Speaking about Thai sweets or Khanom Thai is only one way of speaking about Thai women. Even today, cooking and the making of sweets are still considered a feminine art. That can be understood in terms of the social condition in Thailand since the Ayutthaya period. Men went to war while women stayed at home to take care of the family.
However, the role of women then was no less active or less renowned. For, during the intervals when the soldiers came home, it was the women who put the hearts back into them by welcoming them to "sweet home," not only figuratively but literally.
In performing household duties, Thai women have pleased not as slaves, but as free people who are well aware, of the division of labor. In this respect, great women cooks were not only much appreciated in their times, but have also lived on in people's memories.Thai sweets are, in fact, made from three simple ingredients, namely, coconut, rice flour, and palm sugar. But out of this mixture they can come in many different shapes, colors, and flavors. Some also have beautiful names, such as Bulan Dan Mek or the Moon Soaring through the Clouds. Thai sweets making, like Thai cooking in general, appears quite simple.
Everything happens as if by a touch of the hand. And yet this is impossible to imitate. For the one who makes sweets must have patience, care, and inventiveness. In the old days, Thai women were especially taught to exercise a charm through their hands and cooking utensils. Thus Thai sweets have the touch of Thai women.
In the realm of Thai sweets, two women deserve mention. One of them was even a foreign lady who was the wife of Constantine Faulkon, the Portuguese adviser to King Narai in the Ayutthaya period about 300 years ago. This lady took an active interest in sweets making. She introduced eggs into the basic mixture of Thai sweets. That was in itself a tremendous revolution! A number of new desserts have come by this addition, such as Thong Yip, Thong Yot, and Foi Thong. The egg-ingredient is usually indicated by the word Thong which means golden. King Narai was so pleased with her inventiveness that he gave her the title of Thao Thong ICipma. Though a foreigner, she was a teacher to Thai women. Because of her, Thai sweets have become richer and more varied.
The other lady is no less legendary, as she was given a high praise in the Boat Songs of King Rama II. She was a niece of King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty, and was well-reputed in the culinary art. King Rama II, then the Crown Prince, fell in love with her. There was a long period of doubt whether King Rama I would approve of the match. But finally he did. Her regal title was Somdet Phra Sisuriyentaraboromarajini. The first child she bore King Rama II was no other than King Rama IV or King Mongkut, one of the most famous of Thai monarchs.
In King Rama II's Boat Songs, the side dishes, desserts, and fruits this lady prepared are recalled in loving terms. For example, he describes his secret affair with her as follows
0 my love was like a Golden Drop, Wrapped up in a Golden Roll; For two years we kept a secret, Known to just the two of us.
The two sweets mentioned in this poem are Thong Yot or Golden Drop and Thong Muan or Golden Roll. The one is made of eggs, sugar, and rice flour, cooked in hot syrup; the other is made of wheat flour, coconut, milk, sugar, salt, one egg, and black sesame, baked in a mould and rolled while still hot, looking not unlike brandy-snap.
At another point, King Rama II also takes note of a sweet called Rang Rai or Re Rai which means Bird's Nest. It is made of rice flour, coconut, sesame, sugar and salt, and pressed through holes in a mould to fall into the shape of a bird's nest.
A Bird's Nest looks all white, As if some bird had left it there; I think all the birds will be happy With such nests as you've made.
In the Boat Songs, King Rama II describes beautifully Foi Thong which is made of egg yolk dropped into hot syrup to form golden threads:
Golden Rain falls in shiny threads, Like pure silk woven out of eggs; I remember my love Sewing with such golden Chinese silk.
These poems are among the highest tributes paid to Thai women for their cooking art. And this art is still living where patience, care, and inventiveness are found in Thai women. But it is a pity that some of them are abandoning Thai sweets for cakes and other Western desserts. That only leads to luxury and dependence on imported wares and stuffs. In fact, the principle behind Thai sweets is to use things that are locally produced. If anything foreign drops into the mixture, it is eventually made Thai. Let us hope that one day we can nationalize these Western desserts and add them to the number and variety of Thai sweets. Only Thai women can do it!
