laocook

Feeling somewhat nostalgic, I was going through the HD and came across some holiday pics that I had intended to upload some time ago. The pics were taken earlier this year during our holiday to Laos and Thailand. If any of you are considering a simular holiday, just do it, you will not be dissapointed. The Vansana Hotel is a great place to base yourself whilst in Vientiane.

Our popular mode of transport is the back of a Toyota Pick Up. The hair and mouthfull of dust and sand seems a small price to pay when you can afford the luxury of open-air travel….

Rose with one of the stone Elephants outside the Don Chan Palace. We went there for evening drinks and must say that we were surprised at the elegance and luxury that it offers. Seeing this mamouth (geddit) hotel, reminds us all that Vientiane is changing and welcoming more visitors.

Laurene and King take it easy on a River Boat after some Sao Noi Disco. It a beautiful and relaxing way to enjoy an after lunch drink. You can even order your food to from the restaurant to take with you on the pleasant journey.

The urge to shout “Iceberg! Right ahead!!!” was scrapped when I realised that the only ice you see in Vientiane is the cubes that float in Beerlao….

Most kids this age would be scared of Ladybirds or Spiders. But our young friend here from Khon Kaen, Thailand shows us how it is done. Needless to say, Rose refused a photo with the snake whilst I was thinking about how it would taste….

Whilst the rest of us would use Tuk-Tuk´s, Rose and Laurene decided to take the old fashioned way. The funniest moment was when the driver didnt admit that “he didnt know where we were going”, tried to keep up with our Tuk Tuk, gave up and basically dropped the girls off “somewhere”. Luckily we managed to find them…

There is something wonderful about eating Kobe Beef. Perhaps it is the knowledge that the cows were fed beer, listened to soft music and recieved daily massages that makes the beef so interesting. That and the price of course…

I have the ability to find Oysters in every country that I visit. Though I like my Oysters with a dash of Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper, the Thai way of eating them with Crispy Shallots, Nam Pla and Lime Juice is also interesting, and very tasty…

“Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry”….

Dr. David Banner

The Lao Cook Team are always sad to see members leave, but as always, we wish them the best in their future endeavours. The charismatic Laotian duo will be remembered for their hard, honest work and ability to to enjoy whatever they were doing.

Peng, fondly known as Campo (after Cruzcampo, our mascot beer), taken in our small Herb Garden.

Toon chills next to the pool.

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The Lao Cook Team is small now, but our ideas keep growing. King and I are hard at work coming up with a dish that will be dedicated to Alexandra.

It (hopefully) will be a cross between Laotian and Bulgarian cuisine, to reflect on Alexandra´s background. You can get more information about Alexandra, her music, talent and bio at her official site or at Laomusic.nu.

Stay tuned… ;)

At the close of the three week Press Launch of the new Porsche 911 Turbo, the Lao Cook Team were honoured to make one of the Farewell Dinners.

Toon finishes his Watermelon carving.

It takes concentration and skill to make such a beautiful piece of art. (Like most pics on the site, you have to ignore the Time Stamps, some of us have yet to learn how to remove them…)

The main course was one of our favourites. Ping Gai!!

We like to use the thigh as it cooks well and remains moist. For the Rice Parcel, the rice is first fried with Eggs, Maggi and Coriander, then carefully wrapped in a Spring Roll sheet. The Vegetable “Basket” is made with Yuca.  

The Sauce is made with Coconut Milk and Red Spices which have been infused with Kaffir Leaves.

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The Lao Cook Team is not only about work, it is also about being together, and those who work hard, party hard.

Kuchi, Laurene and Peng (in the background Saki and King)

Patti and I join in the fun.

“Control” is when you can freely dance without spilling a drop…

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Not all Party´s take place at night..

Summer Tracks spun by the resident DJ…hehehe

Everyone loves a good “Lum”…

It is customary at all Lao Cook BBQ party´s that all people  get wet. That means everybody.

Jopi receives her “Welcome”…

Dont trust Kuchi near the pool when he has that “Grin”…

Saki makes his own splash….

Following the Congress of the “Maitres Cuisiniers de France”, several Journalists have written about the event.

In Japan, they have written an article about the Tuna Cutting Exhibition, and we are glad to say that King can be seen in the pics.

The Front Page

There is King.

A close-up

Okay, its not an article about Lao Cook, but King is proud…

:)

What a week this has been!. We have been busy, which is good because it has kept us out of mischief.

;)

Saki, our Thai Sushi cook has been busy making our Sushi Balls, which are a great hit.

Saki originates from the North of Thailand, and speaks perfect Lao. I discovered Saki (real name Phayungsak) working in a Japanese Restaurant in Bangkok, and asked him if he wanted to the chance to work in Spain, and the rest is history…

Saki trained as a traditionalist, has learned to appreciate New Style Foods and is now very open to suggestions and the possibility of Modernising Thai, Lao and Japanese Foods.

When asked what he likes most about Spain, he replies the “Way of Life, and the Sunsets”.

We can see why…

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For the time being we must have one of the most lovely Car Parks that we have ever seen.

