Pattaya Friday Market

After completing my exams, I decided a walk sounded good. This was when I came upon the Friday market.

Care to join me for a short stroll through the market?  I  promise I will make it fun, I have been working on my Thai (yikes) and my bargaining. Please remove your fanny pack. Be ready to move quick. If I lose you, meet me by the durians - that will teach you to tag behind.

Paprika, chilies (We keep things spicy in these parts), garlic, and mangosteen (pronounced mangkhut) being bagged. Watch out, motorbike behind you.  Several of the dishes here have garlic, I am a fan.  There's something beatiful about seeing all of the spices and fresh/dried allium.

 Here is a an example of the "take away" foods that are pre-packaged.  Most contain vegetables with fish, meat, or tofu.  Steamed rice, as pictured, is also sold.  These typically cost no more than 30 Baht.

 Tamarind (front and center), sapadila (top left), and packaged/sliced mango (bottom left).

Tamarind is a popular flavor in Asia.  It is typically sold as a dried fruit, used as a candy flavor, or placed in dishes.
The sapadila  (la-mut) is a sweet fruit, it's taste almost like a combination of brownsugar and rootbeer.  You remove the skin, slice it lengthwise, and remove the blackseeds form yellow or golden flesh.  This fruit is native to Mexico and the Yucatan, introduced to SE Asia in colonial times.  It is often used in chewing gum or chickle. It's often used as a remedy for diarrhea, colds, and coughs.  Interesting, The crushed seeds supposedly have a diuretic effect on riding the body of kidney stones.

Check out these apples. These are rose apples (pronounced cham-poo), native to the East Indies.  They grow on a shrub-like tree, ripen from the outside to the center of the tree.  The colors vary: dark green, yellow, orange, pink, or red.  Color is not an indicator of ripe-ness, instead look for a firm crisp, rose apple.  I love the name.

 I have mostly seen cherry red rose apples, occasionally some green. I find them beautiful. Their physical beauty is great, but they also make a healthy snack.  They have a decent serving of fiber and vitamin C. Traditionally, it is seen as a healing fruit.  Common uses for the seends include diarrhea relief.  When the seeds are ground, they have been used to relieve or cool the small-pox.

Apple, Pear, Rose Apple (cham-poo).......MANGO (ma-muang)

If you keep with me I may buy you a special treat at the end.

 Tangerines (pronounced som)
 There are stands and vendors that sell "orange juice." However they are more of a tangerine.  The juice is wonderful. Why you ask? Because it's loaded with pulp. Perfect fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants. It is a refreshing as the smile you get from the vendor! Love this land of smiles.

Papaya (pronounced farang) 

Oh fresh papaya. This vitamin rich fruit is sweet and tender.  The color as you can see is a vibrant orange, but can have yellow or pink hues to it.  This fruit is available year round, but harvest best Summer to fall.  This fruit is rich in flavanoids, carotenoids, vitamin A, C, and E..oh and yes, lycopene.  Provides its indulgers with healthy prostates, immune systems, and perhaps a healthy ticker.  A popular Thai salad, Som Tam, includes lemon juice, chilies, peanuts, and dried shrimp. I have not tried the salad yet.  If you are out of dried shrimp tonight, squeeze a lemon over the farang and it will be one nutrient dense, tangy treat.  What about the seeds? Funny you should ask, you can actually eat them.  They have a peppery bitter taste. Stop spitting them at me and try a few.

How about those apples? Just 20 Baht for three ..and then there's tamarind.

Strawberries! You can buy them whole or a kind lady with whip them into a smoothie for you.

Rice Cakes (Nang led, khao tan) - Popular snack or treat here in Thai. Rice cakes with a carmel drizzle. To the top right is a pot of bubbly carmel that a lady is swiling on her cakes.  You commonly see these also sold in 711's, marts, etc.  Some of them are more sophiticated, while others appear to be simple. Some are crisp and others are more chewy.

Rice Cakes

Tangerines, like mini spheres of sunshine. Guaranteed to rock your immune system and happy-slap your buds.

Guava (pronounced farang)

Interesting enough, farang means white person or westerner.  From that you may gather that this fruit is not native to Asia.  Guava is available year round in Thai.  The taste is sweet and tangy.  They are eaten ripe or less ripe, some people sprinkle sugar, salt, or chilie powder on the unripe fruit.  Guava is typically used in drinks, jellies, and as popular ice cream flavor.

Grapes! They always look so good. Even black grapes the size of ping-pong balls. I am dying to buy a bundle but I have refrained, because I cannot wash them.  I will be brave, give me a month or so.

Garlic - Love

This might last Nick and I two months.

So much garlic, love it. Try it, we eat it like apples here.  Keeps boys and malaria away.

Limes, potatoes, carrots, and ginger root.

Tomatoes and limes.  You won't see lemons in Thai.

Mushroom varieties, snap peas, tomatoes.

Cucumbers - commobly used as a garnish on Thai dishes.

Homemade baked treats

Leafy greens

Hey! Looks like you stayed with me and my zig-zags through the market. Hope you enjoyed the mysterious smells and the rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

Now I have a challenge for you.  I want you to go to the store and buy and exotic fruit of vegetable and tell me what you think.  Mom, Dad, you may have to take advantage of this in FL.  I don't think you will be able to find these in Dells or Colton without a special request.  Report back for me if you want some more excitement your way.