HALLO! CIAO! HELLO!

I'm back in Berlin!

BANGKOK FROM THE WATER

Bangkok's riverbanks are studded with stunning monuments.

A boat ride is a unique travel experience.

SREETS STALLS

If you eat at a street stall among the locals, you'll be surrounded by friendly faces smiling at you.

Look at the people seasoning their noodle soups with different toppings and herbs which are already on the table.

Just do the same according to your taste: you'll feel part of it!

VERSATILE YELLOW BEANS

This Thai dessert, which is shaped similar to various kind of fruits is made from sweetened yellow bean paste, and food colourings. The shine comes from a glaze made of agar.

There are two types of food colouring: natural and artificial.
If I'm not sure which one has been used to colour the food, I just don't eat it (which happens most of the time) but I still find it extremely pleasant to look at.

It is a combination between crafting and cooking.

These fruit miniatures remind of the ones out of marzipan that you can find in Europe, but not as sweet.

EXPLORING KRABI

From Krabi, in only ten minutes by speedboat, you can discover some beautiful places.

Here some pictures:

1 + 2 Poda Island
3 Phanang Beach
4 Sandbank Beach
5 Chicken Island

FRUIT DISCOVERY

Do you already know this fruit? I didn't until two days ago. It's called "Sala".

Its inside is yellowish and the flesh has a few big seeds that you have to work around.
Its taste reminds me of medlars.

Absolutely pleasant and very refreshing to eat during hot days.

BREATHTAKING

Sunsets at Ao Nang beach (Krabi)

COCONUT

I really fancy coconut and this is why I love Indian or Thai curries.

Apart from its great taste coconut is also healthy.

This botanically classified as a fibrous one-seeded drupe is not only high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but also in fiber.

This means that it helps you to feel full and it assists the digestive process.

Although much of the fat in coconut meat is saturated, it is primarily medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA's). These help to normalise cholesterol and lower one's risk for heart disease.

But don't forget: coconut has lots of calories, so don't eat too much of it! 100g of coconut deliver:

360 kcal
36 g Fat
3,9g Protein

Pictures: From the tree into my bowl of ice cream. B.t.w.: I've never eaten such a great coconut ice cream before. It doesn't taste as sweet as the one in Europe so that the natural flavour of the coconut is exalted.

KRABI

Here just some pictures for you!

A FEAST FOR YOUR SENSES

Of course Italian food is my favoured one. We have great products and our food is basic and simple.

On the other side here in Thailand, I really like the feast of flavours that assault on your senses when you are out looking for street food.

Food at food market and street stalls is inviting and cooked with loving care.

COLOURED RICE

The different colours of the rice are due to the mixed herbs and spices.

THE GRAND PALACE

Until 1946, this former home of the Thai Royal Family hosted glittering social gatherings.

Today it is a museum embracing treasures created by European and Asian artisans.

Siam Paragon

This huge shopping centre is called "the proud of Bangkok"

In the supermarket you can find anything you like and... They know what is good for your health.

I'm very well impressed!

Yippee

After four days my luggage finally arrived!
Just in time for the next flight. :)

AL POSTO DEL SALE - 2 -

Non sentiremo la mancanza del sale, se abbineremo erbe e spezie nel modo giusto. Infatti, solo abbinamenti appropriati possono garantire “l’effetto sapidità” dei cibi.

Alcuni esempi di aromi che danno più sapidità, senza far rimpiangere la mancanza del sale:

AGNELLO: aglio, aneto, origano, timo, rosmarino, menta, curry.

LEGUMI: cumino, coriandolo, aglio, peperoncino.

MANZO: alloro, basilico, aglio, curry, chili in polvere, timo, zenzero, pepe della Giamaica, maggiorana, origano.

PESCE: cipolla, alloro, dragoncello, erba cipollina, timo, paprica dolce, salvia, noce moscata, aneto, senape.

Eat - Enjoy - Move

Also on holiday there is always a way to stay fit.
At the Rommaninat Park in Bangkok you can find several paths for jogging and some "exercise stops".

Nr. 6, for example, is for your sit ups :)

BALLASTSTOFFE

Leider ist der Verzehr von Ballaststoffen stark zurückgegangen und das führt immer häufiger zu Verdauungsstörungen. 

Oft essen wir falsch und führen unserem Darm nicht die für unsere Verdauung notwendigen und unerlässlichen Ballaststoffe zu. Wir müssten täglich ca. 40g Ballaststoffe einnehmen.

Was bedeutet das in der Praxis? Um diese lästigen Probleme zu verbessern, wäre es hilfreich, jeden Tag eines der folgenden Lebensmittel zu essen: 

250g Vollkornbrot; 200g Kartoffeln (ca. 3); einen Apfel ungeschält, roh; eine Birne, roh; 50g Himbeeren; 150g grüne Bohnen, gekocht; eine Portion gemischter Salat mit Mais.

Man benötigt reichlich Flüssigkeit, damit Ballaststoffe im Darm quellen können. 

Also Wasser, ungesüßte Tees oder Saftschorle trinken, da man ansonsten die gegenteilige Wirkung erzielen würde!!!

Italian nutritionist in an Asian supermarket

When I visit a new Country I'm not only interested in the typical tourist attractions.

Markets and supermarkets are always on my list.

I love to see the local food and regional products and I immediately start to check the nutrients of everything which comes to my attention.

That's really fun for me and I could spend hours doing this!

Fruit: the extra vitamin Boost

I can't live without fruits and here it tastes really good! A good reason to start the day with a good portion of vitamins

HOW TO MARINATE - 3 -

The marinade of vinegar is suitable for fillets and pieces of fish, slices and chunks of beef or veal and vegetables cut into slices or cubes.

For this type of marinade wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar are commonly used.

Marinating in vinegar should be limited to 20-30 minutes for fish and meat and to about an hour for vegetables, otherwise the food will taste too strong. 

Once marinated, drain food well and toss as per recipe (olive oil, herbs, spices, salt and pepper)

More on this next time