9th, 2008, does not have information on flour used in Thai desserts. My friend was right - I mentioned flour in one of the seven main ingredients but I did not write anything about flour. Thus, continuing from the previous article on "Mouth-Watering Thai Desserts" this article will focus on flour used in Thai desserts. Taken together, these two articles give a fuller picture of Thai desserts.

The following are the common flours used in Thai desserts: sticky rice flour, rice flour, cassave starch, corn starch, wheat flour, arrowroot starch and mung bean flour.

Sticky Rice Flour (paeng khao niaw)

Sticky rice flour is also referred to as "sweet rice powder" or "glutinous rice flour." It is made from short-grain sticky rice that becomes moist, firm and sticky when cooked. This is due to its proportionally higher number of waxy starch molecules. With its chewy texture, sticky rice flour is a favorite base for buns and pastries. Sticky rice flour is often combined with plain rice flour to create a variety of Thai desserts.

In Thailand there are 2 types of sticky rice flour: wet and dry. Wet sticky rice flour is finely milled with water, whereas dry sticky rice flour is finely milled without water. When buying sticky rice flour, choose products that have a white color and no smell or moisture.

Example desserts using sticky rice flour are Paeng Jee (grilled coconut cakes), Bua Loy Benjarong (taro, pumpkin, and mung dal bean balls in coconut milk) and Khanom Thua Paep (mung bean stuffing coated with shredded coconut meat).

Rice Flour (paeng khao jao)

Rice flour is used to thicken various dishes and is also an important ingredient in various Thai desserts. Rice flour is a good substitute for wheat flour, in that the latter causes digestive system irritation in those who are gluten intolerant. However, rice flour should not be used or substituted in some desserts like cakes. This is because rice flour is not finely milled like cake flour, and would not yield the same quality of desserts. In Thailand, there are 3 types of rice flour:

rice flour made from rice older than a year - good for absorbing water,
rice flour made from new rice - does not absorb water as well because of its moisture, and
rice flour made from new rice without water - excellent at absorbing water.

Beyond the type of flour, there are many grades for each type. To buy rice flour, choose products with a white color and absence of an old smell. If you plan to make a dessert using rice flour, find flour that was finely milled so your dessert will have a smooth texture.

Example desserts using rice flour are Khanom Chan (nine-layered dessert) and Khanom Thuay (coconut cakes).

Wheat Flour (paeng sa lee)

Wheat flour is a fine white powder that has high gluten content. There are different types of wheat flour depending on the types/characteristics of wheat used and the milling process. The common wheat flours are bread flour, all purpose flour and cake flour. These 3 types of wheat flour are different in the percentage of protein contained in the flour. Bread flour has the highest percentage of protein, 12%-13%, followed by all purpose flour at 9%-10% and cake four at 6%-9%.

Protein content is an important key for a buyer to know because it yields different result in cooking. High protein content means more water will be absorbed and there will be a longer mixing time to achieve optimum consistency. Thus the desserts/snacks that are chewy or sticky usually use the high protein content wheat flour.

Mung Bean Flour (paeng tao khiaw)

Mung bean flour is made from mung beans. It is a gluten-free flour. Some brands offer a very fine texture of flour. If the flour is not finely ground, one must grind it before use to prevent lumps. Mung bean flour comes in a variety of colors depending on how much it has been precessed. When cooking mung bean flour (with water on a stove), it turns transparent. One of the most well-known uses for mung bean flour is in so-called glass/clear noodles, very fine noodles made with a highly refined form of mung bean flour. When raw, these noodles are almost transparent, and they turn completely transparent when cooked. Khanom Salim is a Thai dessert that requires mung bean flour and cannot be substituted. Khanom Salim is sweet mung bean threads in syrup with coconut milk on top. It is served cold with ice. The mung bean thread is colored with natural colors like Flower of Chitoria Tematea Linn (Dok Un Chun) yielding a blue or lac (krang) yielding a red.

Cassave Starch (paeng mun)

Cassave starch is often called tapioca starch (paeng sa koo). It is a refined white flour which is made from cassava root. Cassave starch is very finely textured, and is a common substitute for arrowroot starch and cornstarch. Cassave starch is gluten-free and easy to digest. It is often added to gluten-free baking as a thickener. It is broadly used as a thickener for sauces, soups and desserts in Thailand. In desserts, cassave starch is almost always used in blends with other types of flour so that desserts are more soft and sticky than when using only one type of flour.

