We returned to the United States in mid-April, and it was seven weeks before we ate Thai food. Astonishing!
But before we left Washington last week, Robert's parents took us to a "northern" Thai restaurant in Everett. It wasn't very "northern" at all, but the food was still quite good. It made me feel excited about eating Thai food again!
At one point, I looked around the restaurant and noticed that nearly all of the other diners were eating their food with chopsticks. This both surprised and amused me. Here is the truth:
In Thailand, people do not eat rice with chopsticks!!! They eat it with their hands (if it's sticky rice), or with spoons (if it's regular white rice). NO CHOPSTICKS. Chopsticks are used only for noodle dishes -- primarily soups -- and Chinese food. Not with Thai rice dishes. If you used chopsticks to eat rice in Thailand, people would think you were very strange. (As proof, I have provided a photo of a meal in a Thai home, at which we are clearly not using chopsticks.)
To be fair, when our food was brought to the table, the waiter offered us chopsticks. I imagine this was done because so many diners ask for them. Also, our place settings originally included just knives and forks. Thai people don't use knives at the table, and they don't put forks in their mouths -- only spoons. We had to ask for spoons at the restaurant. I would not have been comfortable eating Thai dishes with a fork after living in Thailand for two years!
Also, to be fair, I think that I myself used to use chopsticks when I went to Thai restaurants, because I thought that was how it was supposed to be done, and I thought it was cool. But now I know.
4 comments:
When I took Japanese in Japan, there was a Thai guy in my class who was totally flummoxed by chopsticks. So I always feel very superior when I see other people eating with chopsticks at Thai restaurants. (I didn't know they used them for noodles, though...maybe I only saw him trying to eat rice dishes.) He was definitely a spoon guy.
Could you follow this post with one about what it's like to eat at an Thai restaurant in Everett as a speaker of the Thai language? I assume the restaurant staff are as excited about your Thai speaking skills as the people in Thailand seemed to be when we ate in their restaurants with you.
Kate -- I got here by searching for Wai kroo. Couldn't post on that page; the browser was spazzing URL's at lightning speed.....
Our son is teaching K2 (5 year olds) in Uttaradit this school year. He's experiencing Wai Kroo today, and I'm sure the report will be interesting. Thanks for the preview.
What town were you in? I've only read just a bit of your blog. His is
jonfrahm.blogspot.com
Would Wan Wai kroo be celebrated the same day across the country? What is the connection to the boxing dance Wai kroo?
Sawaddi krab
Bruce in Kansas
Thanks for all the comments. I will try to comment on speaking Thai in an Everett restaurant soon.
As for Wan Wai Kroo, it is indeed the same date throughout the country. I hope your son enjoyed it. We were in a small town in Lampang province, slightly northwest of Uttaradit. I do not know about the boxing dance! I will have to check out your son's blog.
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