Browse a menu in Luang Prabang, Laos and there’s a good chance you’ll see kaipen. The main ingredient of this delicious snack is almost unbelievable. Kaipen – also spelled khaiphaen or khai pene – is made from river weed harvested from the Mekong and other rivers in northern Laos. Continue reading Portraits of Northern Laos: Kaipen – Lao crispy river weed
Baracoa, Cuba – Wildly weird and wonderful
One hundred years of solitude? How about 453. A look at a unique, isolated town in Guantánamo Province, Cuba.
Continue reading Baracoa, Cuba – Wildly weird and wonderful
Recipe for Nam Khao – Lao crispy rice salad
Nam khao, Lao crispy rice salad, is a popular local dish eaten with your fingers and shared with family and friends. I’ve written all about nam khao in a previous post, and now here’s the recipe for this tasty eat. Continue reading Recipe for Nam Khao – Lao crispy rice salad
Food of Laos: Nam khao – Lao crispy rice salad
Updated November 4, 2024
Nam khao or naem khao is Lao crispy rice salad, a flavourful dish eaten with your fingers at a family feast or with friends after work over beer. Nam khao is laborious to make, but luckily it’s sold ready-made at street stalls and markets. It’s a must try food of Laos. Continue reading Food of Laos: Nam khao – Lao crispy rice salad
Friends-International restaurant Khaiphaen opens in Luang Prabang
Updated November 4, 2024
LUANG PRABANG, Laos – Cambodia-based NGO Friends-International has opened Khaiphaen restaurant, its sixth training restaurant and vocational school, their second in Laos. Continue reading Friends-International restaurant Khaiphaen opens in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang salad
At first glance, “Luang Prabang salad”, one of Luang Prabang’s local signature dishes, looks rather ordinary. It doesn’t have an insane amount of chilli on top, nor does it contain water buffalo skin, fermented fish or animal paws. Called yam salat in Lao, this delicious fusion salad is made with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, watercress, mint, coriander and spring onion. Continue reading Luang Prabang salad
Khao nom kok – Lao coconut cakes
LUANG PRABANG, Laos – As you stroll through the night market, there’s a good chance you’ll end up gobbling down khao nom kok, bite-sized Lao coconut cakes. Made with rice flour and coconut cream, these sweet street treats are ridiculously tasty, addictive and easy to make. Continue reading Khao nom kok – Lao coconut cakes
10 reasons to love Bern
Bern has an abundance of enviable B’s: bears, bike paths, botanic gardens, brains, bars, beers, bridges, best quality of life and Begegnungszonen (yeah, see #7).
Of Lobsters and Men in Maine
MT. DESERT ISLAND, Maine — A charming smile helps, when trying to get onto a lobster boat. That, and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. This winning combination is how I found myself on the Linda Sea out on the Atlantic one fine September day, clumsily trying to put elastic bands on lobsters. Continue reading Of Lobsters and Men in Maine
Facing the Cambodian Genocide
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — She looks like me, the young woman in the photo. Same roundness of face, same straight black hair that rebelliously flares out at the ends. Like me, her lips downturn slightly at the corners when faced with something serious. She’s clever, I can tell — a spark in the eyes. Her gaze pierces through the display glass into me. She’s tagged with the number 3.