by Mark and Haley LaMonica

Created on: August 07, 2008   Last Updated: August 14, 2008

The Food of Chiang Mai, Thailand: From the Market to the Table

Thankful to escape the summer heat, we settle into the leather seats of the air conditioned van, wondering why we have voluntarily woken up at 6:30 am just two days after arriving in Thailand. The 15-hour time difference combined with our discovery of ginger infused vodka made us less than eager to untangle ourselves from our bed. Normally we have an informal rule that we never schedule anything requiring a wake-up call on vacation, but having heard raves from a fellow guest on our honeymoon three years prior, we knew this pre-cooking class market tour was not to be missed.

Typical of the Four Seasons service, our guide, Runn, presents us with citrus-scented cold towels and icy water for our half hour ride into the Chiang Mai. Water buffalo lazing about are replaced by commuters whizzing by on motorbikes as we approach the city. The open air market is approximately the size of a football field with stalls organized by food type. We begin by touring the produce section. Tables are piled high with familiar fruits as well as the more exotic offerings for which Thailand is famous. The bright red of the rambutans and the dark purple of the delicious mangosteens contrast with the spiky brown flesh of the notorious durian. We are pleased to discover that durian is not nearly as malodorous as its reputation would suggest. A nearby vendor happily splits one open, offering up the sweet stringy flesh that has a consistency similar to a soft blue cheese.

As we moved along, Runn shares her knowledge of the local herbs and seasonings. She crushes fresh coriander leaves in her palm, unleashing the pleasant aroma so characteristic of Thai cuisine. While similar in appearance, the hot basil of Thailand has a slightly spicy taste relative to the flavor of the sweet basil that is so abundant in the States. Baskets filled with fresh ginger, tumeric, and galangal line the tables. Kaffir limes, while technically a fruit, are used as herbs and a citronella scent is released by gently rubbing their wrinkly skin.

Landlocked and far from the ocean, we are not surprised to find only a small selection of freshwater fish. We pass a tank of ruby fish which we had dined on the previous night and then come upon a large rubber bin of snakehead fish complete with one lone frog who had escaped a large mesh bag filled with his companions. With tails whipping by him in the shallow water, it is unclear where he felt more comfortable.

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