Corn Starch (paeng khao pod)

Corn starch is made from corn kernels and is finely textured. Corn starch is best dissolved in cold water. When cooking corn starch (with water on a stove), corn starch tends to form lumps. Thus, it is important to stir frequently on low heat. It is used as a thickener and used in blends with other types of flour like rice flour.

Arrowroot Starch (paeng thao yay mom)

Arrowroot Starch is made from the root of the marantha arundinacea. In Thailand, arrowroot starch consists of tiny white balls that must be ground before using. However, in some brands, arrowroot starch is a fine powder just like cassave starch. Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free flour that has no identifying taste or scent. It is used as a clear thickener with any mixture or in blends with other types of flour. Its thickening power is about twice that of cassave starch. Arrowroot starch is used in many Thai desserts.

Thais love desserts and they have been a part of our lives for a long time. Thai desserts cannot be perfected without attentive use of flour. For some desserts, some types of flour can be substituted for each other, but in other cases substitution is not advisable. Each type of flour has its own characteristics, which in some cases preclude substitution, depending on how they interact with the rest of the dessert. When making delicious authentic Thai desserts, it is more important to closely follow the recipe than it is for non-dessert kinds of dishes. Enjoy the many wonderful tastes and textures of Thai desserts!

Napatr Lindsley

Good Ole Recipes Never Die

A fried pie is a old southern delicacy. Mothers and grandmothers alike would take the left over biscuit dough from breakfast and would roll it very thin into a circle. Fill it with cooked fruit filling, fold it over into a half moon shape, crimp it with a fork and then fry it until it was golden brown. The men and the children would open their lunch pails and find these wonderful desserts in there. The ones of us that got to eat this wonderful labor of love has memories that last a life time. I don't remember finding them in a lunch bucket, but I do remember getting home from school and there would be a platter full of fried pies waiting on us, and they were so good. My favorite was sugar and butter.

When I talk about a fried pie, I don't mean the commercial fried pie that we see at the grocery store or at all the Qmarts. I am talking about a fried pie that has a sweet, flaky crust and is full of real filling. I know this is almost a skill of the past. Just how to make these delicious treats had to be handed down through the generations. I guess it is an art just like making soap, canning our own food and making moonshine. Many of our younger generation will not have the pleasure of trying this piece of the past, unless they discover one of the companies out there that makes the real thing. There are a few places that still make it just like" Mama used to."

The most popular flavors for fried pies are Peach, Apple, Cherry, Apricot, and Chocolate. Sometimes you can find coconut and lemon. There is one company that even makes Strawberry and Pecan. You actually could make a fried pie out of any fruit, cream or meat filling that your heart desires.

A fried pie is not a simple recipe to master. The crust is very delicate. It must be thin enough to be flaky and tough enough to be handled. If this is done right, it is one of the most unique, delicious desserts that you can sit on your table, especially when a scoop of ice cream is added to the top.

The Fried Pie is known more in the South because that is where it originated; but everyone that tries it, falls in love with this spectacular sweet treat. Although a fried pie ,when it started, was just a way to utilize any left over biscuit dough. Thru the years it has evolved into a delicious, delicate, dessert that can bring back precious memories and delight the palates of both young and the young at heart

Mahi-Mahi Coconut Style in Ti-leaf Package and Opakapaka with Black Bean Sauce

Mahi is a beautiful, white, flaky fish caught fresh from the waters of the clean ocean surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. In Mexico, it is called Dorado. It is a colorful blue and yellow fish when fresh from the sea. We prepare it many ways, but this is a favorite Polynesian style.

4 eight oz. mahi-mahi filets

8 large ti leaves with rib removed

lemon grass, chopped

ginger, chopped

garlic, minced

lime juice

cilantro

sesame oil

coconut milk

Lay the mahi on a ti leaf, with lemon grass, ginger, garlic, cilantro and lime juice. Pour coconut milk over filet and a few drops sesame oil.
Tie ti-leaf and wrap with another ti-leaf using rib to tie; then steam or grill for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with steamed white jasmine or calrose rice and mango salsa!

