Thai One On

I'm an enthusiast for all things Thai. Well, primarily food, I admit, but it's this addiction that sparked a deeper interest in the place, the people and the sensuality they bring to the table. It's a culture cuisine that is gaining significant recognition here in the US and I'm a devoted follower, stalker of a local restauranteur here in the Twin Towns. Staying power is what she has. We've watched Supenn sell off most of her Sawatdee chain and Bou, of King and I fame, continues to forever lure the hypnotic crowds of urbs and sub-urbs to the drowsy latenight beats permeating her smoky bar. A good drink, no, let me back up, an explosive-put-you-over-the-edge-with-one kinda drink ( a little reminiscent of the Dragon for all you Uptowners) such as the Sling or the Funky Monkey nullifies any inconsistencies that may from time to time escape her kitchen. All in all, though, King is in my local top 3.

Have to admit that I haven't ventured out to Roseville to check out the new Royal Orchid since it left Food Drive many moons ago. For those of you missing Nicollet's resurgence and revitalization, you will be shocked to see the ethnic community's devotion to this food lover's street of dreams which has sparked a tremendous and trendy growth spurt for this secret area I've haunted for years. The only thing I can really say for Royal Orchid was that they were there when I needed them, back in the early days when Thai food wasn't so common. I'd drive many miles for orders of Tod Mun, fishcakes that are unusually rare in my fair cities and they had the only ones to be had.

The one person I can always count on to soothe my savage cravings on a consistent and devoted basis is my dear friend, Ketsana. True Thai food devotees know her and follow her, have followed her from her humble beginnings in St. Cloud. Several years ago, she took over the old 50's style diner off Lyndale and 494. This area, too, is seeing quite a resurgence and I'm hoping that the elderly communities sprouting up on every block near her namesake restaurant, will bring in a new rush of business. If you love Ketsana's in Richfield, you must surely love her new restaurant she took over from her sister late last year, Rum Mit. I know, I know, it's how I became her biggest fan, her stalker over the years, as she helped run that restaurant until she started the Richfield place. The circle is now complete for our fair cities, who now each have a sister-eaterie to soothe the madness brought on by spring roll withdrawals.

Over time, Ketsana and I have become friends. How could we not? I adore her food and what woman doesn't love another woman who loves her food? It's simple; it's the feminine character. Moreover, I cajoled her into writing a book with me because I, too, wanted to learn all she had to teach. A book, a clever disguise for my education, is the intended result and while she passes along lists of ingredients to feed an army, I work my way backwards and try to recreate the dishes for a more modest table. Oh, the love! I've gotten about 20 or so recipes done, noodled out as my husband loves to say, which indicates he's tried each dish a hundred different ways. And while I know she's anxious for the book to be completed, a small part of me wishes to drag it out forever. Like writing a new version of the bible. The King Rama version.

So, as I'm new to Blog Heaven, I thought this might be an excellent place to meander about, begin the real writing for the book as I envision it to be sacred to me and sacred to Ketsana. It's the one thing between us we use to anchor ourselves, bouy about the surface as we tread the choppy waters of being women entrepreneurs from opposite sides of the world. She is my sister and one of the many women I admire, lean on and look to for the occasional opportunity to commiserate about how trusting we can be even as we become more familiar with the ways others can taint our passions for what we love to do. Ahh, let them come, for we have a bounty of ways to sizzle and burn back the evil of the world with the complexities of foreign ingredients such as fish sauce, galangal, kaffir lime and the chilis I've come to worship at Ketsana's altar.