Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Very Useful Book, 24 Jan 2006
The recipes in this book are amazingly good and taste wonderful, thai food seems so light and lovely - the green thai chicken curry is highly recommended. Very easy to follow, however if you expect a short lists of ingredients to prepare - you might be slightly disappointed. As long as you prepare the ingredients beforehand you can't go wrong. I have easily found 95% of the ingredients at Tescos.

What a fantastic cookery book!, 13 Mar 2002
Easy to use, fantastic recipies that really taste like the resturant food! The pictures of both the cooking steps and the finished dish help to make sure you get it just right.
The ingrediants are explained in the glossary (with pictures) so you easily find them in the local supermarket. I really recomend this book to anyone wanting to try cooking Thai style.
My favorite so far is the Green Chicken Currey.

Tasty Thai meals which taste as good as they look., 27 Dec 2000
The book is filled with simple, easy to follow recipes even the complete novice can follow. For those who haven't had the pleasure of eating Thai food, this is the perfect introduction. A comprehensive glossary explains all ingredients and the importance of them in Thai cooking.

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Very Useful Book, 24 Jan 2006
The recipes in this book are amazingly good and taste wonderful, thai food seems so light and lovely - the green thai chicken curry is highly recommended. Very easy to follow, however if you expect a short lists of ingredients to prepare - you might be slightly disappointed. As long as you prepare the ingredients beforehand you can't go wrong. I have easily found 95% of the ingredients at Tescos.

What a fantastic cookery book!, 13 Mar 2002
Easy to use, fantastic recipies that really taste like the resturant food! The pictures of both the cooking steps and the finished dish help to make sure you get it just right.
The ingrediants are explained in the glossary (with pictures) so you easily find them in the local supermarket. I really recomend this book to anyone wanting to try cooking Thai style.
My favorite so far is the Green Chicken Currey.

Tasty Thai meals which taste as good as they look., 27 Dec 2000
The book is filled with simple, easy to follow recipes even the complete novice can follow. For those who haven't had the pleasure of eating Thai food, this is the perfect introduction. A comprehensive glossary explains all ingredients and the importance of them in Thai cooking.

Yum Yum, 21 Nov 2006
Bought the book a couple of years ago on my return from Thailand. It reminds me of all the delicious food I tasted over there. The recipes are of the most authentic I have seen. Buy it for a taste of paradise.

Tom Yam, Yum!, 05 Feb 2005
From the cover page, this book is beautifully illustrated, with wonderfully atmospheric images of life in Thailand, along with well arranged photos of many of the dishes and ingredients.

The recipes themselves are also nicely presented, clearly formatted, with the names of the dishes in both English and Thai.

The main recipes within the book itself are split into 5 sections, representing the 5 culinary districts covered in this edition. Examples include; from the Bangkok chapter Pad Thai Gung (Thai fried noodles with prawn). From the 'North' chapter; Grat Dook Moo Tod (Deep Fried Spare Ribs). And from the 'by the sea' chapter Yam Talay (Hot and Sour Seafood Salad).

The introduction too is fascinating, with insights into life in Thailand and how food fits into to it. It also contains a guide into ingredients, techniques and more, which may go into making even the most basic of the dishes. Additionally, the recipes for the many of the curry pastes which are the basis for many of the dishes in the book are also collated within the chapter.

All in all, Smashing!

excellent, 24 Mar 2003
This is the best thai book that i have seen. The food is simple, easy to cook with fantastic photgraphs to illustrate authentic thai food. A must for anyone interested thai cooking.

Best ever Thai cookbook!!!, 22 Dec 2002
As an avid collector of thai recipes I have to say that this book is the best ever!! The recipes are very easy to follow. The ones that I have tried are very authentic tasting too - I lived in Thailand for 2 years and sampled a lot of food whilst out there so I know what they should be like. Vatcharin has really got it right in this book - his recipes are "spot on" and the ingredients are now very easy to find in the UK. A lot of the dishes are very quick to cook too - as street food is. I would recommend that anyone interested in thai cooking - from beginer to experienced cook sould buy this book.

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Very Useful Book, 24 Jan 2006
The recipes in this book are amazingly good and taste wonderful, thai food seems so light and lovely - the green thai chicken curry is highly recommended. Very easy to follow, however if you expect a short lists of ingredients to prepare - you might be slightly disappointed. As long as you prepare the ingredients beforehand you can't go wrong. I have easily found 95% of the ingredients at Tescos.

