Good Eats in Historic Bang Rak, Bangkok

In case you haven't noticed, there hasn't been much cooking going on here lately. This is because I've been on the road constantly over the past two months. And, to be honest, when you travel this much, it's not as fun as it may seem. A nomadic lifestyle has never bothered me; that part isn't a problem. It's having no access to a kitchen that gets old really fast.

The glass-half-full people in my life have tried to point out the benefits of not cooking which is not having to do dishes. But these people are crazy, and I know better than to let their optimism dampen my spirit. I miss cooking, and I miss blogging about what I cook.

Until that can happen again, here's something that hopefully will tide you over. I get tons of emails from my readers asking for Bangkok restaurant recommendations and tips on how to eat "like the locals," and I hope many find this post helpful.

Well, put on a pair of comfortable shoes and pants with an elastic waist. Then mosey around with me along the portion of 150-year-old Charoen Krung Road from Saphan Taksin BTS Station to the Silom junction for eating in historic Bang Rak is as "like the locals" as it gets. No need to pay for a tour guide; you can do this. The walk isn't long, the shops are easy to find, and no matter what you point at, chances are it will be good.

For the list of the ten best restaurants and stalls in this area, please go to my CNNGo article. This post merely provides additional commentary.

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Baked Orzo-Mascarpone Soufflé: A Spin-Off of Thai-Style Baked Rice Pudding

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has recently asked me to develop another mac 'n cheese recipe in addition to the kugel-like Spiced Apple Macaroni and Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pasta Gratin aka French Onion Soup Macaroni and Cheese which I had made for them in the past two years. Suddenly, my mind went straight to my mother's impromptu Thai-style baked rice pudding that combines sweet coconut sticky rice (the kind you eat with ripe mangoes) and Thai coconut custard (sangkhaya).

'What if we use rice-shaped pasta instead of rice?' I thought. 'And what if we add a mild, creamy cheese like mascarpone to it?'

Well, it worked. Beautifully, too, if I do say so myself.

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Creamy Tom Yam Kung (Tom Yam Kung Nam Khon ต้มยำกุ้งน้ำข้น)

After I'd made a passing reference to creamy Tom Yam Kung earlier, people have been asking me to talk more about this newer variation of Tom Yam which has taken Bangkok by storm in the last several years. Purists, as you may have guessed, are less than thrilled about it. (Dairy in a traditional savory Thai dish = anathema.)

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Young Green Peppercorns (Prik Thai On พริกไทยอ่อน)

One of the ingredients which I miss the most when living away from Thailand is fresh young green peppercorns. I also miss young tamarind leaves, water mimosa, lotus stems, and a few edible flowers. But at the top of the list is these little berries.

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