Thai-Inspired Singapore Sling

Tom's Thai "Martinis"

Tropical Fruit c.o.c.ktail

Mango Bellini

Royal Thai Kir

Ginger Tea 8 cups water 1 large branch (approximately [image]pound) of ginger, cut into long pieces ? cup sugar 1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pan. Add the ginger, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.

2. Remove the ginger and add the sugar to taste, stirring until it is completely dissolved.

3. Serve hot or over ice.

Yields 8 cups Although not really a tea, this ginger infusion is refreshing no matter what it's called.

Lemongra.s.s Tea 8 cups water 1 cup lemongra.s.s stalks, chopped [image] cup sugar cup sugar 1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pan. Add the lemongra.s.s, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.

2. Remove the lemongra.s.s and add the sugar to taste, stirring until it is completely dissolved.

3. Serve hot or over ice.

Yields 8 cups Another infusion, this "tea" is light, flavorful, and oh-so Thai. A 50-50 mix of this tea with Ginger Tea is also great!

Thai Limeade 1 cup lime juice, lime rinds reserved 8 cups water [image] cup sugar Salt to taste (optional) 1. Combine the lime juice and the sugar; set aside.

2. Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Add the lime rinds and remove from heat. Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lime rinds.

3. Add the lime juice mixture to the hot water, stirring to completely dissolve the sugar. Add salt if desired.

4. Serve over ice.

Yields 9 cups Do you remember Lemon Shakeups from the county fair? This is sort of the Thai version of a shakeup without the shaking!

Iced Sweet Tea 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk 12 tablespoons Thai tea leaves 1 cup hot water Ice 1 teaspoon milk 1. Put the sugar and sweetened condensed milk into a large gla.s.s.

2. Place the tea leaves into a tea ball and place it in the gla.s.s.

3. Add the hot water. Let steep until done to your preferred strength.

4. Stir to dissolve the sugar and sweetened condensed milk.

5. Add ice and top with milk.

Yields slightly more than 1 cup.

Thai like their tea milky and super sweet. If you prefer your tea hot, reduce the sugar and sweetened condensed milk by half. And, of course, don't add the ice!

Thai Iced Tea 6 cups water 1 cup Thai tea leaves 1 cup sugar Ice 11 cups half-and-half 1. Bring the water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat and add the tea leaves, pushing them into the water until they are completely submerged. Steep approximately 5 minutes or until the liquid is a bright orange.

2. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee strainer.

3. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.

4. Allow the tea to reach room temperature and then refrigerate.

5. To serve, pour the tea over ice cubes, leaving room at the top of the gla.s.s to pour in 3 to 4 tablespoons of half-and-half; stir briefly to combine.

Yields approx. 8 cups Similar to the previous recipe but without the condensed milk, this tea is slightly less rich, but certainly no less sweet.

Super-Simple Thai Iced Tea 2 tablespoons sugar 12 tablespoons Thai tea leaves 1 cup hot water Ice 1. Put the sugar into a large gla.s.s.

2. Place the tea leaves in a tea ball and place it in the gla.s.s.

3. Add the hot water. Let steep until done to your preferred strength.

4. Stir to dissolve the sugar and add ice.

Yields approx. 1 cup After you have become addicted to tea Thai-style but you are rushing to that morning meeting, here is the brew for you. Add milk or condensed milk if you like.

Fresh Coconut Juice 1 young coconut Ice Sprig of mint for garnish 1. Using a meat cleaver, make a V-shaped slice on the top of the coconut.

2. Pour the juice over a gla.s.s of ice.

3. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Serves 12 depending on the size of the coconut.

Exactly what the recipe t.i.tle says, this recipe calls for whacking open a coconut and drinking the juice. Remember Gilligan's Island?

Thai-Inspired Singapore Sling 2 tablespoons whiskey 1 tablespoon cherry brandy 1 tablespoon orange liqueur 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon brown sugar Dash of bitters [image] cup pineapple juice Mint sprig (optional) cup pineapple juice Mint sprig (optional) 1. Place all of the ingredients into a c.o.c.ktail shaker and shake well to combine.

2. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint if desired.

[image]Pa.s.s on the Wine Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage served with Thai food. Three brands are domestically brewed-Singha, Amarit, and Kloster. In each case, the barley is homegrown, but the hops come from Germany.

Yields 1 c.o.c.ktail Created in 1915 by a Raffles Hotel bartender, the Singapore Sling was originally meant to be a woman's drink. Nowadays, no trip to Singapore, is complete without sipping this cla.s.sic at Raffles's famous Long Bar.

Tom's Thai "Martinis"

1 whole ripe pineapple 1 bottle dark rum 1 bottle light rum 1 bottle coconut rum 3 stalks lemongra.s.s, trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths and tied in a bundle 1. Remove the pineapple greens and then quarter the remaining fruit. Place the pineapple quarters and the lemongra.s.s bundle in a container large enough to hold all of the liquor.

2. Pour the rums over the fruit and stir to combine. Cover the container and let infuse for at least 1 week at room temperature.

3. Remove the lemongra.s.s bundle and discard.

4. Remove the pineapple quarters and cut into slices for garnish.

5. To serve, pour some of the rum into a martini shaker filled with ice; shake well. Pour into martini gla.s.ses and garnish with a pineapple slice.

[image]What Not to Eat Lime leaves, lemongra.s.s, and Siamese ginger are all great flavoring agents, but they are really difficult to chew. Don't eat them.

Yields 3 quarts This is my brother's favorite c.o.c.ktail to serve at his pool parties. If desired, you can easily reduce this recipe by using a third of a bottle of each rum, a third of a pineapple, and 1 stalk of lemongra.s.s.

Tropical Fruit c.o.c.ktail 1 small mango, papaya, banana, or other tropical fruit, peeled and roughly chopped (reserve a bit for garnish if desired) 4 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 cups orange or grapefruit juice 1 cups pineapple juice [image] cup (or to taste) rum 1. Place the chopped fruit, lime juice, ginger, and sugar in a blender and process until smooth.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and process until well combined.

3. To serve, pour over crushed ice and decorate with fruit slices of your choice.

Yields 34 cups When you think of fruit c.o.c.ktail, you probably think of either the canned fruit you ate as a child or some kiddie c.o.c.ktail. Well, this is neither. It is sophisticated, not too sweet, and very adult thanks to the rum.

Mango Bellini 2 tablespoons pureed mango 1 teaspoon mango schnapps (optional) teaspoon lemon juice Chilled champagne Place the mango puree, mango schnapps, and lemon juice in a champagne flute. Fill the flute with champagne and stir.

Yields 1 gla.s.s Similar to the Royal Thai Kir, this Mango Bellini is a bit fruitier. The lemon juice helps to balance the fruit. Whichever c.o.c.ktail you choose, you can't go wrong with a combination of mango and champagne!

Royal Thai Kir 12 teaspoons creeme de mango or mango schnapps Chilled dry champagne Pour the creeme into a champagne flute and fill with champagne.

[image]Wine Choices Pairing wine with Thai food is not an easy endeavor because of the complexity of flavors that appear in a single dish. Sparkling wine or champagne act to quell a bit of the fire. (As does a cold gla.s.s of beer!) Slightly chilled Alsacian-style Rieslings, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc can also do the trick. If you are absolutely set on drinking red, please do. Try a full-flavored, yet fruity, wine such as a Zinfandel. Or if you want a cold gla.s.s of red, chill a bottle of Beaujolais. Its low tannins help offset the heat of the chilies.

Yields 1 gla.s.s In Paris, I was introduced to a c.o.c.ktail that still remains a favorite, a Kir Royal. This is my Thai version, in toast to my wonderful friends in France, who forever changed my outlook on foodand wine. Merci!

[image]Thai-Inspired Cooking

Asian Carrot Sticks

Spicy Shrimp Dip

Cream of Coconut Crabmeat Dip

Marinated Mushrooms

Thai-Spiced Guacamole

Asian-Inspired Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chicken Salad - 1

Chicken Salad - 2

Chicken Salad - 3