The Sweet, the Sour, the Salty, the Spicy

I l.o.v.e. Thai food. Growing up in Alabama, you’d think that “comfort food” for me would be mashed potatoes or grits or fried chicken or something along those lines, but it’s not. Surin West opened in Birmingham when I was about 8 or 9 and my family quickly developed a legitimate obsession. Now, at 28, comfort food for me is pad woon sen with tofu, chicken larb, and curry chicken.

So I was delighted when I had the good fortune to be invited to a High Museum’s “Art Partners” Event at the home of Thai Chef Philppa Kingsley last Sunday.

(extra fortunate, actually, that we eventually found her home…after accidentally waltzing into one of her neighbors houses who happened to be having a party that evening as well….but that’s another story for another day.)

Anyway. It was so much fun. As you know, I do not cook. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a good cooking demonstration (I can’t explain it, but Top Chef, Iron Chef, and the Next Food Network Star are my favorite shows. I know. It’s weird. I can’t help it.)

Here’s the Q+DD on Philippa Kingsley: Originally from London, England, Philippa fell in love with Thai cooking, went on to train in Thailand, lived in the Netherlands, and now makes her home right here in the A. She’s an internationally renowned chef, is featured in the media constantly, owns her own Thai catering company and Thai culinary school and is the ONLY non-Thai person to serve on the Board of the Thai Association of Georgia!

But I knew I would get along with this woman when I saw that her business card reads as follows:

Philppa’s Orient
Chef Philippa Kingsley
“The Blonde Thai”

(Fabulous.)

In her traditional Thai garb (PINK, no less.), she showed us all the basic ingredients of Thai cooking: Sweet Thai basil, kaffir limes, lemongrass, coconut milk, fish sauce, various chilis…and all kinds of other exotic things. She only works with organic ingredients and you guys, she is PRECIOUS. Her Thai name is Khun Pimpa which means “Wonderful Lady” and I’ll bet she earned it. She has the cutest little accent and did such a nice job explaining what she was doing while throwing in cultural information and she says things like “hot to trot.” Adorable. Oh, and the food was PHENOM. We had duck over crispy noodles, chicken larb (far better and less greasy than any I’d ever had!) and fish cakes. Amazing.

I was also really impressed with the High Arts Partners. I met some really fantastic people including Rosalind Minkhorst, the Art Partners President who educated me on the program and signed me up as a member before I left! (a fabulous chef herself, Ros even offered to help me out in the kitchen…bless her heart. She has NO idea what kind of a challenge that would be!)

I suggest you check out the Art Partners program at the High www.high.org/artpartners. There are all kinds of fascinating events coming up!

Also, for you culinary-types (and event planners!), check out Philippa’s website: www.philippasorient.com

Sawatdee!

xx, L