Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70983 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-18
• Binding: Hardcover
• 684 pages

Synopsis
Thai Food gives the most comprehensive account of this ancient and exotic cuisine ever published in English. David Thompson shares his passion for the unique style of cooking that he believes to be one of the world's greatest cuisines. He provides over 300 mouthwatering recipes, from the simple, honest flavour of a classic pat thai or the refreshing tang of a Green Papaya Salad to such elaborate creations as Green Curry of Trout Dumplings with Apple Eggplants or Stir-fried Crispy Fish Cakes with Pork and Salted Eggs. A series of introductory chapters examine the role of food in Thai culture and society, offer guidance on ingredients, with notes on availability and subsitutions, and explain the essential techniques of Thai cookery. More than 50 menus provide ideas for combining Thai dishes. Beautifully written, and complemented by superb photography, this book captures all aspects of this diverse culinary culture.

Customer Reviews

5 star
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!