What a fantastic cookery book!, 13 Mar 2002
Easy to use, fantastic recipies that really taste like the resturant food! The pictures of both the cooking steps and the finished dish help to make sure you get it just right.
The ingrediants are explained in the glossary (with pictures) so you easily find them in the local supermarket. I really recomend this book to anyone wanting to try cooking Thai style.
My favorite so far is the Green Chicken Currey.

Tasty Thai meals which taste as good as they look., 27 Dec 2000
The book is filled with simple, easy to follow recipes even the complete novice can follow. For those who haven't had the pleasure of eating Thai food, this is the perfect introduction. A comprehensive glossary explains all ingredients and the importance of them in Thai cooking.

Yum Yum, 21 Nov 2006
Bought the book a couple of years ago on my return from Thailand. It reminds me of all the delicious food I tasted over there. The recipes are of the most authentic I have seen. Buy it for a taste of paradise.

Tom Yam, Yum!, 05 Feb 2005
From the cover page, this book is beautifully illustrated, with wonderfully atmospheric images of life in Thailand, along with well arranged photos of many of the dishes and ingredients.

The recipes themselves are also nicely presented, clearly formatted, with the names of the dishes in both English and Thai.

The main recipes within the book itself are split into 5 sections, representing the 5 culinary districts covered in this edition. Examples include; from the Bangkok chapter Pad Thai Gung (Thai fried noodles with prawn). From the 'North' chapter; Grat Dook Moo Tod (Deep Fried Spare Ribs). And from the 'by the sea' chapter Yam Talay (Hot and Sour Seafood Salad).

The introduction too is fascinating, with insights into life in Thailand and how food fits into to it. It also contains a guide into ingredients, techniques and more, which may go into making even the most basic of the dishes. Additionally, the recipes for the many of the curry pastes which are the basis for many of the dishes in the book are also collated within the chapter.

All in all, Smashing!

excellent, 24 Mar 2003
This is the best thai book that i have seen. The food is simple, easy to cook with fantastic photgraphs to illustrate authentic thai food. A must for anyone interested thai cooking.

Best ever Thai cookbook!!!, 22 Dec 2002
As an avid collector of thai recipes I have to say that this book is the best ever!! The recipes are very easy to follow. The ones that I have tried are very authentic tasting too - I lived in Thailand for 2 years and sampled a lot of food whilst out there so I know what they should be like. Vatcharin has really got it right in this book - his recipes are "spot on" and the ingredients are now very easy to find in the UK. A lot of the dishes are very quick to cook too - as street food is. I would recommend that anyone interested in thai cooking - from beginer to experienced cook sould buy this book.

Very good, basic thai cookbook, 04 Nov 2002
The review title says it all. You'll find plenty of ideas for simple and delicious Thai food, nicely presented and well explained. If you want to put Thai food together with the minimum of fuss, this book is great. There are some howlers with quantities of ingredients, but mostly these are easy to spot. The writer seems to have had a very unreliable thermostat on his deep fat fryer though - following instructions on temperature and frying times closely would not be advised unless you like your food rather too well done!

Easy to follow, a pleasure to eat..., 14 Aug 2000
The one thing that the earlier review missed out on in reviewing this book was the actual instructions in the recipies.

These are clearly presented, and very easy to follow, you can be creating world class dishes very quickly with this book.

The main difficulty can come from sourcing the actual ingredients themselves, but a section at the front, entitled "The Marketplace" even helps with that.

The book also has sections on Fruit and Vegetable carving, wines to complement the dishes, and an history of the restaurant chain, wonderful!

A Magnificent Book from a Refined Establishment, 31 May 1999
The Brussels based Blue Elephant which now includes 7 international branches and is still growing did a magnificent job with this cookbook as always under the guiding eye of its original founder Mr. Karl Steppe.

Exotic recipes include Green, Red and Yellow curry dishes for beef, chicken, lamb, and vegetarian courses. This in addition to delightful and sophisticated trademarks such as the Chicken Souffle, the Tom Yum khung prawn soup, Seafood Cassoulet, the Tod Man Pla fish cakes, crab claws, pad thai noodles, several varieities of stir fry rice, the restaurants star Jasmine Cake dessert, coconut sorbet, and bananna cake.

If you are ever in Beirut, Brussels, Dubai, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Lyon or New Delhi don't pass up the chance to visit the incredible experience of dining at this top notch sophisticated establishment. From the moment you enter a Blue Elephant you will be dazzled by the exotic decor.

