MADAM PHASOUK’S COOKING CLASS!

Yesterday afternoon, John and I were picked at our hotel by Madam Phasouk and her husband. Our first stop was her favorite small market. It was AWESOME! Just look at those veggies!

Madam Phasouk armed us both with baskets that she filled with all the ingredients needed for the meal that we would be cooking together. After looking at us she said she would add in another dish because we were so “strong!” I about died from laughing! She was very knowledgeable and enjoyed showing us and talking about the local vegetables and meats we were seeing.

Turned out, this little bundle of energy that calls herself Madam Phasouk, was quite the amazing woman. She taught herself to speak and read English by cooking for government officials that visited her office in exchange for some guidance. Fiercely independent, hard working, owner of three homes, and totally unlike most Lao women, who are raised to be quiet and timid, she certainly came across as a force to be reckoned with! She absolutely LOVED finding out the John does most of the cooking, saying that in Laos, men are considered King in their homes and like to be waited on! Not in HER home! (Or ours!)

There were FROGS in that bucket — I couldn’t even ask!

She stopped by this booth and we got to watch this gentleman as he sliced bananas while his wife fried them in vegetable oil. We both got to try one (YUM) and she bought a bag for our “snack!”

Once our baskets were brimming, it was time to head to their home to prepare our meal! We learned that the home she offers classes in is not the home they live in. The one we were in housed a tenant upstairs and was used strictly for her business. Their seven bedroom home was close by. And they are in the process of building another home near a lake, where they will move when they are older, and where she currently holds picnic cooking classes! What a fireball!!!

She instructed us to take off our shoes, wash our hands, put aprons on, sit down here...while she began bringing out vegetables that needed to be cut!

And she brought us our “snacks” to share while we worked, fried bananas and fried rice with palm sugar! DELISH!

We prepared a Green Papaya Salad (YUM!), Laab Kai (wonderful!), Sticky Rice, Fried Noodles or “Pad Thai” (John’s all time favorite dish), and Morning Glory (my newly favorite vegetable, since having it for the first time on this trip).

Finally, (thank goodness—we had worked up quite an appetite—you know, since we were “strong” and all), she told us to “go sit down to be served.” Yes Ma’am! You don’t have to ask us twice!

OHMYGOODNESS! We’ve eaten A LOT of good food on this trip (as you all know, by now), but this meal was THEBESTEVER!!!

And here’s the unbelievable part: the entire evening, which included pick up at our hotel, market visit, all the items that were purchased at the market, the cooking instructions, the delightful stories she told about herself and her family, the meal (wow, that meal), and the ride home, cost $15.00 a piece! Can you even believe it? What a truly wonderful experience it was! HERE WE ARE WITH Madam Phasouk. The picture was her idea!

This morning was spent poolside, RELAXING! We chose to eat dinner at Makpeth, as we had read that the restaurant helps disadvantaged street kids by providing them training and a vocation. BUT, when we got to where it was supposed to be, it wasn’t there! Apparently, they relocated several months ago and forgot to tell Google Maps! So we opted for a bar/restaurant called Bor Pen Anyang that was supposed to be a favorite of expats and great for watching the sunsets. We were the first to arrive, and we needed a cold beer!