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Lily mentioned bees wax, I seem to recall my mother using this when she was preserving food (mostly jam). I think it would work, the melted was would float on top of the vinegar to keep germs, and would solidify only when the temperature has dropped, thus avoiding cracks due to contraction of the liquid/glass upon cooling.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Gibbon
^ paraffin is what my mother used to seal jars in the same way as you described.
Hmmm
Had forgotten about mom's jams and the parafin... Brain cramps I guess :)
I'll have to see if I can find some parafin.
E. G.
Well, its been several days now and narry a soul has shown up in the evening for badminton or beers.
What to do with all this Leo? :)
I guess the family is not overly happy with E. G. I am told by the ms. that I'm too unpredictable basically. I don't stay home every day so they don't know when to come over. Huh?????
Yes, I'm likely to go to the local shop and have a beer with a mate occasionally, and yes I might decide on a moments notice I want to take a spin on the bike with my camera.
Apparently one or two of the sisters has come to visit and found us NOT HERE! Hell, I ain't about to schedule my time with anyone so like it or flock off.
I still am fending off the "land for sale" bits too.
So looks like the farang is independent minded eh? :You bet.
This too shall pass .. but its funny as hell . Oh, yeah ... they ALL have phones.... go figure.
E. G.
Yes paraffin, but thinking about it, it was probably only meant for jams.Quote:
Originally Posted by lom
Hey EG and anyone else who is interested, while I was looking for the paraffin method, I came across this site, obviously from a radio cooking show in the US, with literally thousands of recipes. From 1963 onwards.
Complete Recipe Index
Some are quite American, but there are some good old fashioned pickle and relish recipes too, plus anything else you might ever think of cooking.
The neighbour's cat?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lily
A regular feature of the week is market day. There are three 'roving' markets in the area and one that is all day everyday.
The breadth of stuff you can find in combination of these markets rivals anything you'll find in Bangkok and then some. These markets are all outdone by the fresh/commercial market in Chantaburi 8 km down the road.
First off a visit to the Tuesday Market, just north of Mahkam. This is the biggest of the 'roving' markets in the area. Thousands go to this market each and every Tues. Anything from car stereos to pig lips can be found.
This essay basically just covers the food side. Another time I'll try and capture the other side.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt1.jpg
A family affair.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt2.jpg
More dried fish than a man could eat in a year. There must be 5 stalls selling this.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt3.jpg
Of course the chicken stalls.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt4.jpg
One of my favorits stops as you can imagine... :)
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt5.jpg
Shrimp and prawns are big too.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt6.jpg
Of course lots of really fresh veggies.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt7.jpg
Being reasonably close to the sea and with a lot of fish farms around fresh fish is NOT a problem.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt8.jpg
The first one that tells me what these are and what they are used for gets a greenie. Two part question, need to get both parts.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt9.jpg
A smorgasboard of BBQ for any taste.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt10.jpg
Another of my favorites, this lady makes great squash, custard thingies!
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt11.jpg
To give a perspective of the size of this place. At the far end of what you can see above is where I stood to take the one below.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt12.jpg
Same again, at the far end of what you can see I took the following.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt13.jpg
As you can tell this is a LARGE mkt and this is only the 'inside' portion.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt14.jpg
Self explanatory
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt15.jpg
Of course you have to have an assortment of fried bugs to nibble on while your shopping. Maggots are up front.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt16.jpg
For those not into bugs, how 'bout a doughnut or cake or muffin?
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt17.jpg
BBQ chicken, ready to eat.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt18.jpg
Need some chillies, have no idea if they are different types or what.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt19.jpg
I'm going to have to try some of this sooner or later. All the family that smokes, roll'em.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt20.jpg
My mouth fills with saliva just looking at this picture. These babies are so sweet it is absurd. Really just looking at these could cause a person to drown in saliva.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt21.jpg
The variety and freshness is far, far superior to the big box places. Plus when you deal face to face and pick and choose it is much more fun.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt22.jpg
Like the kiddis don't have enough to whine about with the snacks available they have this inflated slide for the little devils.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt23.jpg
More ready-to-eat. I wonder if the market is to get stuff to cook or just to socialize and grab some food for supper. A little of both I guess.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_mmkt24.jpg
Gotta get a Kaffee Yen on the way out.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt25.jpg
Momma's helper, what a cute kid, the pix doesn't really do her justice.
That just about covers the food side of the Tuesday Market in Mahkam. I haven't shown you one stall that I visit every time I go. I have an addiction and I spend up to $10 a trip on my "fix". Maybe another thread at another time. I'll also try and capture the "other" side which is just as cool as the food side.
