• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ABOUT
    • All About Grantourismo
    • Work With Us
    • Meet Lara and Terence
    • Itineraries, Tours & Retreats
    • Media Coverage
    • Contacts
  • SLOW
  • LOCAL
  • EXPERIENTIAL
  • RECIPES
Grantourismo Travels Homepage

Grantourismo Travels

The website of globetrotting professional travel writing and photography team Lara Dunston and Terence Carter

Grantourismo Travels Homepage
  • AFRICA
        • KENYA
          • Masai Mara
          • Mombasa
          • Tsavo West
        • MOROCCO
          • Essaouira
          • Marrakech
        • SOUTH AFRICA
          • Cape Town
  • ASIA
        • CAMBODIA
          • Battambang
          • Phnom Penh
          • Siem Reap
        • INDONESIA
          • Bali
        • JAPAN
          • Tokyo
        • LAOS
          • Luang Prabang
        • MALAYSIA
          • Borneo
          • Kuala Lumpur
          • Penang
        • MEKONG RIVER
        • SINGAPORE
        • MYANMAR
        • THAILAND
          • Bangkok
          • Chiang Mai
          • Isaan
          • Phuket
        • VIETNAM
          • Dalat
          • Hanoi
          • Hoi An
          • Saigon
          • Sapa
  • AMERICAS
        • ARGENTINA
          • Buenos Aires
        • BRAZIL
          • Rio de Janeiro
        • COSTA RICA
          • Manuel Antonio
        • MEXICO
          • Mexico City
          • San Miguel de Allende
        • UNITED STATES
          • Austin
          • New York City
  • AUSTRALASIA
        • AUSTRALIA
          • Adelaide
          • Darwin
          • Gold Coast
          • Melbourne
          • Perth
          • Sydney
  • EUROPE
        • AUSTRIA
          • Vienna
          • Zell Am See
        • ENGLAND
          • London
        • FRANCE
          • Céret
          • Paris
          • Perpignan
        • GERMANY
          • Berlin
        • HUNGARY
          • Budapest
        • ITALY
          • Alberobello
          • Calabria
          • Italian Lakes
          • Sardinia
          • Venice
        • MONTENEGRO
          • Kotor
        • POLAND
          • Krakow
          • Zakopane
        • PORTUGAL
          • Porto
          • Portugal Wine Regions
        • SCOTLAND
          • Edinburgh
        • SPAIN
          • Barcelona
          • Jerez
          • Mallorca
        • TURKEY
          • Istanbul
  • MIDDLE EAST
        • JORDAN
          • Desert Areas
        • QATAR
          • Doha
        • UAE
          • Dubai
Christmas Tips from the Best Chefs in Asia. Christmas in Hanoi old town, Hanoi, Vietnam. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Christmas Tips from the Best Chefs in Asia

Christmas is almost here and once again we’ve left it late to think about what to cook and eat on Christmas Day. As you seemed to love the last minute Christmas tips from Australia’s finest chefs, this year, as we’re now based in Cambodia, we sought Christmas tips from the best chefs in Asia.

You might not think of Christmas when you think of Asia. While it might not be observed by the bulk of the population, who are Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, there are Christians in the region too. But it doesn’t seem to matter what religion people are, even if they’re atheists they still appear to love getting into the Christmas spirit.

In cities like Singapore, Bangkok and Tokyo, shopping malls and public spaces are decorated with baubles and bunting and Christmas trees and mistletoe. The photo above was taken over Christmas when we lived in Hanoi where Santa costumes and snowmen were sold in shops in the Old Town. In Siem Reap, hotels are competing to see who has the biggest and best trees.

Right across the region restaurants are hosting festive lunches and dinners, supermarket freezers are filled with turkeys and hams, and expats and affluent locals are buying up bottles of bubbly and white wine.

