It’s a cold and grey old rainy day in Shelly Beach, Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, so I am taking this “indoors” time to do more planning and researching for the big trip that will soon be upon us.
As I research the weather pattterns for my period of travel to Burma, it dawns on me that its going to be, in the words of Adrian Cronauer from the movie ,Good Morning Vietnam, HOT, DAMMMN HOT.
My trusted World Climate info from Google search tells me that the weather in this period is generally between 25 to 37 with averages mainly around the 30 mark..Thats fine really – After all that’s a standard Summer in Queensland, Australia – Its the humidity that always gets me though.
So far we’ve locked in our accomodation in Yangon and done extensive research on Bagan and Mandalay. I am hoping to find a guide who will be happpy to take us off the beaten track and avoid the cliche path that the normal tourists do, with the hope of fully immersing ourselves in the local custom and food paths that they would traverse each and every day – Simple tasks and activities such as buying fruits and vegetables at the local market, stopping to sip a soupy noodle dish street side (whilst people watching), relaxing in a tea house and chatting with locals and just soaking up the atmosphere and all there is in its colourful noise and atmosphere, and in the evenings to a firmer itinerary of catching up with local friends to chat, video and discuss, whilst they cook and show me some techniques in their homes.
As I mentioned in my last blog, my desire is to cover “all bases” -To experience every aspect – Well at least as much as one can in an 8 day period.
I have begun discussion with a ‘friend of a friend’ who is interetsted in assisting me with this in Mandalay. The regions of Burma are quite diffferent, especially food wise, so I am keen to enhance the Shan and Rakhine style of food, which in fact I know little about. As I said this trip is to learn, to taste, to experience and understand better, so I too can come back well equipped to create menus that are diverse and varied. I shudder to think that one would ever refer to my products as ‘same old same old’ or ‘old hat’. Did you know that Burma also has a ‘Masterchef’ style television show – Now that I’ve gotta see!!
This trip really could not have come at a better time. I have more recently embarked on a ‘retail’ range of Take Home Heat & Eat products for the time poor family or indiviual, and the first of, hopefully, many freezers has been placed in at a spice emporium called Red Hot Chilli Pepper in Caloundra, Queensland. www.redhotchillipepper.com.au
With a basic range of four staple curries and 3 condiments, already proving popular and a potential ‘household’ name, and with some Asian inspired gluten free gourmet sausages being tested and tweaked for retail readiness, I believe this trip will be exactly the subject matter required to arm me with next ‘line’ of products to unleash on the wider, Sunshine Coast and foodie audiences all around. Stay with me folks – It’s gonna be exciting!
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