E. G.
OK, Ok, I've been instructed by two unidentified undividuals to quit messing around and return to my roots, Moving to the Moo Ban.
Returned today (Sunday) from a very short trip to Jomtein, the base for all of DD's anatomical experiments. The trip was to meet some folks that I hadn't seen in a year or more, the occasion, the 60th birthday of a friend.
The birthday party was really great, what I remember of it. I was pretty well pissed by the time I arrived. The one outstanding thing was the outstanding amount of 'eye candy', these guys really had some winners with them. Scandahooligans all and great folks. I lasted to the black liquor thing they do... Whewwww.
This is of course all DD's fault. I had offered to buy him "A" beer upon arrival. I wanted to meet the dude. Well to make a long story short I recieved a call .... " .... the girlfriend left and she has my money ....." we've all heard this before. OK, never mind just come on over and we'll have a "couple" was my response.
Well, several hours later and hundreds of baht for beers and "pool" fees it was time for me to exit and go to the party. BTW I can verify the accuracy of DD's description of a certain .... "Vegas" bar. A do-not-miss, at least once while your in town. I ended up paying a couple of K baht enjoying this particular venue.
DD in all truth , is a good chap and I thoroughly enjoyed have "A" beer with him. :cool:
Only problem was I was in bed by 10:30 totally knackered :confused:. Oh, well there will be more trips.
E. G.
Surprisingly there have been no takers on the photo in the essay on the Tuesday Market in Mahkam. Again here is the photo.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_mkt8.jpg
The question was two part, What are they and What are they used for?
They are stewed/curried frog.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_mkt26.jpg
The whole frogs end up in this lady's pot being torn assunder.
I am sure you've watched your partner or a vendor making Pappaya or Mango salad. Often times they use those small soft-shelled mud crabs and totally mash them into the sauce that 'makes' the spicy salad.
Well, that's the fate of Mr. Froggy. He gets torn into small bits and mashed like the crabs and included in the Mango Salad. As you can see, her salad is very popular, by the time we got there only two frogs remained on the 4 trays.
Priced by size apparently, she must be popular with the vendors themselves since we were there early last week. I've never seen more than a half dozen on her trays no matter what time we were there. I was hoping to get a pix of the trays full but alas, not able to.
E. G.
Today was a great day.....
Went to the Pong Nom Rom immigration offices, three immigration officers and a clerk, and me. That's right just me.
I arrived at 11:04 AM, carrying in my hands the following"
Passport
one photo
a letter from the Embassy certifying my income
a copy of the Tabian Ban of the landlord
At 11:32 I left with my 'retirement' extension on my "B" visa.
None of the officers spoke a lot of English, so Ms. E. G. did most of the talking, just easier that way.
We would have been out of there in 15 mins if the office staff and Ms. didn't get hooked up with Thai chit chat. Did I complain? Flock no! I would have sat there for an hour watching them have some fun at my expense. Seems they were curious as to what I did in past life that I could retire with that income????
Apparently they don't get a lot of business and are happy to see 'other' folks drop in for a visit.
Very pleasant staff, the boss is a lady with a sense of humor apparently.
Less than an hour after leaving the house I was back.
Now that's service.
E. G.
Hmm, Mrs E G doesn't count? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by El Gibbon
Seeing them put frogs in somtam nearly made me sick! Just backs up my idea that it is to be steered well clear of and never accept any invitations to join in with the locals.
Any Farangs that eat it (and I know some of you do!) are to be treated with suspicion. It's just not right.
My wife gets into it everyday with her mates and then has to run to the toilet an hour later mumbling "phet" and "stomach no good"
I thought the addition of "Balaa" and those small crabs was bad enough! At least my son is with me, he will not go anywhere near it and if he gets even the slightest whiff of Balaa he hurls. He will only walk through the market if we buy him a bar of soap which he holds under his nose the whole time.
Yep, just me... :)
When I walked into the office she was still in the car getting hair and makeup sorted....
She followed shortly.
E. G.
One thing I've noticed living here in the boonies is the major change in air quality. Having lived in urban areas for the last few years I didn't realize how pleasurable it can be.
I do like to be outdoors, sharing a few bottles of Leo or a glass of gin with family and friends around the ole cement table in the evening is peacefull and stress free.
I've noted on several occasions that while sitting there I can easily discern Orion's Belt, even though there is a local light source. Naked eye astronomy can be difficult even in the best of circumstances with light pollution, haze and smog. Generally, unless your in really great spots these pollutants prevent even modest success in viewing the night sky.
