Learning How to Cook Thai Style

        One does not come to Thailand without trying one of the many Thai dishes that the beautiful Koh Lanta Island has to offer. Whether staying in a small guesthouse or residing in a beachfront Koh Lanta hotel, the opportunities to delight and surprise your taste buds are endless.Thailand is famous for its food and Thai restaurants are popping up all over the West in an effort to bring some oriental cuisine t hungry, well-paying Western customers. Those that are used to paying three or four pounds for a plate of somewhat bland Thai noodles in a Western chain store, will be amazed at the both the cost and unique tastes the real deal has to offer. Aside form the drastic difference in cost, one of the major changes in Thai cuisine from East to West is the spice. Thai cooks make the most of what their environment has to offer and with so many rich and unique flora and fauna around, its no wonder that many of the spices used in Thai cooking are not available in Western countries.Whilst scouring the supermarket at home, an adventurous chef will take not of many pre-packaged curry powders and manufactured basil leaves, but it's nothing compared to the real thing. In fact, Thai people that have immigrated west for various reasons can often be caught spending hours and hours of their vacations in the homeland searching for the perfect ingredients in bulk. Sometimes it's not even the type of ingredient as it is how it's so uniquely mixed with others that make that cooking so enjoyable and refreshing to the palette. The Thai people know how to use favorable spices to pack the punch in healthy low calorie meals full of fresh fruits and vegetables compared to the often-fatty flavoring experience of colder climates. Whether you are thinking about throwing a dinner party or simply want to learn how to invigorate your food life, consider taking one of Koh Lanta's many cooking courses during holiday in the sun.Lanta Thai Cookery SchoolThe best part about taking a pre-arranged cooking course, opposed to studying cookbooks endlessly and still getting it wrong, is the pre-cooking field trip to the market. At Lanta Thai Cookery School, aspiring chefs are picked up on the front door of their Koh Lanta hotel and whisked away to the local market to help pick out the day's ingredients. You will learn how to spot and ask for the necessary spices and local vegetables as well experiencing some oh-so-unique sightseeing. Thai markets are a once in a lifetime experience full of not so common animal parts and the pungent smell of fish paste, a necessary ingredient for the most delicious Thai meals.Once the shopping is done, it's of to the kitchen where students will have their own utensils and stove to follow the recipes or experiment with spice. Learn how to cook your favorite noodle dishes and yummy curries as well as how to roll the sometimes difficult to handle spring rolls. Spring rolls a most certainly a crowd pleaser, so adding this to your cooking repertoire is sure to make you a hit at any party. The cooking lesson is followed by a stomach bulging meal of all that you have made on your day's activity. It's a great way to meet some new people, have a fantastic meal, gain something to brag about to friends back home and learn something that you can take back with you fro your short stay in Koh Lanta. It should also be noted that variations in Thai cuisine can be tasted throughout the country. Try taking a course in Chiang Mai where the Burmese influence astounds food lovers or in Central Bangkok where Chinese-Thai fusion can be found on every street corner.