02/06/2022
Petals of the Champaka BOOK LAUNCH EVENT
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Baan Tepa Culinary Space, 12pm-2pm
*** Members of the press and media are invited to the official book launch event of Petals of the Champaka on Wednesday 22 June, 12pm-2pm, at Baan Tepa. ***
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Treasured Siamese family recipes brought to life once more
by descendants over a century later
31 May 2022, Bangkok, Thailand – The treasured family recipes of Siamese noble lady, Thanphuying Kleeb Mahidhorn (Kleeb Krairiksh), are brought to life once more in a new book, Petals of the Champaka: Recipes to Teach My Children and Grandchildren by Thanphuying Kleeb Mahidhorn (‘Petals of the Champaka’), produced in collaboration with leading Thai chef, Chef Tam Chudaree Debhakam.
Thanphuying Mahidhorn is best-known amongst Thai historians and culinary enthusiasts for her now classic collection of recipes from early 1900s Siam, Recipes to Teach My Children and Grandchildren (1949) and Fruits, Snacks, and Desserts (1957).
Heritage Cuisine (2012), authored by Dr. Kamontip Snidvongs na Ayudhya (Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s grand-niece-in-law), made her recipes available in Thai and English together for the first time but, most significantly, included the painstaking measurement and taste-testing of the recipes by family elders with direct experience of her food.
“The biggest problem was that in the original book there are absolutely no measurements! There was just a list of ingredients and I said if this book is going to make sense to the younger generation, which was her wish when publishing the book in the first place, we had to set up a project to cook the recipes. It had to be a cook who knew about palace recipes and the way of cutting the ingredients, which affects the taste of the dish. These were very specific requirements.” - Dr. Kamontip Snidvongs na Ayudhya
“I was enlisted as chief taster because I grew up eating Thanphuying Kleeb's food. We had to make sure that we were being true to the taste.” - Dr. Kraipun Yunibandhu
Petals of the Champaka (2021) is the latest public rendition of Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s recipes. Produced by her great-grandchildren, and supported by 14 families of her direct descendants, the new tome presents over 80 recipes, once again showcasing her versatility and culinary genius – but, this time, also including the story of Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s life, additional recipes and a new ‘look and feel’.
Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s recipes run the gamut from appetizers and relishes, to fried, stir-fried, grilled and steamed dishes, soups, curries, stand-alone dishes and desserts. However, what may surprise the new reader, in particular, is the appearance of multiple cultural influences in many of her dishes.
While Siamese classics can certainly be found in the book - such as her renditions of the spiced pork canape mah hor, and spicy vegetable salad, yum tawai - reflective of the times in which she lived, Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s other recipes deftly integrate Chinese, Indian, other Southeast Asian, and even French, flavours and techniques. Her signature three-flavours chicken curry, gaeng jee juan and French-Chinese-influenced ped nueng are among the stand-outs.
“I started off [the selection of recipes] with her signature dishes, which are very difficult to find anywhere outside the family. Then I chose the creative dishes that you couldn't find anywhere else. A lot of her salads are different and delicious.
There is a soup called gaeng hed korn and because Thanphuying Kleeb also cooked Western food, in that soup she uses croutons in the form of pa thong ko, which was quite brilliant for those times. There were a lot of little things like that and those recipes also made it to the book. Even simple things like yum [salad] tomato are so refreshing and easy to use.
My most amazing discovery was a recipe where ginger is shredded finely and washed multiple times to remove most of the sharpness. So that's how I chose the recipes. If she wanted the latter generations to use her recipes, there had to be something simple for them to do quickly.” - Dr. Kamontip Snidvongs na Ayudhya
The savoury recipes in Petals of the Champaka are reproduced in large from Heritage Cuisine, but the desserts, as well as a special bonus dish, are new additions. The photography is also almost entirely refreshed, with images taken by Thai photographer and filmmaker, Yota Sampasneethumrong, and food prepared and styled by Chef Tam Chudaree Debhakham, Chef-Patron of the critically-acclaimed Baan Tepa, one of Asia's Top 100 Restaurants, recently featured in the Thailand edition of the Michelin Guide.
*** Members of the press and media are invited to the official book launch event of Petals of the Champaka on Wednesday 22 June, 12pm-2pm, at Baan Tepa. ***
The event will feature a panel discussion with Petals of the Champaka co-author and Heritage Cuisine author, Dr. Kamontip Snidvongs na Ayudhya, Thanphuying Mahidhorn’s grandson, Dr. Kraipun Yunibandhu, and Chef Tam Chudaree Debhakam; an exclusive showing of ‘Petals of the Champaka: The Lady Behind the Legacy’, a short documentary film sharing the backstory behind the production of the book; and a special tasting of 7 dishes from the book prepared by Chef Tam Chudaree Debhakam, together with selected wines.
The panel discussion and short film will be presented in Thai language, but some supporting English language written materials will be provided. Q&A may also be conducted in English language as needed. Books will also be available for sale, and authors for signing.
Kindly note that seats for media representatives are limited to 30 seats only (1 representative per organisation), and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
To confirm your attendance, please kindly RSVP to [email protected] with the name, organisation and telephone number of the attending representative.
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PETALS OF THE CHAMPAKA:
Recipes to Teach My Children and Grandchildren by Thanphuying Kleeb Mahidhorn
Based on the book Heritage Cuisine by Dr. Kamontip Snidvongs na Ayudhya
With new contributions from Rosalind Yunibandhu
258 pages
First Edition November 2021
3,000 copies
ISBN 978-616-93913-0-2
Published by Krua Kleeb Champa Co., Ltd.
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Short documentary teaser: 'Petals of the Champaka: The Lady Behind the Legacy'.