As we’re still deciding how to spend Christmas Day in Siem Reap, we thought we’d seek some Christmas tips from the best chefs in Asia, along with a few restaurateurs. We asked them what they’re cooking on Christmas Day, their ideas for people who still haven’t decided what to cook, what people can do if it all goes horribly wrong on the day, and what last-minute gifts they suggest you buy for home cooks and foodie friends.

We hope their advice proves helpful – and the tips that might not be all that useful should at least make for a fun read. Here are some Christmas tips from the best chefs in Asia.

Christmas Tips from the Best Chefs in Asia

Thitid ‘Ton’ Tassanakajohn

Le Du, Baan, Bangkok

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. At Le Du I’m cooking a special 7-course tasting menu inspired by my whole year of travelling. And of course I’m using local Thai ingredients.

Q. What advice do you have for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Go simple! Spend less time in the kitchen and enjoy your precious time with friends and family. It will all be fine. Don’t forget some champagne!

Q. Your best tips to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Cheese, cold cuts, oysters! Anything that tastes amazing without any effort.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A cool Japanese knife will do.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. Home of course! Or if you go out, make sure you take your loved ones. It’s all about the people around you. It’s the spirit of Christmas!

Julien Royer

Odette, Singapore

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. I’m going to cook the ‘Rolls Royce’ of poultry, the famous ‘Chapon de Bresse Excellence Miéral’.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Cook something you are confident in, for people you love, and prep in advance.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Lots of Champagne!

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A nice cutting board – bulky, solid and big. It’s never big enough.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. At home with my wife and close friends – programme being great food, great booze, and lots of fun!

Paul Pairet

Ultraviolet, Mr and Mrs Bund, Shanghai

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. I’ll be cooking for our guests at Ultraviolet: 22 courses, gifts, and Shanghai snow to wrap it up.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Don’t cook. Go with the French tradition: raw oysters, smoked salmon, a nice goose or a chapon from the rotisserie, and a bûche (Yule log) from the pastry shop. Or join us at Mr & Mrs Bund and Ultraviolet!

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Go with the French tradition: raw oysters, smoked salmon, a nice goose or a chapon from the rotisserie, and the bûche from the pastry shop. Or join us at Mr & Mrs Bund and Ultraviolet! Did I mention this already? Otherwise: organize a fancy do-it-yourself Christmas dinner competition with a mystery basket for all the guests. It will go wrong, but they’ll all know why.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A mystery basket for the fancy do-it-yourself Christmas competition? Otherwise: a gift voucher for a full breakfast at the closest McDonalds for a change. (Pleasure would not exist without pain). Otherwise two seats at Ultraviolet (but I have not been able to book myself).

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. Ideally, at home. That’s what Christmas is all about. In reality, in the restaurant. That’s what a chef’s Christmas is all about. What would happen to all those guys who are panicking about what to cook and need to be saved when it all goes wrong, if all the chefs were at home on Christmas? (Set aside the clever guys who organised the fancy do-it-yourself Christmas dinner competition with a mystery basket for all the guests!).

Ian Kittichai

Issaya Siamese Club, Namsaah Bottling Trust, Hyde & Seek restaurants, Issaya Cooking Studio, Bangkok

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. Roast turkey with all the trimmings – stuffing, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, potatoes, etc.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Keep it simple and use the freshest seasonal ingredients possible.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. You can always do wine, cheeses, crusty breads, fresh fruit, green salad, smoked salmon, pate, shrimp cocktail, Parma or Iberico ham – all of these items can be found at a good supermarket. Set up the table as a big buffet with elegant plating of the items, candles, and some festive flowers if possible for decoration. Also buy a Panatone or other festive baked goods to serve for dessert.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A cooking class voucher for two, as it’s always fun for your foodie friend to cook with a partner.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. At home in Bangkok with my sisters who are visiting from Singapore and Sydney.  We do the traditional big family Christmas, as I am one of eight children!

Issaya Cooking Studio is offering some festive baking classes and there are seasonal menus at Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar.