Everybody loves Thai food. Only on the international scene for relatively few years, it is now ubiquitous. It's easy to see why. Thai flavours are highly individual, complex and clear, subtle and exhilarating, yet structurally (as it were) the cooking resembles the familiar Chinese. Ken Hom is an ideal guide to this fascinating cuisine in Ken Hom Cooks Thai. Stressing, as you would expect, the links with Chinese food, he nonetheless concentrates on the ingredients and techniques that make Thai cooking so special. The signature flavours are lemon grass and coconut, against which limes and lime leaves, coriander and basil are deployed. Thai food is also, famously, blisteringly hot. Ken Hom sticks to fairly simple, accessible recipes (eschewing the complexities of the distinct and highly decorative royal or palace cuisine), 130 in all. Starters include spicy salads made with fish, chicken and beef, and a delicious one in which grapefruit is dressed with lime, soy, sugar, chillies and dried shrimps. Soups tend to divide into clear spicy broth garnished with meat, vegetables and/or noodles (Fragrant Prawn and Lemongrass Soup is perhaps the most familiar of these) and richer concoctions based on coconut milk, such as Delectable Coconut Soup with Mussels or Rich Pumpkin and Coconut Soup. Fish and seafood dishes are among the glories of Thai cuisine, and they are well represented, from the simplicity of Steamed Fish with Coconut to the elaboration of Panaeng-Style Curry with Prawns. Red and green curries, made with chicken and beef, are perhaps the best known among dozens of mouth-watering meat, rice and noodle recipes. Ken Hom has produced an inspiring introduction to an inspiring cuisine. --Robin DavidsonEverybody loves Thai food. Only on the international scene for relatively few years, it is now ubiquitous. It's easy to see why. Thai flavours are highly individual, complex and clear, subtle and exhilarating, yet structurally (as it were) the cooking resembles the familiar Chinese. Ken Hom is an ideal guide to this fascinating cuisine in Ken Hom Cooks Thai. Stressing, as you would expect, the links with Chinese food, he nonetheless concentrates on the ingredients and techniques that make Thai cooking so special. The signature flavours are lemon grass and coconut, against which limes and lime leaves, coriander and basil are deployed. Thai food is also, famously, blisteringly hot. Ken Hom sticks to fairly simple, accessible recipes (eschewing the complexities of the distinct, and highly decorative royal or palace cuisine), 130 in all. Starters include spicy salads made with fish, chicken and beef, and a delicious one in which grapefruit is dressed with lime, soy, sugar, chillies and dried shrimps. Soups tend to divide into clear spicy broths garnished with meat, vegetables and/or noodles (Fragrant Prawn and Lemongrass Soup is perhaps the most familiar of these) and richer concoctions based on coconut milk, such as Delectable Coconut Soup with Mussels or Rich Pumpkin and Coconut Soup. Fish and seafood dishes are among the glories of Thai cuisine, and they are well represented, from the simplicity of Steamed Fish with Coconut to the elaboration of Panaeng-Style Curry with Prawns. Red and green curries, made with chicken and beef, are perhaps the best known among dozens of mouth-watering meat, rice and noodle recipes. Ken Hom has produced an inspiring introduction to an inspiring cuisine. --Robin Davidson

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Very Useful Book, 24 Jan 2006
The recipes in this book are amazingly good and taste wonderful, thai food seems so light and lovely - the green thai chicken curry is highly recommended. Very easy to follow, however if you expect a short lists of ingredients to prepare - you might be slightly disappointed. As long as you prepare the ingredients beforehand you can't go wrong. I have easily found 95% of the ingredients at Tescos.

What a fantastic cookery book!, 13 Mar 2002
Easy to use, fantastic recipies that really taste like the resturant food! The pictures of both the cooking steps and the finished dish help to make sure you get it just right.
The ingrediants are explained in the glossary (with pictures) so you easily find them in the local supermarket. I really recomend this book to anyone wanting to try cooking Thai style.
My favorite so far is the Green Chicken Currey.

Tasty Thai meals which taste as good as they look., 27 Dec 2000
The book is filled with simple, easy to follow recipes even the complete novice can follow. For those who haven't had the pleasure of eating Thai food, this is the perfect introduction. A comprehensive glossary explains all ingredients and the importance of them in Thai cooking.

Yum Yum, 21 Nov 2006
Bought the book a couple of years ago on my return from Thailand. It reminds me of all the delicious food I tasted over there. The recipes are of the most authentic I have seen. Buy it for a taste of paradise.