However, the role of women then was no less active or less renowned. For, during the intervals when the soldiers came home, it was the women who put the hearts back into them by welcoming them to "sweet home," not only figuratively but literally.
In performing household duties, Thai women have pleased not as slaves, but as free people who are well aware, of the division of labor. In this respect, great women cooks were not only much appreciated in their times, but have also lived on in people's memories.Thai sweets are, in fact, made from three simple ingredients, namely, coconut, rice flour, and palm sugar. But out of this mixture they can come in many different shapes, colors, and flavors. Some also have beautiful names, such as Bulan Dan Mek or the Moon Soaring through the Clouds. Thai sweets making, like Thai cooking in general, appears quite simple.
Everything happens as if by a touch of the hand. And yet this is impossible to imitate. For the one who makes sweets must have patience, care, and inventiveness. In the old days, Thai women were especially taught to exercise a charm through their hands and cooking utensils. Thus Thai sweets have the touch of Thai women.
In the realm of Thai sweets, two women deserve mention. One of them was even a foreign lady who was the wife of Constantine Faulkon, the Portuguese adviser to King Narai in the Ayutthaya period about 300 years ago. This lady took an active interest in sweets making. She introduced eggs into the basic mixture of Thai sweets. That was in itself a tremendous revolution! A number of new desserts have come by this addition, such as Thong Yip, Thong Yot, and Foi Thong. The egg-ingredient is usually indicated by the word Thong which means golden. King Narai was so pleased with her inventiveness that he gave her the title of Thao Thong ICipma. Though a foreigner, she was a teacher to Thai women. Because of her, Thai sweets have become richer and more varied.
The other lady is no less legendary, as she was given a high praise in the Boat Songs of King Rama II. She was a niece of King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty, and was well-reputed in the culinary art. King Rama II, then the Crown Prince, fell in love with her. There was a long period of doubt whether King Rama I would approve of the match. But finally he did. Her regal title was Somdet Phra Sisuriyentaraboromarajini. The first child she bore King Rama II was no other than King Rama IV or King Mongkut, one of the most famous of Thai monarchs.
In King Rama II's Boat Songs, the side dishes, desserts, and fruits this lady prepared are recalled in loving terms. For example, he describes his secret affair with her as follows
0 my love was like a Golden Drop, Wrapped up in a Golden Roll; For two years we kept a secret, Known to just the two of us.
The two sweets mentioned in this poem are Thong Yot or Golden Drop and Thong Muan or Golden Roll. The one is made of eggs, sugar, and rice flour, cooked in hot syrup; the other is made of wheat flour, coconut, milk, sugar, salt, one egg, and black sesame, baked in a mould and rolled while still hot, looking not unlike brandy-snap.
At another point, King Rama II also takes note of a sweet called Rang Rai or Re Rai which means Bird's Nest. It is made of rice flour, coconut, sesame, sugar and salt, and pressed through holes in a mould to fall into the shape of a bird's nest.
A Bird's Nest looks all white, As if some bird had left it there; I think all the birds will be happy With such nests as you've made.
In the Boat Songs, King Rama II describes beautifully Foi Thong which is made of egg yolk dropped into hot syrup to form golden threads:
Golden Rain falls in shiny threads, Like pure silk woven out of eggs; I remember my love Sewing with such golden Chinese silk.
These poems are among the highest tributes paid to Thai women for their cooking art. And this art is still living where patience, care, and inventiveness are found in Thai women. But it is a pity that some of them are abandoning Thai sweets for cakes and other Western desserts. That only leads to luxury and dependence on imported wares and stuffs. In fact, the principle behind Thai sweets is to use things that are locally produced. If anything foreign drops into the mixture, it is eventually made Thai. Let us hope that one day we can nationalize these Western desserts and add them to the number and variety of Thai sweets. Only Thai women can do it!
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