Ryan Clift

Tippling Club, Singapore

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. I refuse to cook or make my staff work on Christmas Day. This is the one day that someone can cook for me. This year it’s Raffles hotel for a champagne brunch. There is no better way to eat than with a good champagne brunch with good bubbles and more food to choose from than you can imagine.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Look, it’s not that hard, just boil some veg, roast some spuds, bung a turkey in the oven, and sit back and drink some egg nog. Oh, and did I forget to say, Man up!

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Have a good curry house on speed dial. Nobody ever complains about a good curry!

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A microwave Christmas dinner, just in case the curry house is closed! Failing that, who doesn’t love a good chef’s knife? Preferably the Ryan Clift series by Blades of the Gods as they are the best on the market, lol!

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. Staying in Singapore – Raffles Christmas brunch is just too damn good to miss!

 Dylan Jones

Bo.lan, Bangkok

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. Actually I’m working on Christmas Day so I’ll be doing two different tasting menus. For myself, I will probably just buy some nice cheese and good bread and sit down with a bottle of red after service!

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Don’t panic. It doesn’t matter what you cook. The whole point is being with friends and family. They’ll appreciate whatever you do. If all else fails, pop open the bubbly.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Plan ahead, don’t try and do everything last minute, and keep it simple.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A proper-sized mortar and pestle. They are the ultimate in kitchen tools!

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. I’ll be working, but I wish I was going to be at home with the whole family, but hey! We will take a belated Christmas and New Year in Japan in January. Got some great restaurants lined up. Woohooo!

Joannès Rivière

Cuisine Wat Damnak, Siem Reap

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. A good local roasted chicken, a bit tough but tasty enough, and some braised cauliflowers, because it’s the season here in Cambodia and they are excellent.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. A good cut of beef, the one you never get the chance to buy, like a côte de boeuf, or even some veal sweetbread.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. A cheese board. Except for the lactose intolerant…

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. The thing you never ever find in any household, a proper large reinforced conical strainer. Good for stock, soups, bisque you can push through with a ladle, dry spices… you can do everything with it and it is worth putting the money in it because you can keep it forever.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. At home away from home, here in Cambodia. And probably on the 21st since we work on the 24th and 25th. I grew up in a restaurant and we would always celebrate Christmas… on the 8th of January.

Ignatius Chan

Iggy’s, Singapore

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. Roast beef and sides – cauliflower gratin, roast potatoes, bean salad, sweet corn – Yorkshire pudding, and gravy.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Do a Coq au Vin to serve with a nice Burgundy!

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

Serve a charcuterie platter with Jamon Iberico, goose rillettes, tomato and red onion salad, Balik salmon, a selection of chesses, and crusty farmer’s loaf. All are easily available at a gourmet supermarket or good delicatessen.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A nice bottle of Burgundy wine and, if possible, fresh Maille truffle mustard, freshly piped into their beautiful jars available in the Maille shops in London Piccadilly and Paris Place Madeleine.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. We’re at Iggy’s on Christmas Eve and will be attending midnight mass then spending Christmas day with family and friends at home. We’ll partake in church activities, bringing cheers to homes.

Gerard Prat Escola

Catalunya, Singapore

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. Escudella y carn d‘olla (Escudella for short). It is a typical stewed Catalan dish that we eat on Christmas Day. And in Catalan tradition, we use all the leftovers from the Escudella to make Canelones for the next day.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Do something simple and easy.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Get ready-to-serve items like cold cuts, cheeses, smoked meats.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A nice bottle of Sherry.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. Always home with the family when possible.

Raymond Lim

Les Amis, Singapore

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. My wife is Korean so we are trying out a roasted turkey stuffed with kim chi.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Xmas should not be a stressful experience. Just book The Bridge Room for a memorable Christmas meal.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Chill enough Louis Roederer Brut in the fridge to go round.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. The book entitled Where Chefs Eat by Phaidon.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. At church celebrating the real reason for Christmas!