Tom Yam, Yum!, 05 Feb 2005
From the cover page, this book is beautifully illustrated, with wonderfully atmospheric images of life in Thailand, along with well arranged photos of many of the dishes and ingredients.

The recipes themselves are also nicely presented, clearly formatted, with the names of the dishes in both English and Thai.

The main recipes within the book itself are split into 5 sections, representing the 5 culinary districts covered in this edition. Examples include; from the Bangkok chapter Pad Thai Gung (Thai fried noodles with prawn). From the 'North' chapter; Grat Dook Moo Tod (Deep Fried Spare Ribs). And from the 'by the sea' chapter Yam Talay (Hot and Sour Seafood Salad).

The introduction too is fascinating, with insights into life in Thailand and how food fits into to it. It also contains a guide into ingredients, techniques and more, which may go into making even the most basic of the dishes. Additionally, the recipes for the many of the curry pastes which are the basis for many of the dishes in the book are also collated within the chapter.

All in all, Smashing!

excellent, 24 Mar 2003
This is the best thai book that i have seen. The food is simple, easy to cook with fantastic photgraphs to illustrate authentic thai food. A must for anyone interested thai cooking.

Best ever Thai cookbook!!!, 22 Dec 2002
As an avid collector of thai recipes I have to say that this book is the best ever!! The recipes are very easy to follow. The ones that I have tried are very authentic tasting too - I lived in Thailand for 2 years and sampled a lot of food whilst out there so I know what they should be like. Vatcharin has really got it right in this book - his recipes are "spot on" and the ingredients are now very easy to find in the UK. A lot of the dishes are very quick to cook too - as street food is. I would recommend that anyone interested in thai cooking - from beginer to experienced cook sould buy this book.

Very good, basic thai cookbook, 04 Nov 2002
The review title says it all. You'll find plenty of ideas for simple and delicious Thai food, nicely presented and well explained. If you want to put Thai food together with the minimum of fuss, this book is great. There are some howlers with quantities of ingredients, but mostly these are easy to spot. The writer seems to have had a very unreliable thermostat on his deep fat fryer though - following instructions on temperature and frying times closely would not be advised unless you like your food rather too well done!

Easy to follow, a pleasure to eat..., 14 Aug 2000
The one thing that the earlier review missed out on in reviewing this book was the actual instructions in the recipies.

These are clearly presented, and very easy to follow, you can be creating world class dishes very quickly with this book.

The main difficulty can come from sourcing the actual ingredients themselves, but a section at the front, entitled "The Marketplace" even helps with that.

The book also has sections on Fruit and Vegetable carving, wines to complement the dishes, and an history of the restaurant chain, wonderful!

A Magnificent Book from a Refined Establishment, 31 May 1999
The Brussels based Blue Elephant which now includes 7 international branches and is still growing did a magnificent job with this cookbook as always under the guiding eye of its original founder Mr. Karl Steppe.

Exotic recipes include Green, Red and Yellow curry dishes for beef, chicken, lamb, and vegetarian courses. This in addition to delightful and sophisticated trademarks such as the Chicken Souffle, the Tom Yum khung prawn soup, Seafood Cassoulet, the Tod Man Pla fish cakes, crab claws, pad thai noodles, several varieities of stir fry rice, the restaurants star Jasmine Cake dessert, coconut sorbet, and bananna cake.

If you are ever in Beirut, Brussels, Dubai, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Lyon or New Delhi don't pass up the chance to visit the incredible experience of dining at this top notch sophisticated establishment. From the moment you enter a Blue Elephant you will be dazzled by the exotic decor.

More Chinese than Thai, 01 Dec 2006
Although I like Ken Hom's books I was rather disappointed with this effort for the simple reason that his is interprepation makes the food more Chinese than Thai.

Fantastic , Easy To Prepare Recipes, 05 Dec 2005
I love this book and have cooked many recipes from it and they have turned out very well. The food is easy to prepare, the recipe instructions are clear and precise and the ingredients are fairly easy to find. The lemongrass and prawn soup is one of the recipes that turned out extremely well for me. I love to cook and this is one of my favourites because I know I will not be disappointed with the results. It is a reliable cookbook in the sense that I am sure that the end result will always be something really awesome.