Whole Fish

Steamed Opakapaka

It is not difficult to prepare a whole fish. This is how we can serve many people with ease. Amaryllis learned to prepare dinner for twelve her first time in the Bay Area, when she served whole, baked salmon caught fresh from the sea. This was so easy to prepare! The cleaned fish (gutted, with head removed) was stuffed with whole mushrooms, slices of onions, dried sweet basil, and pieces of butter. The fish was dotted with butter and basil, then covered in foil to bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees! She would look in to see that the fish was pink and moist and perfectly cooked. The sweet basil was so fragrant! To serve, she would cut into 2-inch sections for each person. The mushrooms and onions and buttery juices were drizzled on top of each serving and garnished with lemon wedges. She served a green salad and wild rice.
In Hawaii, she discovered the moist, deep water fish opakapaka, or Hawaiian pink snapper. Hawaii's seafood has been described as the best in the world! The islands are so remote and the waters so clean. The fish are awesome. She loves steamed opakapaka with a black bean sauce. Black-bean sauce is easy to prepare. She uses 4 tbsp. salted, dried, black beans and 2 and 1/2 cups of water. Boil these in a frying pan, add 1 tbsp. cornstarch to thicken, then add chopped green onions. One tsp. of sugar is added. Cook 5 minutes.The whole cleaned, scaled fish is rubbed with Hawaiian salt and steamed in a long fish-steamer for 20 minutes. The fish is scored, salted black bean sauce and green onions are poured over it, then drizzled with hot peanut oil and served on a platter. Guests can pick at the fish with chopsticks!

Serve with steamed white jasmine or calrose rice and mango salsa!

Tips For the Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe

Tres leches cake is a famous Mexican dessert recipes. "Tres leches" is Spanish for three milks because this cake contains whole milk or cream, condensed milk and evaporated milk. You might imagine that such a combination would produce a heavy, dense cake but actually, tres leches cake is light and moist. It has a lot of air bubbles in it.

This cake is soaked in milk and often flavored with vanilla. This cake is famous in Mexico and it is not difficult to make yourself. This cake can either be a sponge cake or a butter cake and, as you would expect, a sponge cake gives lighter results.

Soaking cakes in liquid is not a new concept and there are various traditional cake recipes, which call for this step. Rum cake is a Christmas favorite and you might have tried a Savarin or Baba. Italian tiramisu is soaked in coffee to flavor it and Puerto Rican rum cake is also famous. These cakes are doused in alcohol to flavor them.

A lot of other cake recipes tell you to brush some kind of liquid over the cake to moisten it and add flavor. Good tres leches cake is moist instead of mushy and aromatic instead of overly strong flavored.

Early Recipes for Three Milk Cake

It is not certain how tres leches cake was invented, although this cake is more popular in Mexico and Nicaragua than anywhere else. The Nestle company claims it helped this cake to evolve during the second world war but that is not proven. Sweetened condensed milk has been around since the early nineteenth century, although many people do not realize this.

Due to the lack of refrigeration available at the time, sweetened condensed milk was invented because fresh milk did not keep for long and this ingredient was used to make various Mexican desserts, including cakes.

Tasty Toppings and Flavorings

Tres leches cake can be served as it is or topped with cajeta, which is a goat's milk and sugar based caramel sauce. Some restaurants in Florida and Texas add cajeta to the tres leches cake, technically making it a cuatro leches (four milks) cake, but this is a Tex Mex serving idea, rather than an authentic Mexican one.

A tot of rum or brandy can be added to the soaking liquid or you could try Irish Cream or Kahlua. Some toasted coconut would be good too and you might like to flavor the milk mixture with a nut or fruit extract.

For a southern style tres leches cake you can add drained peaches to the batter and peach schnapps to the soaking liquid. For a Caribbean spin, what about adding some coconut milk to the milk mixture and perhaps some light rum too? These steps are optional and you might just prefer to make a traditional recipe for tres leches cake.

A Glossary of Typical Thai Dishes - Part I

Planning to eat at a Thai restaurant can be a challenge sometimes, especially the first time one tries Thai food. Looking up dishes on the Internet ahead of time is always a good idea. The Internet is filled with lots of information on both authentic Thai dishes and Thai dishes customized for one's country. So, when choosing your Thai dishes, be aware that they might not be the same as a given description on the Internet. Even authentic Thai recipes for a given dish can be different. This is because it depends on the person who wrote the recipe. The region plays important role. Green curry in the north can be different from green curry in the central plains. A variety of factors make recipes and descriptions a fluid process. But that there are benefits to this situation. Becoming familiar with multiple perspectives and possibilities can enliven one's eating experience further and help generate new ideas and tastes.

