There has been quite a hiatus since my last post to this series. This has not been intentional, just that I have been so busy with a hundred and one other things I have not found, until now, the time to dedicate to writing for this blog.
However, I’m back now, and I hope you enjoy reading this post even if it’s shorter than most of my rambling contributions.
Here goes…
Christmas came and went with little fanfare, although I was pleasantly surprised on Christmas day, as I wrote in the last post, number thirteen of My Thailand Oddity.
January arrived, as did the builders who are extending the house, but I won’t bore you with those details, I have far more exciting things to share with you.
Firstly, Kat opened a pavement café in Khao Chamao, selling traditional Thai food. It has proved to be an extremely popular venue. (By the way, I am not allowed to work here as I don’t have a work permit), which means when I am in Khao Chamao I sit and watch from the comfort of a camping chair, behind the scenes, so to speak.
Currently, Kats Nice manages the business on our behalf, while Kat simply oversees the operation. As Kat is only on-site occasionally it has allowed the start, (or re-start) another venture. One of trading fruit, which was what she was doing when I met her.
From my perspective, this is a new area. It is a wonderful adventure to travel the country buying fruit, so far, oranges and limes from the North of Thailand, and shipping them to the Southeast.
The orchards, we buy direct from the farmers, are not as I expected. They are quite different from any I have seen in Europe. Here the orange trees are grown in rows along long earthen mounds surrounded by flooded fields.
To reach the crop, or to bring the harvest in, one negotiates the canals by punt, driven with a bamboo pole. While it is idyllic to spend an hour or so slowly drafting along on the water in the heat of the day, occasionally hopping off to inspect the fruits and, of course for the obligatory tasting, I know for certain it is not quite so serene for those working the orchards and heaving twenty-five-kilo crates – in temperatures of thirty-five degrees or more – of fruit down the steep banks and into the waiting punts.
The oranges from this orchard are tender, juicy, sweet, and so fresh… (well, they would be, they are picked to order, so are genuinely fresh from the branch,) that even the skin falls away with little effort when peeled.
The Limes are as moist, and zingily pungent, with a sharp sweetness all their own. The limes came from a neighbouring farm, about two kilometres from the orange orchards, but the scent in the air was overwhelmingly different just over that small distance. The air of the lime groves was prevalent with the sharp, sweet scent of the limes to the extent you can taste it as you breathe.
These particular orchards are a two-day drive, one overnight stay, excursion away from home, which makes the whole trip both pleasurable and profitable.
We shall, in the coming months, be travelling to other regions as their fruit reaches its peak. I am uncertain what our cargo maybe next time, or precisely where it will be from, but I am looking forward to experiencing visiting another area of Thailand very few tourists, or even travellers, get to see, except possibly fleetingly in passing, say when driving down the nearest highway.
One last thing I want to mention in today’s post, and that is ‘Peanuts’!
I love nuts and most varieties I will happily devour. Whether cracking open a shell of a Walnut or a Brazil nut, ripping open a packet of salted Cashews, or dry roasted Peanuts, grabbing a handful of sticky honey coated Almonds, or shredding my fingertips prizing open copious quantities of pistachios, no matter what. I enjoy a good ‘ol nut.
But… I had never, until a couple of days ago, ever eaten a ‘fresh,’ or ‘green Peanut.
For those who don’t know, and I’m guessing I am not the only one who has not tried these before, these so-called green peanuts do not get their name from their colour, but from the fact they are not processed, except for quick boiling or steaming. Again, that is why they are also referred to sometimes as fresh Peanuts.
When I first saw the Peanuts, I thought the shells looked slightly odd, but paid little heed because most natural, fresh produce is imperfect, blemished, distorted, and discoloured. There is extraordinarily little naturally grown produce which finds itself fit for the artificial stage of the major stores and supermarket shelves… but that discussion is for another place and another time.
Back to my first taste of a green Peanut.
WOW. What a revelation. These tasted nothing like any Peanut I had eaten before.
Firstly, the shell was moist and pliable, peeling away rather like wet cardboard, instead of cracking like the often years old and stale Monkey nuts (Peanuts with the shell on) we get in the UK.
Once opened, the nuts were revealed, small, moist, pea-like nibbletts all lined up and simply begging to be eaten. Soft, with a gentle meaty-meal texture and a slight hint of the oh-so-well-known Peanut flavour. Absolutely delicious.
Now, before anyone tells me the reason these Peanuts look like small peas, I know. Peanuts are not true nuts, they are from the bean, of the legume family… blahdy blah, blah. Lol.
Unlike me, many of my friends knew of these already, as they live in areas where Peanuts grow, such as the Southern United States, Nigeria, South Africa and, of course, other parts of Southeast Asia.
We don’t, to my knowledge, grow peanuts in the UK, at least they are not native plants, or farmed commercially, which is why I have never eaten them previously. I will, however, stand corrected if you are better informed than I am about Peanut farming in the UK.
This was my first time sampling a green Peanut… but unquestionably it will not be my last. If you get a chance to try them, go for it. I am sure you will love them too.
Now you have an idea of what I have been getting up to over the last few weeks. I’m open to questions and comments, don’t be shy, ask away.
That’s all from me for this post. I hope you enjoyed my rambling.
Cheers, Keep Happy, Paul
I share my adventures and experiences for fun, and to help people gain an insight into what it is like to be here. I could do with a little help to keep My Thailand Oddity series, and the Wild Geese Travel Blog running, so any donations… enough for a coffee… would be welcome, just use the PayPal button.
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