I live in a country where the women are exotic, the food world renowned, the temples spiritual, a traveler's utopia (or hell, should you abandon your senses).
Here you can find anything from US's low-end fastfood Taco Bell to UK's Jamie Oliver's restaurant - or the bipolar effect of Michelin Star sky-high restaurant to entrancing car-fumed Street Food.
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| Butterkuchen | | |
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| Linzen torte |
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Brownie Crisps |
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| Clafoutis |
But to find the most delectable and authentic home made European cakes; like Austria's LinzenTorte, French's Clafoutis, or Germany's Butterkuchen all emanating from a Thai kitchen in metropolitan Bangkok is unusual. An assortment of a variation of Brownies that became wafer thin crisps takes on
another kind of kind of
decadence sipped with mid morning Cappuccino.
For the Chef d'Patisserie did not graduate from any elitist Cordon Bleu in Paris, or Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany or even Edelweiss Cooking School in Austria; but as an accomplished Asian Pianist with a teaching degree from the University of Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna.
Not only can she play the piano with precision but suffocated teaching Beethoven's Fur Elise to the likes of me. She uses the skill of precision, tried and tested, practice until perfect, (much like her dedication to music); to the delight of family and friends the pastries she creates.
Decades of friendship; countless cookies, dozens of brownies, endless tortes later; she still refuses to give her recipes. Our friendship remains intact despite my pleas, enticing her with novel presents and even writing this accolade of addictive pastries; her secret recipe stays secret. If my addiction rears its ugly head, all I have to do is ring her.
All you readers have to do is direct message me, to taste these exquisite delectables; from wherever you are. My naughty way of getting her to give me her recipe. It might just work.
Listening to John Lennon's "Imagine" in my locked bedroom suite, the smoke filled room distinctly smelling of sweet cloying odour of MaryJane.
A flower power 70's chic with long, waist-length hair stopping just six inches above the hem of a miniskirt lost in a world of envied calm, cool inner peace. With all the wisdom a 16 year old can possess, I learnt to disregard parental control; dismiss scolding older siblings; minimise familial duties and enjoyed the world of dopamine enticed by marijuana to the sounds of Lennon's "Oh my Love" and Three Dog Night's "One is the loneliest Number".
How epically heaven that year became. I seemed to have sailed through high school with Grade A in everything but the ridiculousness of Algebra. Hot on the agenda were boys, boys and boys; induced by weeded home-made brownies and the natural sensuality I seemed to possess in large quantities. My poor mama, she must have gone mental with worry.
Decades later, taken on motherhood, came with worries over crack, cocaine, and crystal meth circulating my teenage son's lives; subsequently I became the authoritarian disciplinarian controlling adult I had so despised as a child. Unwittingly happy hour for me was a double-scotch on the rocks; several doubles later, the hypocrisy was embarrassingly ridiculous.
Somewhere between yoga, palates and quinoa avocado salad lifestyle, the sun-downer double-scotch on the rocks tradition faded; to be paired with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and a drop of CBD oil to calm all aches and pains.
Legalising medical marijuana is now a subject of much debate. Far ahead of the times, along California's Venice beach, medical marijuana shops are wedged between surf board equipment rentals, and hamburger joints. Although lagging behind; Thailand's forward thinkers are pushing giant pharmaceutical companies to the side with forceful medical results in easing cancer pain, MS conditions and multitude of ailments enough that the Government is loosening its tight grip
A son of a dear departed friend, whose unfortunate luck was struck with multiple sclerosis in the prime of his years. He did everything possible to alleviate the pain; expensive medicines, medical trials, that proved ineffective. He took copious amounts of alcohol to one extreme and then came the devastation of heroin. A man of broken dreams, a broken body, subjected to vast pharmaceutical concoction of chemicals, that weighed down his grandmother's small fortune. Some kind soul introduced CBD oil and the dramatic change, viewed from sceptics was astonishing. Born handsome, the disease took its toll and the stooped body, lagging leg, frustrating anguish would bury any positivity.
Off all medications, today, his 4 daily doses of CBD has renewed his spirit. He resumed his position in the work place; the body strong, positive mental attitude, back straight, head up, his stride and passion in life was determined. A new man. And all because of nature's plant deemed an illegal substance.
Decades later, my music tastes have matured, Debussy, Vivaldi, interwoven with Adele and Maroon 5. No more cloying smoke wafting my condo for I have moved from damaging my lungs, to CBD oil under my tongue. The stress of city living, the stress from psychotherapy, the aches and pains from chronic disease, disappear replacing a much calmer Ruby Tuesday with a smile.
Lesson learned : take everything in moderation.