The roar of the engines is music to the ears, I must confess that I have never really thought that these cars were beautiful, until I saw them close up, every detail is intense, thought out and elegant. Being near these Iconic cars over the past few weeks has really opened my eyes. The cars are being test-driven each day by various Journalists, who can enjoy the thrill of taking corners on our curvaceous roads at 240kph. Hold on to your stomach!…

Ever wonder what one of these looks like from the “Inside”?

On display on pour Bar Patio is a unique dissected model.

A truly outstanding Automobile.

The Boot (Trunk) is in the front of the car, whilst the Twin Turbo Engine sits in the back. I want one of these….

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Our lovely friend Dara

from Lyon asked us for a recipe for one of her favorite drinks/ deserts. “Xung Xa” also known as “Che Ba Mau” is a drink/ desert closely associated with Vietnam. Fondly referred to as “Rainbow Drink”, (you will see why), the Lao Cook Team are a little divided over the recipe, as the Lao and Thai also have a simular drink (as with all SE Asian recipes, there are many different versions). But what we all agree on is the use of Sweetened Coconut Milk.

In our research, we have found that many recipes call for Yellow Mung and Red Azuki Beans, which must be soaked in water before steaming. Being in the countryside (Bahn Nork) of Spain, these ingredients are hard to come by. The Lao cooks prefer to use Grass Jelly (Black), whilst my Thai contingency like the texture of Lod-Chong (Short Pandan Noodles), or it could be vice-versa because I have seen the ingredients on my travels through both Laos and Thailand.

We are still in our Trial Phase of the dish, but what we have agreed on is that the Coconut Milk should be sweetened with Sugar Syrup and not Sugar Granules. We don’t normally like to release pics from the testing phase as the final presentation is always different to the practice runs. But seeing as Dara is has been waiting a while we decided lay the rule book under the table.

You could call this the Lao/Thai version, which includes both the Grass Jelly and Lod-Chong (homemade).

At the same time as we are trying to come up with what we consider the best recipe, minds are at work on a New Style Rainbow, which I have added Champagne Jelly to. We have been working lately with Champagne Tapioca, so I thought that it would be a great idea to try to incorporate that in to the Rainbow Drink. The flavour of the Champagne Jelly goes well with the sweetness of the Coconut Milk and the chewy texture of the Tapioca balls and Lod-Chong, you can of course omit the Bubbly, but I think that adding it opens the boundaries of Cuisine in general. Never be afraid to try anything.

The drink reminds me of the time I made a Tea Jelly with Banana and Piña Colada Foam, sadly I have no pics of the desert, but I can tell you that it was made in a Martini glass using homemade Iced Tea with Vanilla, and lovely Mousse of Banana and Apple Baby Food with Greek Yogurt (yes, Baby Food, its full of Vitamins and other good stuff) and topped with a refreshing Piña Colada Foam…hmmmm.

Talking about Foam, that gives me an idea about our new Rainbow Drink, what would happen if I used Coconut Foam instead of Coconut Milk?…hmmmm… Have to give that a go. Stay tuned for the final recipe when we finally get round to it…

Laocook Team has been busy lately and is proud to be a part of the new Porsche 911 Turbo Launch. Everyday we are cooking for International Journalists who have been flown in for the special event. The whole hotel has been taken over by the German car maker for the launch of the new model. The cars are beautiful, graceful and powerful. Today we can show you some Official pics that were taken of the cars in and around the village. At some point I will test drive one of these things myself.

Our White Villages and surrounding countryside are a pleasure to drive through, and Porsche have taken over some roads with winding curves set in picturesque settings to take advantage of the Twin Turbo Cars. Those of you who follow Motoring Programmes keep an eye out for the new car.

Last weekend, The Laocook Team were delighted to offer the Porsche Executives and selected Journalists from Asia a Laotian style Gala dinner. The menu went like this.

Mosaic of Sushi Balls with Salmon, Tuna and Seabass

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“Dtom Khem Gai” with Quail Eggs

Beef Larb with Roasted Rice and Herbs

Steamed Vegetables with Garlic and Soy Dressing

Fried Rice

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Gazpacho Sorbet on Coconut Sticky Rice

Below is perhaps my favorite pic.

The Lao Cook Team would like to share with you some fun pics from the last few weeks. After a long day, we unwind, big time…

;)

Sometimes, Laurene´s jokes are just too bad…

King, Laurene, me and Patty chill out after a long shift.

Kuchi laughs at the knowledge that it´s 03.00hrs and he has to be at work at 06.00hrs… He wasn’t laughing 3 hours later…

For Laurene, read Vincent Vega, for Patty read Jules Winnfield…. 

