Alcoholic Beverages

Appears in

Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia & Singapore

Published 2008

About

Thai people today drink more than in the past. Alcohol consumption goes against once-strict Buddhist teachings. Beer, rice whisky, and imported spirits are preferred. Grape wines, which are highly sensitive to temperature, require sophisticated storage in Thailand’s hot climate. They are relegated to fine restaurants. Beer goes particularly well with Thai food, and several local brands are excellent, including Singha and Beer Chang.

Decorative Fruit Carving

Seven hundred years ago, when the city of Sukhothai was the capital of the kingdom of Thailand, the art of kae sa luk (Thai fruit carving) was developed there. Legend has it that a servant preparing for the king’s celebration of the loi kratong (floating lantern festival) took some creative license to carve a flower and a bird from vegetables. Thus begun the custom of decorative carving in the king’s palace. The art form evolved to become an essential part of the royal era. Women were trained in the art, and competitions were held periodically. Decorative fruits and vegetables carved with ornate flowers and wildlife became identified with the culinary culture and were often used as serving vessels .

In the 1930s Thai fruit carving became part of a home economics program that helped bring this royal art to all classes of society. At that time, some practitioners of the craft began carving soap as well. Now carvers work in tourist areas, creating a bounty of colorful flowers that are sold in small decorative boxes as souvenirs. Also in Thailand today, cucumbers are carved into “leaves” to be dunked in dips or used to garnish food. Elaborate displays of kae sa luk vegetables and fruits still decorate tables for banquets, holidays, and auspicious occasions.

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