That's the most common question we've asked each other in the last week. For us, this trip is less about the sights and more about the smells, tastes and textures. Don't get me wrong, the sights are important and beautiful, and we've loved learning more about Cambodian culture and history, but that's just the side dish. The main course is the main course.
Right now we're on a mission to find as much inspiration as we can in five different countries over three months. From Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam to Indonesia and the Philippines, we will be eating and smelling our way through markets, food stalls and restaurants. We're trying to absorb how each country, and even each region within the country, thinks about balance and seasoning.
Thanks to Reid's Mom, we've already been on two food tours in Cambodia and we hope to do many more. They're a great way of trying local places that wouldn't necessarily jump out at tourists, and they also enable you to interact with restaurant owners a bit more. Because of the food tour we went on, we've arranged a cooking class with a really great chef in Siem Reap whose mission is to encourage local farmers to ditch their pesticides and grow organic vegetables for him, as well as encouraging them to raise ducks on their land to sell to him. It's a great opportunity to do a cooking class geared towards sharing traditional Khmer food rather than a cooking class that's designed more as an activity than as an education.
Beyond that, we're also excited to be working alongside Cookly! As much as I hate to say "it's the airbnb of...", Cookly really is the airbnb of cooking classes. You can go on their site, browse by location and book a cooking class with experienced chefs. We're going to be taking as many classes as we can throughout our travels, and then posting reviews for you all to read! We'll share what we've learned, what we loved and what was lacking.
But learning the food is only the beginning. The next step is to take what we learn and apply it to western palates. We're not delusional. We know that we're never going to sell people back home on grilled prahok (fermented fish) and pork fat in a banana leaf, which is used as a dip for raw vegetables. (It's delicious but also a challenge.) Our goal is to take the flavours of Southeast Asia and refine the methods for western sensibilities, while respecting the origins of the food and ensuring that it stays affordable.
We're looking forward to sharing our journey with all of you! Stay tuned as we give updates on our travels, cooking class reviews, and maybe even the occasional recipe.
