Cooking the Thai Way (Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks)

Customer Review: Good for beginners, but...
... sparse on the recipes. It is very basic (and I was a bit surprised to see that in the publication info at the front of the book, it's also listed under "juvenile literature"). There is good info on Thiland, it's customs, people, etc., but a full half of the book concentrated on that and a few silly things like describing the term "boil". Definately not enough recipes. A grand total of 24 recipes, including how to cook rice and recipes for simple sauces. I'm disappointed with this (and the book "Cooking the Vietnamese Way" which I ordered with it) but hate to return things so I'll just have to make the dozen or so recipes that interest me. Then get a nice, comprehensive Thai cookbook where I can preview it before buying!
Customer Review: Well put together
I happened upon this book in the library and took it home with me. It has 70 pages and includes about 24 recipes, with many photos of different foods. It is one of those books that you pick up and immediately like the way it looks. The recipes are easy to read and instructions are fairly simple. That same day I took it home, I tried the recipe for Lemon Chicken Soup, which only required 9 separate ingredients,and none difficult to find. I have made plenty of thai soups and none came close to what I would get at a thai restaurant. I didn't expect a whole lot out of this recipe as it was simple to prepare, but when I tasted it, it was the best thai style soup I had ever made. I couldn't believe it was one of the easiest to make,but the best tasting. I then went on to try the thai fried rice. Their recipe includes using pork or tofu, but I just left those out. Once again, the ingredient list was simple and the technique not at all hard. The cayenne pepper was what made it nice and spicy and it was an easy and quick recipe to make. I made it twice in the 2 weeks I had the book. There was also a Panaeng Beef Curry recipe which I had to try. I can't say mine came out as good as I hoped, but it may have been because I used lite coconut milk instead of the regular, the sauce was thinner that I would have expected. Nevertheless I copied the recipe down and will try it again with nice fatty coconut milk. In the end, I copied onto 3x5 cards several recipes and think this book was a great find. I only wish they had more recipes in it.

Getting around is also incredibly cheap. Trains are popular, but also packed. One of the secrets of Thailand is the domestic airline industry. Simply put, it is excellent and cheap. I've splurged on flights from Bangkok to Chang Mai in the north of the country and spend a whopping $38 for a one way ticket. Traveling on trains is great, but you also lose a lot of time. Cheap domestic flights are a good way to avoid this.

Thailand is definitely a great destination for those that want to maximize their experience on a minimum of expense. There are the usual high priced tourist areas, but even a small effort to avoid them can result in a trip that is cheaper than you could ever imagine.

Thailand - A Cheap Travel Destination That Delivers

In the late 1990s, the Asian economies were absolutely crushed over a one year period. Part and parcel to this disaster was the loss of currency value. Much like the dollar is falling now, the Thai "Baht" suffered. Instead of a down period, however, it fell like a rock dropped from a plane and hasn't really come back.

Fuel prices are up and the economy is down this year. That makes getting the most bang out of your travel buck important. Thailand represents a fascinating and excellent travel destination that is also an incredible deal.

There is one meal item that is expensive - beer. You can expect to pay $2 to $3 per bottle. It isn't outrageous, but it seems like it after you are conditioned to the cheap food.

Once in Thailand, the good news is you'll be getting a lot for your dollar. Yes, even now. You can always go nuts in any location, but I'll assume you are going to be reasonable. A good, fresh meal will set you back $2 to $5 and be a lot less if you avoid the touristy areas.

Known as the land of smiles, Thailand is one of those truly unique Southeast Asian countries that boogle the mind. From the warm beaches of the southern coast to the mountain palace of the King in Chang Mai in the north, there is a lot to see and do. Best of all, you can do it all for one of the lowest travel costs in the world.