January 13th, 2010

A great dinner in Bangkok

I am so happy and proud that my magazine, Martha Stewart Living, is now being published in Thailand.  Post International Media, a subsidiary of Post Publishing, launched Martha Stewart Living Thailand in November.  While we were visiting Bangkok, it was wonderful meeting the executives who are making all of this possible.  In my honor, on our second night in Bangkok, we were feted at a beautiful and traditional Thai house with a very special formal dinner.  We were so impressed with the company, the food, and the fine attention to detail of all the exquisite decorations.  Please feast your eyes.

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1 Our publishing team: editor-in-chief - Intukarn Gajaseni Sirisant, Post executive director - Worachai Bhicharnchitr, the governor of Bangkok - M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, me..continued on next picture!

2 the Post executive chairman - Suthikiati Chirathivat, managing director Post International Media - Siri Udomritthiruj, and Post chief operating officer - Supakorn Vejjajiva

3 We were presented with refreshing drinks served on a pounded brass tray. It was a mixture of coconut water and tamarind juice - quite good.

4 This structure was built specifically to hold sacred scrolls. It is a reconstructed edifice on the grounds of the house.

5 It seemed that there were beautiful and lavish flowers everywhere.

6 These are tiny white flowers with larger blooms floating in a basin of water.

7 The unusual buds of lotus blossoms

8 This globe is filled with a garland of tiny blooms strung by hand onto thread.

9 More fantastical flower creations

10 And more

11 Each place setting was adorned with a flower 'squirrrel' on the place mat.

12 The carved fruits were extraordinary - melons, mangoes, and papayas.

13 An exquisite honeydew flower

14 An expert fruit carver demonstrated her craft for us.

15 A flower designer was also there to demonstrate the artistry of creating the flower garlands, rings, and balls.

16 Amazing white urns flanked the doorways.

17 The bar and the kitchen was set up on a lower level of the house.

18 The cooks all came from Siri's grandmother's home.

19 The table was colorful, vibrant, and very lavish.

20 This is the meticulous fruit carver.

21 The even more meticulous flower artist.

22 A first course of winged beans, shrimp, and egg with chilies and fried garlic

23 Thai soup with fish, scallion, taro, and greens

24 These filigree straw hats covered one of the courses. I looked for similar covers in the market and could not find any - I loved them.

25 Under the dome was a bowl made of woven banana leaves - extraordinary also.

26 The banana leaf bowl was filled with lobster, fragrant rice, and plain rice.

27 Plenty of spicy condiments and fresh cut up vegetables

28 A deep fried egg

29 A course of fresh lychee

30 These fruits are called mangosteen and they vary so much - the plumper fruit on the left was sweeter and juicier.

31 The yellow are extruded treads of sweetened egg yolk served with Thai fruits.

32 The dining room in this house was very elegant. There is a pit under the table for the guests' feet. The house is open to the elements.

33 Another view of the table

34 The sitting mats made dining very comfortable.

35 This is so different from an American formal table. Thais eat with a fork and a spoon. The food is pushed with the fork onto the spoon, which is then carried to the mouth.

36 More contorted flowers and leaves

37 Our editor-in-chief - Intukarn Gajaseni Sirisant

38 These are some of the young ladies who served dinner - they work at the magazine.

39 This is the photo that appeared the following day in the Bangkok Post. Martha Stewart Living is published once a month in Thailand

40 Here I am posing with the other guests and workers at the dinner.

41 And with more of the guests

Posted on January 13th, 2010 in Entertaining, Food & Recipes, Friends, Photo Gallery, Travel | Permalink |

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