Jarret Wrisley

Appia and Soul Food Mahanakorn, Bangkok

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. I’ll be working at Appia, our Roman trattoria, where we’re doing a special menu of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve, a tradition in the south of Italy. For Christmas day we’ll have our regular menu. We roast a lot of meat – lamb, beef, chicken, pork and occasionally game – so the food is very Christmas appropriate.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. My favourite Christmas dish is a prime rib roast. So simple, it feeds a lot of people, and it makes your whole home smell wonderful.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Pizza.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. A big enamel pot for braising is something everyone should have at home. I have three.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. I’ll be celebrating Christmas by serving dinner to others! But after service I’ll sit down with Paolo (my partner and chef) and our families, and eat and drink something special.

Jess Barnes

Opposite Mess Hall, Bangkok

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. A big lunch for a group of refugee kids in Bangkok. Simple stuff: fried rice, seafood, veggies – the stuff they miss out on, I guess.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. If you can drive a car you should be able to bloody cook a meal for yourself.

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Get drunk

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. DVD set of Portlandia.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. Home is where the heart is!

Alex Burger

Formerly of Aziamendi, Phuket

Q. What are you cooking on Christmas Day?

A. Every year we cook a traditional American roast turkey with all the fixings: chestnut and porcini stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, and for dessert, a buffet of cookies.

Q. Advice for people still panicking about what to cook?

A. Keep everything simple and don’t stress too much, because holidays and cooking are both times to join the family together and have fun!

Q. Tip to save the day if it all goes wrong?

A. Order Chinese food. It’s the only place still open and it always reminds me of the movie A Christmas Story.

Q. Last minute gift ideas for foodies?

A. Cookbooks.  All foodies love to collect them.

Q. Christmas at home or away?

A. I love to celebrate Christmas at home, however, the past few years I’ve been away travelling. What’s important is to make wherever you are feel as much like home as possible.  Even the smallest decorations matter!

UPDATED: December 2016

If you found these Christmas tips from the best chefs in Asia helpful, you might also like to check out these Christmas tips from food writers and editors, Christmas cocktail recipes and tips from Sydney’s best bars, and recipes for the best Asian inspired cocktails from Bangkok’s best bars.

Support our Cambodia Cookbook & Culinary History Book with a donation or monthly pledge on Patreon.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS NEWSLETTER

Sign up below to receive our monthly newsletter to your In Box for special subscriber-only content, travel deals, tips, recipes, and inspiration.

100% Privacy. We hate spam too and will never give your email address away.

Related Posts You Might Like

Advertisement

Find Your Singapore Accommodation

Booking.com
Advertisement

Find Your Thailand Accommodation

Booking.com

Shop for related products

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

142 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

About Lara Dunston

A travel and food writer who has experienced over 70 countries and written for The Guardian, Australian Gourmet Traveller, Feast, Delicious, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, DestinAsian, TIME, CNN, The Independent, The Telegraph, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, AFAR, Wanderlust, International Traveller, Get Lost, Four Seasons Magazine, Fah Thai, Sawasdee, and more, as well as authored more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Footprint, Rough Guides, Fodors, Thomas Cook, and AA Guides.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Frank says

    December 20, 2014 at 4:19 am

    Christmas is about the food for me, so it’s always good to hear about the subject from folks who make their living from making it!

  2. Lara Dunston says

    December 21, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    Hi Frank – I think Christmas, like a lot of holidays, is essentially about the three Fs – family, friends and food – for a lot of people. No harm in that. There are few nicer things to do than spend time with loved ones eating.

  3. Brooke Vlasich says

    December 23, 2014 at 3:33 am

    You can never go wrong with a cooking class! I’ve been looking into some sushi making classes and my sister has found a passion for baking and a possible business with cake decorating classes. It’s important to remember that Christmas should be about fun, and I admire the chefs who mention tips like fresh ingredients, champagne, and keeping it simple.

