More familiar foods with a new twist:
Tumeric –I am used to seeing ground turmeric in a spice bottle, not fresh in the produce section of a grocery store. It looks like orange gingerroot and I think it is peeled and grated or finely chopped before adding to foods.
Curries –We tried all types of curries and my favorite is still green curry. The vegetables added to the curries were a bit different, such as several types of eggplant.
Fresh and fried spring rolls – We love vegetable spring rolls so we ate this food many times during our stay in Thailand. We made our own fresh spring rolls while at the elephant camp and the fresh basil added a great flavor.
Pickled garlic cloves – This was served as a condiment at a Thai meal we attended, just as dill or sweet pickles are sometimes served at a meal in the US. They were surprisingly mild in garlic flavor and the mixture of vinegar and garlic tastes was enjoyable. Pickled garlic, finely sliced, is often sprinkled on the top noodles with a sweet sauce and is frequently added to scrambled eggs in Thailand.
Soda in plastic bag with a straw – Several times in Bangkok we saw individuals purchase soda from a street vendor or at a snack shop in a mall. Instead of filling a cup the vendor filled a pint or quart size plastic bag with soda and inserted a straw into the top. The bag had handles so that it was easy to carry.
Heinz chili sauce – At first glance, this looks like a typical glass Heinz ketchup bottle that has orange ketchup instead of red. The bottles we saw were printed mostly in Thai but the words “Heinz” and “chili sauce” were in English. It tastes like a milder version of Tabasco and has a similar color.
Waffles – At Doi Suthep (temple in the mountains in Chang Mai) we tried waffles from one of the local street vendors. Eryn and Ethan had a chocolate waffle sandwich and I ate a banana on a stick surrounded by a waffle. Both types were tasty. Waffles seem to be a pretty popular snack since we saw quite a few waffle vendors in elevated train stations and on streets in Bangkok.
Magnum ice cream bars – Yes we’ve had ice cream bars before, but none quite this good!! This brand is super creamy and lots of great Belgian chocolate flavor. A wonderful treat on a hot afternoon in Thailand.