WE KNOW FOOD
Petchaburi - City of Diamonds
Nestled in the north of the Malay Peninsular, Phetchaburi, the City of Diamonds, stands as a vibrant hub of culture, history and food.
In 2021, Phetchaburi was designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, recognising its rich culinary heritage, diverse food traditions and commitment to sustainable food practices.Join us on The Original Flavours of Phetchaburi Food Tour as we embark on a flavoursome journey through Phetchaburi, exploring its culinary delights, unique food culture, and the significance of its UNESCO designation.
Feast Thailand is proud to have teamed up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (Phetchaburi) to bring you this amazing step-back-in-time tour of Phetchaburi.
Join us as we taste our way around this remarkable city, exploring places both old and new, as well as an in-depth look at a working palm sugar plantation.
Khao Chae
As we walk through Petchaburi's vibrant Rim Naam Market, strolling along the riverside through this bustling morning market, we stop at a number of vendors selling their wares. One vendor has been selling the Royal Thai dessert known as Khao Chae for over 40 years.
Khao Chae is thought to have originated in Phetchaburi, due to the wife of Mongkut - King Rama IV, Chao Chom Manda Sonklin, who was known to have Mon heritage. Her knowledge of the dish was soon passed on to the palace kitchen staff and the dish passed into Siamese tradition as one fit only for the aristocracy; nowadays, it is available to everyone.
Lot Chong Singapore
Literally meaning Through a Hole, Lot Chong is a refreshing dessert commonly known as Cendol in other parts of SE Asia. A green custard is made from rice flour, mung bean flour, limestone water and pandan water. This is cooked until it thickens and then squeezed through a press until thin green worm-like strands emerge. These are then served with ice and coconut cream, but in Petchaburi on this tour, as palm sugar is one of the prime produce items, we try it added to Lot Chong, giving a wonderful caramel flavour to the dish. It really is delicious and so refreshing on a hot Thai day.
Khanom Jeen
Traditionally eaten with a selection of curries, Khanom Jeen are fermented rice noodles and are eaten all over Thailand, with different names depending on where you are. On this tour in Phetchaburi, we see another way of eating these noodles; combined with Tod Man Bplaa...Thai Fish Cakes. Khanom Jeen are made by fermenting rice flour dough for a number of days and then extruding the mixture through a large sieve into boiling water. Once done, the noodles are transferred to cool, fresh water and washed and then packaged. The shop we visit on this tour churns out in excess of 200kg per day for both the commercial market and hungry locals.
Guay Dtieow Phetchaburi
Noodle soups are eaten across the length and breadth of the Kingdom, but only a very few regions have their own unique style. Ayutthaya and Sukhothai spring to mind as cities with very unique noodle soups. In Petchaburi, the difference is in the addition of a red sauce, Naam Daeng, as seen above, served either dolloped on top, or in a small bowl to add as you see fit, or this style, which is haeng...dry. This is the boran, or traditional style.
Of course, as it is Phetchaburi, the addition of palm sugar over white sugar also alters the flavour of the base broth.
Palm Sugar Plantation
No food tour in Phetchaburi would be complete without a visit to a palm sugar plantation. This is a picturesque setting where lush palm trees sway in the breeze. Your guides, along with Khun Jaem, the owner of the plantation, will step you through the entire process, from the growing of the palm trees to the careful extraction of the golden nectar. Sample some of the palm sugar products on offer, enhancing your understanding of the region's rich culinary heritage.