Most Thai restaurants in the US will provide menus that include descriptions of each dish. Some may also show dishes written in Thai and/or a phonetic English pronunciation of the Thai name. The names of dishes often derive from from the main ingredient. For instance, Kaeng Kiaw Wann Gai translates literally as "curry, green, sweet, chicken." Here are some typical Thai dishes in Thailand. Perhaps you'll find some dishes here that you've tried or would like to look for in restaurants in your country.

Snacks (Appetizers)
Thais love snacks and often eat between meals. There are a wide variety of snacks ranging from deep-fried insects to fruits and sweets.

Gai Ping: charcoal-grilled chicken with sticky rice
Kai Ping: charcoal-roasted eggs with dark chili dipping sauce
Khanom Pang Nah Goong: deep-fried minced shrimp, garlic and cilantro on bread
Khanom Pang Nah Moo: deep-fried minced pork, garlic and cilantro on bread
Kiaw Krob Goong-Moo: deep-fried minced pork, shrimp & spices enclosed in a wonton wrapper
Kluay Ping: charcoal-grilled banana
Luk Chin Ping: barbeque meatballs with chili dipping sauce
Luk Chin Tod: deep-fried meatballs with chili dipping sauce
Miang Kam: leaf-wrapped tidbits
Moo Ping: charcoal-grilled pork with sticky rice
Po Pia Tod: deep-fried spring rolls with sweet dipping sauce
Roti: Muslim pan-fried bread with sweetened condensed milk and granulated sugar
Roti Sai Mai: flour-wrapped spun candy
Sakoo Sai Moo: steamed tapioca filled with minced pork
Tod Mun Goong: fried shrimp cakes with cucumber and peanut in sweet dipping sauce
Tod Mun Pla: fried fish cakes with cucumber and peanut in sweet dipping sauce

Noodle Dishes
There are many types of noodles - three examples of types are egg, rice and transparent noodles. The rice noodles come in 3 different sizes: sen yai (wide), sen lek (medium) and sen mee (thin). Egg noodles are called "Ba-Mi" and transparent are called "Wun sen" and are made from mung beans starch. Most Thais would eat noodle dishes with chopsticks as contrasted with their regular use of spoon and fork.

Bami Haeng: egg noodles (served dry) with vegetables and meat/meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)
Bami Kiaw Nam: egg noodle soup with wontons (filled with meat), sliced barbeque pork and vegetables
Bami Kiaw Haeng: egg noodles (served dry) with wontons (filled with meat), sliced barbeque pork and vegetables
Bami Nam: egg noodle soup with vegetables and meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)
Khamon Hua Phak Kad: stir-fried white radish cake with bean sprouts and Chinese chives
Khao Soi: Chiang Mai-style noodles; creamy sauce served over egg noodles
Kuai Tiaw Kai Kau: stir-fired wide rice noodles with chicken
Kuay Tiaw Haeng: rice noodles (served dry) with vegetables and meat/meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)
Kuay Tiaw Num: rice noodle soup with vegetables and meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)
Lad Nah: stir-fried thin or wide rice noodles with light gravy bean sauce and Chinese kale
Pad Kee Mao: Stir-fried wide rice noodles with meat and vegetables with chilies
Pad See Eew: stir-fried wide rice noodles with meat and vegetables with black soy sauce
Pad Thai: stir-fried medium rice noodles with egg, dried shrimp and fried bean curd sprinkled with peanuts (served with
beansprouts)

Curry Dishes
Thai curry dishes are well known for their spicy qualities. Each curry dish is made with a specific type of curry paste; the term can also refer to the pastes themselves. There are two common types of curries: coconut-based curry and water-based curry. The coconut-based curry will consistently have coconut milk in it whereas water-based curry has no coconut. Most water-based curry will involve fish as one of its ingredients. Here are some typical curry dishes Thais eat:

Kaeng Daeng: red curry with meat, red bell peppers, basil and coconut milk
Kaeng Hang Le: Northern style curry with meat, curry powder, lemongrass, ginger, shallots, shrimp paste, chilies and peanuts
Kaeng Kari: Indian style curry with meat, potatoes and coconut milk
Kaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry with meat, Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, winter melon, Thai sweet basil (Bai Horapa), kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk
Kaeng Khua: three-flavored coconut-based curry (sweet, sour and salty) most common meat is fish, shrimp or clam. Main added ingredients typically used in this curry can be pineapple, mushrooms or winter melon. Other ingredients are galanga, kaffir lime zest, dried chilies, lemon grass and shrimp paste
Kaeng Leung: hot yellow curry, most common meat used is fish. Other ingredients are winter melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass, shallots and shrimp paste
Kaeng Liang: vegetarian curry, most common vegetables are sponge gourd (buab liam), gourd leave (bai tam leung) and phak nam tao (bottle gourd). Other ingredients are shrimp paste, dried shrimp and shallots
Kaeng Matsaman: curry with meat, potatoes, peanuts and coconut milk (a mild curry from the Muslim Southern part of Thailand)
Kaeng Pa: jungle curry is a water-based curry eaten in Northen Thailand. This curry is hot and full of flavor from fingerroot, kaffir lime zest, lemon grass, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and chilies
Kaeng Phed: spicy curry with meat and chilies
Kaeng Som: hot and sour curry with fish (can be fired), morning glory vegetables and juice-based tamarind
Phanaeng: Thai southern style dry curry with meat, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk

Soup
Spicy and non-spicy soup dishes are always served as one of a communal dinner's dishes. Most non-spicy soup dishes can be made with a variety of ingredients.

Kaeng Chued Ma Ra: stuffed bitter melon in soup broth. Stuffed bitter melon can use ground pork or chicken
Kaeng Chued Taeng Gwa: stuffed cucumber in soup broth. Stuffed cucumber can be ground pork or chicken
Kaeng Chued Tao Hu: beancurd, soy bean sprouts in soup broth. Some may add ground pork
Kaeng Chued Wun Sen: clear noodle, ground meat, vegetables and broth
Kaeng Tam Leung: chicken or pork rib broth with gourd leaves (bai tam leung)
Tom Kha Gai: hot and sour coconut milk soup with chicken, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chilies
Tom Kha Pla Duk: hot and sour coconut milk soup with catfish, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chilies
Tom Kha Ta Le: hot and sour coconut milk soup with assorted seafood, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chilies
Tom Som: sweet and sour soup with fish, shrimp paste, tamarind juice, onion and coriander
Tom Yum Gai: hot and sour soup with chicken, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chilies
Tom Yum Goong: hot and sour soup with shrimp, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chilies
Tom Yum Moo Pa: hot and sour soup with wild boar, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chilies
Tom Yum Pla Duk: hot and sour soup with catfish, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chilies
Tom YUm Ta Ke: hot and sour soup with assorted seafood, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chilies

Rice Dishes
With rice as Thais' staple, there are many of quick rice dishes. Some may eat as their main meal, but some may eat as snack.

Jok: rice porridge with ground pork, fresh ginger and green onion (some may add egg)
Khao Krug Ka Pi: shrimp paste rice with slices of thin omlet, fired shallots, shreaded raw mango, sweet shredded pork and dried shrimp
Khao Mok Gai: Thai-style chicken biriyani served with rice cooked with yellow spices
Khao Moo Daeng: Chinese-style red pork with rice, boiled eggs and cucumber
Khao Mun Gai: steamed chicken with rice cooked in chicken stock and garlic
Khao Nah Ped: roasted duck served on rice
Khao Ob Subparod: fried rice with shrimp, pineapple, onions and cashew nuts, baked in a pineapple
Khao Pad Moo-Goong: fried rice with pork, shrimp, eggs, onion and cilantro
Khao Pad Poo: fried rice with crab meat, eggs, tomatoes, onion and cilantro
Khao Pad Subparod: fried rice with shrimp, pineapple, onions and cashew nuts
Khao Tom: rice soup with a selection of meat and vegetable side dishes;
Khao Tom Goong: rice soup with shrimp
Khao Tom Moo: rice soup with pork
Khao Tom Pla: rice soup with fish

Desserts
Dessert is known as Khanom or Khong wan in Thai. Most Thai desserts are based on fruits and natural flavor.

