By Anne Archer, Vermont Country correspondent.
This holiday season, Jariya Wannapat, founder and chef of TAAN Cuisine of Siam is giving thanks to her customers and community by donating the gift of Tom Kha soup to the Bennington Empty Bowls fundraiser.
“I am very happy they let us be part of the community,” said Jariya, a native of Thailand. “I feel honor that they ask me to donate. To contribute.”
While Jariya has been in the United States for many years—first in San Francisco, then in Bennington after a stint in Bangkok, where she attended Le Cordon Bleu Dusit culinary school to study restaurant management and gain hands-on training in Thai, French, and Italian cuisine, as well as bakery work, including experience at a five-star hotel and earning her chef card—the Thai culture of openness, acceptance, and hospitality remains forever in her spirit.
“We are known as The Land of Smiles,” Jariya said, referring to her homeland.
Thailand is also known as a country that doesn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate an occasion, except maybe the Thanksgiving holiday.
With over 90 percent of the Thai population being Buddhist, Christmas is not an official public holiday in Thailand. However, Buddhism, being a very accepting religion and philosophy, welcomes Christian festivals like Christmas. Celebrations occur in the major cities and tourist destinations where malls, department stores, and hospitality businesses decorate for the holiday and Thai citizens celebrate alongside international residents, ex-patriots, and tourists.
“Our nature, or culture, can link to Christmas because of the way we are, the way we grow up, the way we were taught,” Jariya said.
In Thailand, they also celebrate the International New Year on January 1, the Chinese New Year, and the Thai New Year called Songkran which is held on April 13 with festivities extending through April 15.
“We like a party,” Jariya said.
And parties have food, something Jariya knows how to prepare, present, and serve with a smile.
While there are no special meals served in Thailand during the western winter holidays, this season Jariya will be warming up her Vermont customers as the weather turns cold. She plans on adding a few festive dishes to the menu from her home region of Northern Thailand, an area where temperatures in November and December drop to a chilly low to mid-60s in the evening.
Northern Thailand dishes to look for this season at TAAN include
Khao Soi: a Thai curry noodle soup made with wheat-based egg noodles and a protein, such as chicken or beef, served in a coconut milk curry broth topped with crispy deep-fried noodles.
Gaeng Hung Lay: a stewed beef dish complemented with herbs, spices, and garlic cloves, creating a warm comfort food meal soaked in rich memorable flavors.
Nam Prik Ong: a rich, spicy, minced chicken and tomato chili dip with complex flavors thanks to a base of ground pork and tomatoes combined with Jariya’s made from scratch chili paste (a culinary delight taught to her by her auntie from Chiang Mai), giving the dish a balance of savory, sweet, salty, and sour.
TAAN has an à la carte menu and a prix fixe menu that includes soup, salad, several entrées and dessert. Jariya encourages all her diners to enjoy her dishes family-style, just like they do in Thailand.
For Jariya, who grew up in the small Northern Thailand farming community of Phayao, there are no rules for cooking. She learned to cook at an early age by helping her mother and grandmother in the gardens and in the kitchen, proud to say she can make a meal from whatever ingredients are in the house.
When Jariya moved to Chiang Mai for school she lived with her aunt and uncle, recalling how she helped her auntie plan breakfast, lunch, and dinner for family and guests each day.
“Cooking is in my soul, in my genes, in my blood,” Jariya said, adding that she cooks for love and family.
This holiday, visit TAAN and taste the acceptance of Thailand with dishes inspired by love and served with smiles.
Plan your visit to TAAN Cuisine of Siam
Located in South Shire A Little Hotel on 124 Elm Street in Bennington
Visit their website for winter hours and more information.
Reservations and menu at TAANsiam.com
