During our third day in Thailand, we decided to take the Thai cooking class offered by our resort’s Recipe School of Culinary Arts. In the three major time periods of Thai history, the most recent one was the Rattanakosin period in which food became heavily influenced by China which brought in noodles and starches along with the deep-frying method. It is this style of Thai cuisine which we were instructed on.

In the morning, we accompanied our chef to the local fresh market where most of the area’s inhabitants and restaurants obtain their ingredients each morning. We toured the large market’s various sections (meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and prepared hot foods); it was sensory overload if I have ever experienced it! The hustle and bustle of morning buyers, vendors announcing their goods and daily market prices, butcher knives chopping, young children enjoying a quick snack, colors upon vibrant colors, and the varied, earthy, pleasant and unpleasant smells depending on which section you were in. I bought some beautiful pink dragon fruit and felt a few unfamiliar fruits and vegetables (be careful with snake fruit if you ever see one — they are prickly!)

After the market tour, we headed back to Recipe’s main kitchen for the class. Another couple from Kuwait was also honeymooning there and did the class concurrently with us. We prepared a four-course meal of shrimp wrapped in vermicelli noodles and deep-fried, chicken and vegetable stir-fry, coconut curried duck, and fried bananas with ginger ice cream. We also enjoyed a complimentary bottle of champagne!

To read more about our trip to Thailand, click here.