Very easy to follow, 05 Feb 2003
I agree that these recipes are not entirely authentic. However, a lot of the finished dishes do bear quite a strong resemblance to authentic Thai food (although none of them are very spicy which was one thing I remember about Thai food in Thailand). The best thing about this book, however, is the fact that all the recipes are very easy to follow, the ingredients are not mpossible to find, the finished dishes are very tasty and guests are always suitably impressed. Additionally, authentic Thai food can take a long time to prepare (at least for a non-Thai person!) whereas these recipes are fairly quick so, for an "easy to prepare" taste of Thailand, I can fully recommend this book.

Ken Hom Cooks Thai (but not as I know it), 16 Feb 2001
I am a Thai who loves Chinese food, and I have a lot of respect for Mr Hom. I use his Chinese cookery books all the time and his advice keeps my wok in pristine condition. But I have to say that none of the recipes in this book - fantastic though they look, sound, and no doubt taste - are recognisable to me as authentic. I have cooked Thai for a while and eaten it for longer (all my life) so I should know. Now I am well aware that this book is Mr Hom's interpretation of Thai dishes and he makes no claims to the contrary. His appreciation and enthusiasm for Thai food is especially infectious. However, there remains an understandably heavy bias for Chinese based dishes and cooking styles. All this is not obvious unless you are able to thumb through the book. So my comments here are merely cautionary to potential buyers of this book on Amazon. If you're looking for authenticity then look elsewhere. Otherwise, like me, you are sure to get hours of pleasure from the imaginative and tasty recipes in this beautifully presented book written by one of the best in the business.

A Chinese goes Thai. The perfect combination, 27 Jan 1999
Ken Hom has great credit promoting Chinese cooking in the world. This universal cuisine of the Far East seems to incorporate almost all styles. Yet Thai Cuisine has a very distinct touch. The extensive use of fresh coriander, lemon grass and fish sauce make Thai cuisine taste completely different from what we learnt so far from Ken Homs wonderful books about the Chinese cuisine. Thailand is a country of cultural mixtures. The Chinese play a great role. Mastercook Ken Hom is probably the best cook to promote the dialogue between China, Europe and Thailand. A wonderful combination which makes curious.

Authentic and Comprehensive.... perhaps a little too much so, 12 Nov 2008
This is a beautiful and well written cookbook. it aims at being comprehensive and authentic and definitely succeeds. However, the author has the most exacting and uncompromising approach to ingredients and recipes i have ever encountered in a cookbook and this really undermines it in the long run. This book is all about producing the food that Thais eat in Thailand and as such, demands a whole bunch of really specialised ingredients. I live in Manchester and we have a bunch of Chinese/Asian supermarkets and at least 3 Thai food stores and even then I've had real trouble finding some of the things. And even if you could find everything, David tells you that you should really be making everything from scratch. From coconut cream to fermented pork this book teaches you how to make everything in Thai cookery and how the shop-bought versions really aren't quite the same. Personally, i find his level of exactitude off-putting. I want to make tasty things and be told they will be tasty, not pale imitations of what i could make if i lived in Thailand and had plenty of time and ingredients to hand. You simply cannot buy coconuts at three different stages of growth in Manchester. I also want to be told where and when i can make shortcuts, the author just tells you that you shouldn't which is unhelpful really.

The recipes are well described and, if you flick about to different sections, give loads of details about about EXACTLY how to prepare ingredients, cook things and what it is you're looking for at each stage of cooking. what i have made has been good (or great) but it's been the most laborious shopping trips ever. I had hoped that this would help me eat delicious Thai food regularly which it hasn't, it's just too daunting for that. However, it has made me confident in cooking asian food and comes out when i want to make something a bit more special when i have time and money on my hands. Buy this book if you want a (very pretty) definitive guide to authentic Thai cuisine written by a passionate author, don't buy this if you're looking for Thai food you can knock up on a regular basis or live far from specialist Thai food stores.

Excellent even for a Thai, 30 Aug 2008
I'm a Thai living the UK. Hoping to find great recipes for traditional Thai dishes out of the country, I bought this book about two years ago. I have been truly satisfied with what David Thompson provided here. Several dishes are even hard to come across in restaurants in Thailand. He seems to have studied a great deal about the Thai cuisine [although some Thai names are not well transliterated into English]. Congratulations, Mr. Thompson! For the readers, this book is a must-have if you are into cooking Thai.

