This purplish blob may not look so appetizing, but right at this moment it's making me so hungry!!! It's pounded mountain sticky rice, served on a banana leaf, and it's amazing! Especially when it's warm and stretchy and rolled in a bit of raw cane sugar.
I was torturing myself by sorting through some of my Thai pictures (an ever-ending filing job truth be told) and I came across this and other foodie shots of some of the more unusual dishes I've actually come to love. I can say without a doubt, in these days of travel bans and closed borders, I am missing Thailand with my whole heart. I guess it's also true that I'm missing Thailand with my whole stomach as well.
Yupa is an amazing cook. Many of the pictures here are dishes from her kitchen. And I am convinced that the very best, very most authentic Thai food comes from her kitchen. Yupa Chaing Mai you have no idea how wide is the scope of all the ways I miss you right now!
On the fork, see that? That's the famous 'dancing shrimp' dish that utterly shocked me at first, but by now has become something of a tradition for every trip. Yes, my friends, these delicacies are still alive when served to you. That's their appeal, apparently. The dish is really spicy so I don't end up eating very much. Just enough to maintain my Thai-foodie status. And I must say that it took me about six or seven trips to work up to this. A LOT of those who have travelled with me have managed on their very first try. Evangeline Wilton Bill aka Céline Marcoux-Hamade, Rebecca Shirer, Sheldon Connor, Esther Weatherall Jonathan Gabber, Emerson Emerson Gabber -- did I miss anyone? -- You have my utmost admiration. And Erin Wildsmith you are also among those who have crunched the bugs. So much missions trip street cred there. (No pictures of that, you're welcome.)
I'm a little off track here. Because what I was really thinking about is how much richer and wondrous and tasty my life is because of this rich and wondrous and delicious connection with my family half a world away.
And it's not just my stomach that's hungry. My heart is in a state of longing that testifies to the painful part of love. Right about now the weather in northern Thailand is just starting to get a little cooler. Rainy season is almost over, and the mornings will soon be fresh. The sleepy kids will file in for morning worship, and after school ....if I was there....we would read together.
Life is rich, and sometimes sad. But often the sadness means something important and wonderful also happened.
Sunday blessings my friends.
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