  4. Lara Dunston says

    December 23, 2014 at 11:44 am

    Hi Brooke – completely agree re the cooking class – how can you go wrong? You get to learn something, make new friends, and eat the food you’ve learn to make with those new friends. I like to see chefs giving that advice too. Thanks for dropping by!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About Grantourismo

Lara and Terence are an Australian-born, Southeast Asia-based travel and food writers and photographers who have authored scores of guidebooks, produced countless travel and food stories, are currently developing cookbooks and guidebooks, and host culinary tours and writing and photography retreats in Southeast Asia.
READ MORE…

Featured Posts

Chili Nachos Recipe. 28 recipes to cook in February. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

28 Recipes to Cook in February – Recipes for Every Special Day from Valentines Day to Pancake Day

The Procession de la Sanch, Perpignan, France. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Perpignan and The Procession de la Sanch – How to Spend Good Friday in Southern France

Scottish Produce Dinner Party. Edinburgh, Scotland. Including Cullen Skink, Venison loin recipes. Copyright © 2023 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.

Cullen Skink Soup Recipe for a Traditional Scottish Smoked Fish Soup

Footer

ABOUT GRANTOURISMO

  • All About Grantourismo
  • Meet Lara and Terence
  • Work With Us
  • Itineraries, Tours & Retreats
  • Media & Advertising
  • Media Coverage
  • Contacts

THE GRANTOURISMO SHOP ON SOCIETY6

The Grantourismo Shop on Society6

GET THE BEST MANAGED WORDPRESS HOSTING

Get the Best Managed Wordpress Website Hosting with Flywheel

IMPORTANT DETAILS

  • Terms and Conditions
  • Editorial Policy
  • Comments Policy
  • Advertising
  • Privacy Policy

AMAZON AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Grantourismo Travels is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.

GRANTOURISMO AFFILIATES/SUPPORT

Grantourismo is reader-supported. Posts contain various affiliate links. If you click through and purchase something, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That income supports the work we do to create content. Here are more ways to support Grantourismo.

SUBSCRIBE

SOCIALLY CONNECTED

  • Followers
  • 2,574 Likes
  • 1,921 followers
  • 19,024 Followers

INSTAGRAM FEED

Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check o Still looking for Christmas cooking inspo? Check out our seafood recipe collection, especially if you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a fish focused meal in the Southern Italian tradition, transformed by Italian-Americans into the Feast of the Seven Fishes, or like Australians, who celebrate Christmas in the sweltering summer, feast on seafood for Christmas Day lunch, we’ve got lots of easy seafood recipes for you.

Our recipes include a classic prawn cocktail, blini with smoked salmon, a ceviche-style appetiser, and devilled eggs with caviar. We’ve also got recipes for fish soup, seafood pies and pastas, salmon tray bake, and crispy salmon with creamy mashed potatoes.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/seafood-recipes-for-christmas-eve-and-christmas-day-menus/
(Link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas if you’re celebrating!! 

#christmas #christmasfood #seafood #fish #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #grantourismo #grantourismotravels #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you’re still looking for food inspo for Chris If you’re still looking for food inspo for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day meals, my smoked salmon ‘carpaccio’ recipe is one of dozens of recipes in this compilation of our best Christmas recipes (link below). 

The Christmas recipe compilation includes collections of our best Christmas breakfast recipes, best Christmas brunch recipes, best Christmas starter recipes, best Christmas cocktails, best Christmas dessert recipes, and homemade edible Christmas gifts and more.

My smoked salmon carpaccio recipe makes an easy elegant appetiser that’s made in minutes. If you’re having guests over, you can make the dish ahead by assembling the salmon, capers and pickled onions, and refrigerate it, then pour on the dressing just before serving. 

Provide toasted baguette slices and bowls of additional capers, pickles and dressing, so guests can customise their carpaccio. And open the bubbly!

