reviewed by Cord
A. Scott, UMGC Okinawa
Christina De Witte
and Mallika Kauppinen. Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice: A Thai Comic Book Cookbook. New York: Ten Speed Graphic, 2024. 208 pp. US $22.99.
ISBN: 978-1-9848-6160-3. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/709867/noodles-rice-and-everything-spice-by-christina-de-witte-and-mallika-kauppinen/
For
the culinary curious, but challenged, any sort of cookbook can be fraught with
anxiety and frustration. What might seem simple on paper may turn nightmarish
in the kitchen. However, the origins of food are far more intriguing for
readers and culinary practitioners. For Christina De Witte and Mallika
Kauppinen, the goal of combining food origins, recipes, and an ease of
explanation is in Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice. As with so many
books, it is a labor of love, as well as a long creative process to the final
product.
In
the first part of the book, the authors describe the manner in which they came
to work on this project. For Christina, it was growing up as a mixed-race woman
in Belgium. While she spoke Flemish most of her life, she often felt not quite
comfortable in either her European life, or that of her Thai origins, of which
she knew very little. It was only after she became an adult that she decided to
embark on a quest to learn her mother’s language, which led her to an online
teacher, Mallika (10).
Mallika’s
story was interesting and meandering. She grew up in southern Thailand and
started assisting in her family restaurant early on. She moved to Bangkok and
worked at an aunt’s restaurant through adulthood. As an adult, she worked as a
travel guide, and while in Finland, she met her now husband. After establishing
a new life, she started cooking for neighbors, started a restaurant, and then
took on virtual students for a Thai language class, which is where the two met.
The
first part of the book describes the general areas of Thailand and how the food
is a reflection of the local interaction with related cultures. For example,
southern Thai food is spicy and heavily influenced by Malay and Indonesian
culture, while the northern area has a Chinese influence. The Northwest is
influenced by India and Bangkok is metropolitan and almost unto itself (17-21).
From this point, the book goes into a variety of dishes made with specific
ingredients. These form the chapters and are reflective of the areas in which
the recipes originated.
From
this point, the book is divided into chapters on ingredients, snacks and
starters, noodle dishes, rice dishes, curries and soups, desserts and drinks,
and finally, staples of Thai cooking. The first section, which discusses
equipment, as well as Asian spices and ingredients, emphasizes the importance
of cooking devices such as rice cookers (for ease), woks (for a traditional
feel), as well as items, such as a mortar and pestle, for properly blending
some of the ingredients. The authors also note what ingredients work best,
which can be frozen for later use, and which sauces are authentic. Of
particular interest was the “three buddies” spice (34-35), consisting of
cilantro, garlic and peppercorn, which is frequently used in Thai cooking. The
use of spices is another area of detail, as those not overly familiar with Thai
cooking may shy away from chilies. The authors note that it often is left to the
cook to decide, but, overall, the chilies bring a balance of flavor to the dish
(36-37).
From
this point, the descriptions become more precise, and again offer historical
context. In the noodles chapter, some noodles originate from China and their
texture and style may alter the presentation of the dish. There is also a
historical overview of the flooding in Bangkok in 1942, when roadside
restaurants were able to make dishes that all could quickly get, and were
delicious at the same time.
The
chapter on curries even offers some humor. For example, it is recommended to
wear either regular work goggles (or even swim goggles!) when preparing
curries. The pounding of the chilies causes some to fly out and it runs a risk
of getting into the eyes. The cosmopolitan nature of Thai food, especially from
Bangkok, is expanded with the brief history of Maria Guyomor di Pinha. She was
of mixed heritage and introduced egg yolk desserts from Europe to the Thai
community. When combined with other items, such as papayas and pineapples,
introduced from Portugal (23), it has given Thai food a unique taste profile
and quality that is renown the world over.
This
book is a lively read, with effective explanations of the recipes. The
preparation may inhibit those who are culinarily challenged (reviewer included),
but, at the same time, does have one minor issue: substitutions for items such as fish sauce or
squid sauce when preparing the food. This may frustrate those who have
allergies to shellfish. Additionally, there are few truly vegetarian dishes,
for those who do not consume meat. The assumption is that one would cook the
dish without meat, but this will also alter the original taste. However, this
was one of the few issues that was noted.
On
the whole, the book was a fast, engaging read that offers a new way to educate
people on the history of food from a specific region, while offering visual
references to the cooking process. In the end, there is also the additional
engagement of not just reading but making the food. And in the end, it’s not
only nourishment for the brain, but also the body.
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