[Pulp Fiction] 

Vincent Vega:
[Y]ou know what the funniest thing about Europe is?
Jules Winnfield:
What?
Vincent Vega:
It’s the little differences. I mean they got the same sh** over there that they got here, but it’s just, just there it’s a little different.
Jules Winnfield:
[for] Example.
Vincent Vega:
Alright, well you can walk into a movie theater and buy a beer. And, I don’t mean just like a paper cup, I’m talking about a glass of beer. And, in Paris, you can buy a beer in McDonald’s. You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules Winnfield:
They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
Vincent Vega:
No, man, they got the metric system, they don’t know what the fu** a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules Winnfield:
What do they call it?
Vincent Vega:
They call it a Royal with Cheese.
Jules Winnfield:
Royal with Cheese?
Vincent Vega:
That’s right.
Jules Winnfield:
What do they call a Big Mac?
Vincent Vega:
[A] Big Mac’s a Big Mac, but they call it Le Big Mac.
Jules Winnfield:
Le Big Mac. What do they call a Whopper?
Vincent Vega:
I don’t know. I didn’t go into Burger King…

Last night we made our Mosaic of Sushi. The Sushi is presented in Ball shape, to make it easy to eat in one go.

Saki, Kuchi and King have used Salmon, Tuna and Seabass.

To obtain the near perfect ball shape, the morsels of fish are laid on Cling Film, a small amount of Rice is added, then we carefully twist the film around the fish and rice to create small spheres. The Sushi Ball is kept cool until needed.

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We like to serve small Pots of Vegetables with our dishes, below Kham prepares the evenings garnishes.

Just before serving, we add some Garlic Oil and Soy Sauce.

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Everyone likes Spring Rolls, especially our Mini Rolls, we we like to serve as Amuse Bouche. We have a large collection of Mini Rolls with different fillings. Depending on what we are serving the Mini Rolls can consists of Vegetables and Vermicelli, Chicken and Baby Carrots, Crab and Chives, Lobster with Coriander etc… It takes a deft hand to make all the rolls the same size.

Toon & Peng present our Mini Rolls which were enjoyed with Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia Cava. 

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New Style “Dtom Khem”.

We have taken a childhood favourite and reshaped it. I have used Eel as I find the texture interesting. Its a nasty job to clean the eels, especially when they arrive alive. A good job then that Saki is quick with his hands. We have slow roasted the Eel with Sweet Soy Sauce and Sake.

Eel is a very fatty tasting fish and contains huge amounts of natural gelatin, (I miss Jellied Eels, those viewers from the UK will understand). Like other fatty ingredients (e.g. Foie Gras), Eels are best served with a sour or sweet accompaniments. Thats when I thought of “Dtom Khem”.

We took a simple “Dtom Khem” of Chicken as a base. I removed the pieces of meat, clarified the sauce, reduced it, added some Sherry and Star Anise and made a jelly. The sweetness of the jelly is a contrast to the heaviness of the Eel.

The mashed Eel meat sits on top of its gelatinous skin, we have mixed in a little Vinegar to balance the taste. A “Dtom Khem” Quail Eggs rests on top. To add a crunchiness to the dish, a Mini Roll sits aside the fish whilst the “Dtom Khem” Jelly is served in a spoon.

The “clearness” of the jelly is achieved by Clarifying. To do this, simply remove the meat from the “Dtom Khem” and set aside for another dish, slowly bring the liquid to a boil, add a dash of Sherry and a few Star Anise, simmer until reduced by a third, adjust seasoning if too salty. Strain through a sieve lined with a damp clean cheesecloth. Mix 2 or 3 egg whites with some cold water and add to the strained liquid. Over a moderate heat, bring the liquid back to the boil, when boiling remove from the heat and set aside for about 10 minutes. What happens now is that the egg whites will cook and rise to the surface, collecting most traces of “debris” along the way and “clean” the stock. Remove the now cooked egg whites and pass though another sieve lined with a damp clean cheesecloth. What you will have now is a clear brown liquid, with all the taste of “Dtom Khem”.

Soak a Gelatina Leaf in a little cold water for 5 minutes until softened, remove from the water then add it to the warm “Dtom Khem” sauce, mix well and tip in to a mould and cool in the fridge for a few hours, when needed, carefully tip out the jelly and cut in to small cubes.

There are certain times in your life that you are required to Dress Up. Going to Parties, Weddings and other Important or Celebratory occasions.

Then there are times when you are required to go “Fancy Dress”, mostly these occasions result in heavy drinking and “the play of the day”. Like most tourists, when visiting other countries, I like to get involved in a bit of History, and many visitors to Vientiane inevitable end up having their photo taken “a la Fancy Dress”. Some with disastrous results. Whilst some people are naturally photogenic, others need a little help from the “Make-Up Lady”. In my case, she either had a hangover or just didn’t like the look of the heavy Laotian with the “Funny Accent”.

I look pale or sick, okay, I was actually tanned, but you would never guess with the layers of make-up she applied (in good faith I was told…). However, my little cousin Marina looks adorable.

King refused to have make-up applied, I should have listened to his advice.

Lauren’s Half-sister and her look fantastic. Laurene would continue to keep the make-up on the entire day…

Rose and Laurene´s Half-sister. Don’t laugh, I am sure that Laotians in Spanish Costume would look just as funny.

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An early morning visit to the Temple, and Rose dons a traditional dress.

Rose, my Auntie Tata Nuan Chun with my cousin Melody (Mariana´s younger sister), my Thai Auntie Rung and Laurene.

Another site that we enjoy visiting is Lao Ocean Girl. (Laotian Girl, geddit!).

She is based in South Korea and her Photo-Blog is rich in content about her everyday life. It´s well worth a visit.