You’ll find that recipe and many more Christmas recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/best-christmas-recipes/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Merry Christmas!! X

#christmas #christmasfood #recipes #christmasrecipes #foodstagram #salmon #smokedsalmon #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood #picoftheday #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels 
#xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas
If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I sh If you haven’t visited our site in a while, I shared a collection of recipes for homemade edible Christmas gifts — for condiments, hot sauces, chilli oils, a whole array of pickles, spice blends, chilli salt, furakake seasoning, and spicy snacks, such as our Cambodian and Vietnamese roasted peanuts. 

I love giving homemade edibles as gifts as much as I love receiving them. Who wouldn’t appreciate jars filled with their favourite chilli oils, hot sauces, piquant pickles, and spicy peanuts that loved-ones have taken the time to make? 

Aside from the gesture and affordability of gifting homemade edibles, you’re minimising waste. You can use recycled jars or if buying new mason jars or clip-top Kilner jars, you know they’ll get repurposed.

No need for wrapping, just attach some Christmas baubles or tinsel to the lid. I used squares of Cambodian kramas (cotton scarves), which can be repurposed as napkins or drink coasters, and tied a ribbon or two around the lids, and attached last year’s Christmas tree decorations to some.

You’ll find the recipes here: https://grantourismotravels.com/homemade-edible-christmas-gifts/ (link in bio if you’re seeing this on IG)

Yes, that’s Pepper... every time there’s a camera around... 

#christmasgiftideas #ediblegifts ##christmasfoodgifts #foodgifts #giftideas #homemadegifts #christmasfood #ediblegiftideas #hotsauce #chillisauce #sriracha #pickles #homemadepickles #recipes #foodstagram #foodblogger #food #foodlover #igfood 
#blackcat #blackcatsofinstagram #picoftheday 
#christmas #christmastree #xmas #merrychristmas #happychristmas #cambodia #siemreap
This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’ This crab omelette is a decadent eggs dish that’s perfect if you’re just back from the fish markets armed with luxurious fresh crab meat. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, and very, very moreish.

Our crab omelette recipe was one of our 22 most popular egg recipes of 2022 on our website Grantourismo and it’s no surprise. It’s appeared more times than any other egg recipes on our annual round-ups of most popular recipes since Terence launched Weekend Eggs when we launched Grantourismo in 2010.

If you’re an eggs lover, do check out the recipe collection. It includes egg recipes from right around the world, from recipes for classic kopitiam eggs from Singapore and Malaysia and egg curries from India and Myanmar to all kinds of egg recipes from Thailand, Japan, Korea, China, Mexico, USA, Australia, UK, and Ireland.

And do browse our Weekend Eggs archives for further eggspiration (sorry). We have hundreds of egg recipes from the 13 year-old series of recipes for quintessential egg dishes from around the world, which we started on our 2010 year-long global grand tour focused on slow, local and experiential travel. 

We’re hoping 2023 will be the year we can finally publish the Weekend Eggs cookbook we’ve talked about for years based on that series. After we can find a publisher for the Cambodia cookbook of course... :( 

Recipe collection here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio):
https://grantourismotravels.com/22-most-popular-egg-recipes-of-2022-from-weekend-eggs/

If you cook the recipe and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either in the comments at the end of the recipe or share a pic with us here.

#recipe #recipes #eggs #eggslover #breakfasteggs #WeekendEggs #egg #breakfast #brunch #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #lookingforapublisher #writingacookbook  #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angko I’m late to share this, but a few days ago Angkor Archaeological Park, home to stupendous Angkor Wat, pictured, celebrated 30 years of its UNESCO World Heritage listing. 

That’s as good an excuse as any to put this magnificent, sprawling archaeological site on your travel list this year.

While riverside Siem Reap, your base for exploring Angkor is bustling once more, there are still nowhere near the visitors of the last busy high season months of December-January 2018-2019 when there were 290,000 visitors. 

Last month there were just 55,000 visitors and December feels a little quieter. A tour guide friend said there were about 150 people at Angkor Wat for sunrise a few days ago.

If you’re looking for tips to visiting Angkor, Siem Reap and Cambodia, just ask us a question in the comments below or check Grantourismo as we’ve got loads of info on our site. Click through to the link in the bio and explore our Cambodia guide or search for ‘Angkor’. 