I can also see Pleodes if I step out of the light to the side of the building. It is a little more difficult as you have to use the "peripheral method" of sighting. I am sure that I could separate the 'cloud' of Pleodes into the Seven Sisters with a very modest pair of binoculars. Gotta get me some.
With the topography of Thailand in general, you are provided with full horizons for viewing. If you are interested there are several books on Naked Eye Astronomy available. They do a decent job of getting you started in viewing with the naked eye and with using binoculars. It is a great activity with children and a good learning experience for them.
E. G.
yep the pollution here in Bkk is such that even after 11 years I have still not been able to see the Southern Cross in the night sky...
I am going to be honest i thought this thread would be crap but i really enjoyed it. The village is a strange place and what i saw i took for granted, i wish i could remember all the differences in culture i saw and wrote them like this. Fair play El Gibon
didn't you hear the news......Quote:
Originally Posted by klongmaster
Well, we’ve been here for two months now. Ms. E. G. was insistent on saving the recyclables for some extra Baht.
Here we have the Man and his truck full, or getting there, of cardboard, bottles, clear glass and plastics.
As you can see we had a sack full of cardboard that have been flattened. Those two cases of empty Leo bottles were the first of 8. We also had assorted clear glass, (several gin bottles) and the odd jars and junk bottles from the kitchen. A fairly nice assortment of soda cans and plastic bottles rounded out our ‘savings’.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_trash.jpg
I let the ms do all the dealing etc. Final take……. B60
From now on we’ll let the trash collector pick up a couple of baht extra. Lol :)
We probably could have gotten a few more baht by going down the road a mile or so to a ‘center’ for this crap. But, how do you think this guy paid for that brandy new pick-up with the neat carry rack? :o
Life in the jungle, everyone scraping for a couple of baht.
E.
G.
The scrap man was buying chicken next door when I gave him a load of cardboard and bottles. He weighed it all and offered 20 Baht. I told him to keep it and just make sure he keeps an eye out, as there would probably be more in the future. Looking at the state of his vehicle, he needed the cash more than I.
While the Ms. was off in Bangers for a funeral I did a wander about the property. I enjoy these as I always seem to notice something slightly different than I've seen in the past.
We have three ponds/swamps on the property, one is used for watering the "orchard" and the other two are basically unused. Surprisingly we don't have a mosquito problem, the locals say the water is too deep for breeding. BWDIK
In the pond furthest from the house I noted this weed. The pond is basically almost dry and is overgrown with this weed. The flower is truly extravagant.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_weedtd.jpg
In the pond used for watering are these stunning pond lillies. They open up early in the morning and are closed up tight by sunset.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_lillytd.jpg
Never ceases to amaze me what we can find in our own backyard. Just takes some quiet time and looking for details.
E. G.
this is really exquisite the way the purple and lilac blend
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_weedtd.jpg
Recently we celebrated the XX birthday of one of the sisters, Kam. A small family gathering at her house turned into a feast.
It all starts here.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_tkitch.jpg
Through the door at the right is the washing up area as well as the BBQ. This is a fairly standard arrangement in the area. Open air but sheltered. It contains all the basic needs, a two burner gas plate, a referigerator shelf space and of course the basic utility work surface.... The floor. :)
A coulple of hours of work by the ladies while we drank beer resulted in this.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...l_bdayfood.jpg
Next to the Leo bottle at "4 o'clock" is a suace very similar to that which you get with Chicken Rice. at "6 o'clock" is some roast pork loin. At "9 o'clock" is a very spicy dish of scallions, chillies, cooked and bearded mussels and garlic. At "12 o'clock" is a spicy rice noodle salad with shelled cockles, bean curd and prawns in vinegar and chillies. At "2 o'clock" is BBQ'd Pla Duk, one of the truly fine fish found in Thailand's fresh waters. In the center is a dish of mixed chillies and 'stuff', I've no idea what is in it, it is Kam's special recipe, while hot as hell it has a wonderfully aromatic flavor. I loved it but paid the price the next day :mad:.
Now, if you look at the size of the serving dishes it doesn't seem like enough to feed 8 or 9 folks. Wrong, there were vats of the stuff, the dishes kept getting re-filled as the evening wore on. In typical Thai fashion, which I am really beginning to enjoy, the eat and talk and eat and talk method of having a social dinner is pretty lengthy. To me its more like grazing than eating as we normally do in the West/East.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_party.jpg
We started about 4 PM and this last pix was taken around 9 just before we moved inside. It was getting quite cold.
