Introduction
· P: Welcome to feeding the soul podcast…the coolest podcast in the whole world. On Today’s episode, it’s a Taste of Thailand. Enjoy the show!
· J: In Thailand, food forms a central part of any social occasion, and it often becomes the social occasion in itself or a reason to celebrate.
· W: In American culture, when friends or family meet up, we might meet up and ask, “how are you doing”? But in Thai culture, family and friends unite and share through food. The central question is, “have you had a meal yet, are you hungry?”
· J: While food is important to many cultures—In Thailand it plays such a central part of bridging connection. This is partly due to the friendly, social nature of Thai people, but also because of the way in which food is ordered, served, and eaten.
· W: Thais eat slowly and enjoy the food, as a meal is also an opportunity for sharing with loved ones.
· J & W: This is so opposite to my culture (American and Korean)
The Typical Thai Meal
· J: When eating out, or making a meal at home, a group of Thai people would eat a variety of meat (chicken or pork) and/or seafood dishes (especially from the south or southeast due to proximity of the sea), then add on some stir-fried vegetables, possibly soup, and most definitely a side of rice.
· W: Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple or any of the tropical fruits that are common in the country (guava, durian, mangosteen, papayas, pineapple, bananas, tamarind, or mangoes, amongst many). Or it could be something more elaborate, like colorful rice cakes, rice dumplings coated in coconut, grass jelly, or a bean dessert.