Bua Loy Benjarong: taro, pumpkin, and mung dal bean balls in coconut milk
Kaeng Buat: potatoes, taro and pumpkin in coconut milk
Khanom Kluay: blended banana mixed with flours dessert with shredded coconut on top
Khao Niaw Dum Puek-Ma Prao: taro, coconut meat and black sticky rice with coconut topping
Khao Niaw Gaew: boiled pandanus sticky rice balls
Khao Niaw Ma Muang: mango served with sticky rice and coconut milk
Khao Tom Mud: steamed black beans, sticky rice and banana in banana leaf
Khanom Chan: nine-layered sweet. Main ingredients are flours and natural colors
Khanom Khrok: warm coconut pudding
Khanom Moh Kaeng: Thai-style egg custard
Khanom Tago: sago-based dessert with coconut cream on top
Khanom Thien: mung beans in banana leaf
Khanom Thua Fu: jasmine sponge cakes
Khanom Thua Paep: mung bean stuffing coated with shredded coconut meat
Khanom Thuay: coconut cakes
Kluay Buat Chee: banana in coconut milk
Kluay Tod: deep-fried banana fritters
Luk Choob: made from mung dal beans, this dessert is a collection of miniature replicas of fruits and vegetables
Mun Tom Khing: potatoes in ginger syrup
Nam Kang Sai: assorted fruits, beans or sticky rice with shaved ice on top
Paeng Jee: grilled coconut cakes
Sang Kha Ya Fak Thong: coconut custard in a hollowed pumpkin
Sakoo Khao Pod: tapioca and corn with coconut topping
Sakoo Tao Dum: tapioca and black beans in coconut milk
Tao Suan Med Bua: mung dal beans and lotus seeds with coconut topping
Thong Yip (Pinched Gold), Thong Yod (Drop of Gold) and Foi Thong (Golden Threads): these three are well-known egg-yolk
desserts in Thailand. The color of these three desserts is a yellow-like golden color from the egg yolk

There are lots more dishes than I can mention here. Part II will talk more about seafood dishes, stir-fried dishes and fruits. Already a fairly extensive list, the above selections help give one a sense of both the wide variety of dishes and the groups of dishes that relate to or build off of each other. Certainly many different combinations of dishes await! Combinations can be further harmonized based on increasing familiarity with dishes that also allows one to better tailor selections for a given occasion. As noted earlier, recipes and general descriptions for a dish can vary significantly. As a result, there are many possibilities for taste and other elements of many of the dishes listed here.

Let us here from you if there is something you'd like to hear about in an article, such as a general topic for an article, or more information on a particular selection of dishes. Looking through this wealth of choices can be a good way to discover new favorite dishes. Until next time, happy eating!

Napatr Lindsley

Holiday Candy Recipes - The Ultimate Recipes to Make Candy

Do you like candy as much as I do? Well, did you know that you can prepare delicious candy from the comfort of your home? Pecan pralines, raspberry divinity, chocolate turtles and coconut bon bons are some simple yet delicious candy recipes you can prepare at home.

Below are the recipes so you can try them out and you will see what i mean:

1. Pecan Pralines

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of chopped pecans

Directions:

- Combine sugars and milk.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sugars are dissolved and mixture boils.
- Cook until thermometer registers 224.
- Add butter and pecans.
- Cook until a small amount of mixture forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water.
- Cool quickly to lukewarm.
- Stir in maple syrup and heat until thick.
- Drop on a buttered surface and flatten out into patties.

2. Raspberry Divinity

Ingredients:

- 3 cups of sugar
- 1 - 3 oz. Package of raspberry gelatin
- 1/2 cup of flaked coconut
- 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
- 3/4 cup of light corn syrup
- 1 cup of chopped pecans
- 3/4 cu of water

Directions:

- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat and cook to hard ball stage.
- Combine beaten egg whites and gelatin - beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.
- Pour hot syrup slowly into egg whites, beating until candy loses gloss and holds shape.
- Fold in coconut and nuts (optional).
- Pour into greased 9 inch square pan.
- Top with rows of chopped nuts and coconut.

3. Chocolate Turtles

Ingredients:

For The Turtles

- 2 squares of chocolate
- 1/2 cup of margarine
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla

For The Icing:

- 1/2 square of chocolate
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter
- Powdered sugar

Directions:

- Melt 2 squares of chocolate and 1/2 cup of margarine.
- Beat 2 eggs. Add sugar. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture.
- Fold in 1 cup flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Drop by teaspoon on hot waffle iron (low).
- Bake 50 seconds.
- Cool and frost.
- ICING: Boil chocolate, brown sugar, water, and butter 3 minutes.
- Take off heat.
- Add powdered sugar until thick.
- Put on turtles.
- Sprinkle with ground nuts.

4. Coconut Bon Bons

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup of instant potatoes (2 servings cooked, but not seasoned)
- 4 cups of flaked coconut
- 1 - 16 oz. package of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of almond extract

Directions:

- Stir together the instant potatoes, coconut, powdered sugar, and the almond extract, mixing thoroughly.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.
- Melt a 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/3 of a bar of paraffin was in a double boiler.
- Shape the coconut mixture into small balls and dip in the melted chocolate.
- Lay on waxed paper until cool.