5 star, 21 Nov 2007
i was recommended this book by a chef who specialises in thia cookery. it is a fabulous book and very well written.
the only problem is localing the ingredients in the south west

Yummy, but impossible, 07 Jun 2006
I bought this book with great expectations, all set up and ready for a new and better life full of thai food. I was first overwhelmed buy the book, and it took me an entire day just to read the introductionary chapters. It's very interesting, and there is a lot of background knowledge to be got about Thailand, it's history, cooking style and so on. However the recipes are SO complicated! Not the preparations (which tend to be on the hard side to) but the ingredients. I've only actually cooked a handful of things, and only by making great compromises. It's simply impossible getting the ingredients here, in spite of the fact that I have gone to Thai stores. If you live in Thailand this book is great for cooking. In Europe (and maybe America) it borders on impossible. To give an example of this is easy. By completely randomly opening the book I find a recipe that calls for: Langsart (peeled and stoned).. two types of chillies, ground caramelised peanuts, ..coconut vinegar (p. 357). The book is visually inviting, very extensive, and very well researched. A pity it's impossible as a cookbook

Good enough to eat!, 18 Feb 2006
This has to be the most beautiful, well-researched and comprehensive book on any cuisine, bar none! And very importantly, David Thompson has included a wealth of history and background info on Thai gastronomy, culture and lifestyles, to help put everything into context. In that sense, I'm actually glad this is written by a non-Thai (although first that slightly put me off), as many things which to a Thai might have been obvious are explained by Thompson as only he can who has had to make a conscious effort to learn them from scratch.

One word of warning, though: the recipes are complex, and many of the ingredients can only be found in specialist (Thai / SE Asian) stores, and even then it's a challenge. So in a way the book is a bit frustrating - you're eager to get on and try the recipes, only to discover that you cannot find some crucial spice, herb or fermented-what-not.

Still, the sheer pleasure of just reading this...!

Fantastic Thai food!, 09 Feb 2007
What a great book! If you love Thai food but want dishes that are simple to prep & cook yet look/taste great then this book is for you. All recipes are very easy to follow including pictures of how your dish should look & lots of helpful hints on technique. The end results of all the dishes I have tried have been excellent & the book offers a blend of traditional favourites & some new and very interesting ideas. Money well spent!

This is more than just a cook book!, 24 Oct 2003
Beautiful photographs of a beautiful land, this is a trip around Thailand with cooking to the fore. Some of the ingredients are difficult to get hold of, but on the whole a very worthy book. If like me, you love thai food and you have the time to indulge, it is worth getting this book.

Excellent combination of recipes and travelogue, 20 Dec 2001
This book not only has excellent well explained recipes but an excellent guide to ingredients and their alternatives. The narrative that takes you in a regional tour of the country adds to the sense of adventure. I had never cooked Thai foods before using Vatchs recipes and found them reliable and easy to follow. I have the hard back version of this book - this edition was brought as a gift as the hard back was unavailable but my gripe with the paper back is that is perfect bound which means it won't lie open - a real pain in the kitchen!

Very Useful Book, 24 Jan 2006
The recipes in this book are amazingly good and taste wonderful, thai food seems so light and lovely - the green thai chicken curry is highly recommended. Very easy to follow, however if you expect a short lists of ingredients to prepare - you might be slightly disappointed. As long as you prepare the ingredients beforehand you can't go wrong. I have easily found 95% of the ingredients at Tescos.

What a fantastic cookery book!, 13 Mar 2002
Easy to use, fantastic recipies that really taste like the resturant food! The pictures of both the cooking steps and the finished dish help to make sure you get it just right.
The ingrediants are explained in the glossary (with pictures) so you easily find them in the local supermarket. I really recomend this book to anyone wanting to try cooking Thai style.
My favorite so far is the Green Chicken Currey.

Tasty Thai meals which taste as good as they look., 27 Dec 2000
The book is filled with simple, easy to follow recipes even the complete novice can follow. For those who haven't had the pleasure of eating Thai food, this is the perfect introduction. A comprehensive glossary explains all ingredients and the importance of them in Thai cooking.

Yum Yum, 21 Nov 2006
Bought the book a couple of years ago on my return from Thailand. It reminds me of all the delicious food I tasted over there. The recipes are of the most authentic I have seen. Buy it for a taste of paradise.

Tom Yam, Yum!, 05 Feb 2005
From the cover page, this book is beautifully illustrated, with wonderfully atmospheric images of life in Thailand, along with well arranged photos of many of the dishes and ingredients.

The recipes themselves are also nicely presented, clearly formatted, with the names of the dishes i