A couple of cases of Leo and a Thai feast fit the ocassion.
E. G.
Yesterday I volunteered to help the family to lay a new water pipe from a gov't res. to a pond in their garden. This pond services a mangosteen orchard as well as a couple of gardens for personal use in growing vegetables.
The gov't pond is one of several around the area and the water is free as long as you provide the transport.
The idea was to lay a kilometer of pipe along with the elect. wire to run a 2 Hp pump.
This is where we started from.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...l_resivoir.jpg
This Komatsu digger was rented with driver for B400 / hr. Quite efficient actually.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_komatsu.jpg
We dug across this dirt track and then down the left side. The farm pond is located at the base of the hills in the background.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_road.jpg
We laid right at 1000 meters of 2" pipe that came exactly to the edge of the pond to be filled.
It went quite well. Once we got within a couple hundred meters of the pond we traversed a rubber orchard. In this orchard are several monsoon drainage ditches. The digger got down in the trench and started clearing the brush, grass etc.
I continued merrily along gluing up joints until the ladies started hollering NGU! NGU! in unison. I was backside to the digger and BANG the bucket hit the ground a couple of feet behind me. I turned just in time to see this fella being bashed into little pieces by the digger guy and his bucket. In less than a minute the dude was history and buried.
With only a quick glance at what was rapidly being reduce to a pulp this is what I believe it was. It is the only snake in Thailand that even resembles in color and pattern what was at my feet. It is a Malayan, or Blue Krait. Very nasty flokker it is.
I found this pic on a website as I didn't have a chance to photo it myself. In fact I didn't take a lot of photos after we started since I was pretty grimy and gluey damn quickly.
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2007/02/3.jpg
All in all a good day, 1000 meters of pipe and cable laid and water running in slightly less than 8 hours. Of course many hands make for quick work. The ladies generally passed me pipe, glued one end and prepared the next section. The BiL ran the cables through a couple of fields/orchards and did the pump stuff.
In an earlier post I covered our Tuesday market, one side - basically the food area. Today is the other side, mostly non-food items. The pix are in no particular order.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_amulets.jpg
I tried to get a clear pix of the amulet trader but no way. These guys are serious buyers and negotiatiors.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_bags.jpg
No L. Vitons here.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_baskets.jpg
Quite an assortment of hand woven baskets etc.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...oobhangers.jpg
One of many many shops for ladies undergarments.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...normal_cds.jpg
An array of CD's but no Buffet.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_clocks.jpg
Must be six or more shops selling clocks, radios and other electronic gear.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_cloth.jpg
Clothing
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_coffee.jpg
A stop here for a Kaffee Yen
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_cutters.jpg
I think I counted 20 styles, shapes and sizes of cutting implements that every orchard owner can possible use. Most are meant to be mounted on long poles of bamboo or whatever is laying around.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_fish.jpg
I believe these are fresh water rays of some type??????
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_fish1.jpg
I know what these are.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u..._flipflops.jpg
If a lady can't find a stylish pair of flip flops here, she don't need em.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_glasses.jpg
Same same for reading spec.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...itchenware.jpg
Need kitchen utensils?
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...oreclothes.jpg
More ladies stuff.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u..._moretools.jpg
How many hammers do you need.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...moretools1.jpg
Everything you need to electrocute yourself.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_plants.jpg
Need a rubber tree, or a mango tree, or a mangosteen tree or a pepper plant?
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_plastic.jpg
Some plastic ware.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...readytoeat.jpg
As usual your not far from a snack or something ready-to-eat
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...eadytoeat1.jpg
NOT-ready-to-eat
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_squid.jpg
Found this interesting, small octopi BBQ'd
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_squid1.jpg
Cut up and bagged.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_squid2.jpg
Secret sauce added.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_squid3.jpg
Fine tasting I must say.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...rmal_tools.jpg
This guy specializes in sharp stuff and how to get em sharp.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_tools1.jpg
A close-up of the far end of his bench from the previous pix.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...mal_tools2.jpg
Another purveyor of tools. Some stuff you don't normally find, like thread cutters etc.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...ormal_toys.jpg
Wouldn't be the same if there were nothing for the kiddies to yammer and beg for.
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...al_tshirts.jpg
Finally one of a dozen or so T shirt shops.
Now that covers both sides of the Tuesday market. Still have two more 'local' markets to do, both of them a LOT smaller and quainter I think.
E. G.