And please do let us know if you’re coming to Siem Reap. We’d love to see you here x

#siemreap #cambodia #asia #travel #instatravel #traveldeeper #slowtravel #localtravel #experientialtravel #exploremore #neverstopexploring #goexplore #igtravel #angkorwat #angkor #temple #temples #angkorwithoutcrowds #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #unescoworldheritage #archaeology #archaeologicalsite #traveladdict #beautifuldestinations #beautifulplaces #travelgram #wanderlust #picoftheday📷 #grantourismotravels.
Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky Our soy ginger chicken recipe will make you sticky, flavourful and succulent chicken thighs that are fantastic with steamed rice, Chinese greens or a salad, such as a Southeast Asian slaw. 

The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours before cooking, which ensures it’s packed with flavour, then it can be cooked on a barbecue or in a pan.

Terence’s soy ginger chicken recipe is one of our favourite recipes for a quick and easy meal. I love the sound of the sizzling thighs in the pan, and the warming aromas wafting through the apartment. 

It’s amazing how such flavourful juicy chicken thighs come from such a quick and easy recipe.

Recipe here (and proper link to Grantourismo in our bio): https://grantourismotravels.com/soy-ginger-chicken-recipe/

If you cook it and enjoy it please let us know — we love to hear from you — either here or in the comments at the end of the recipe on the site or share a pic with us x 

#recipe #recipes #chicken #soygingerchicken #asianfood #southeastasianfood #igfood #igfoodie #cooking #cookingtime #recipe #recipes #comfortfood #foodblog #food #foodstagram #healthyfood #instafood #healthy #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #writingacookbook #grantourismo #grantourismotravels
Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re mak Who can guess the ingredients and what we’re making with my market haul from Psar Samaki in Siem Reap — all for a whopping 10,000 riel (US$2.50)?! 

Birds-eye chillies thrown in for free! They were on my list but the seller I spent most at (5,000 riel!) scooped up a handful and slipped them into my bag. She was my last stop and knew what I was making.

My Khmer is poor, even after all our years in Cambodia, as I don’t learn languages with the ease I did in my 20s, plus I’m mentally exhausted after researching and writing all day. I have a better vocabulary of Old and Middle Khmer than modern Khmer from studying the ancient inscriptions for the Cambodian culinary history component of our cookbook I’m writing.

So when one seller totalled my purchases I thought she said 5,000 riel but she handed back 4,500 riel! The sum total of two huge bunches of herbs and kaffir lime leaves was 500 riel.

Tip: if visiting Siem Reap, use Khmer riel for local shopping. We’ve mainly used riel since the pandemic started— rarely use US$ now as market sellers quote prices in riels, as do local shops and bakeries, and I tip tuk tuk drivers in riels. I find prices quoted in riels are lower.

Psar Samaki is cheaper than Psar Leu, which is cheaper than Psar Chas, as it’s a wholesale market, which means the produce is fresher. I see veggies arriving, piled high in the back of vehicles, with dirt still on them — as I did on this trip. 

The scent of a mountain of incredibly aromatic pineapples offloaded from the back of a dusty ute was so heady they smelt like they’d just been cut. More exotic European style veggies arrive by big trucks in boxes labelled in Vietnamese (from Dalat) and Mandarin (from China), such as beautiful snow-white cauliflower I spotted.

Note: the freshest produce is sold on the dirt road at the back of the market.

#cambodia #siemreap #foodwriter #foodblogger #foodphotography #igfood #foodstagram #instafood #instafoodie #foodie #instadaily #picoftheday #market #siemreapmarket #psarsamaki #marketfresh #vegetables #healthyfood #marketshopping #traveltips #foodtravel #culinarytravel #localtravel #cooking #cookingtime #curry #homemade #currypaste #grantourismotravels
My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recip My Vietnamese-ish meatballs and rice noodles recipe makes tender meatballs doused in a delightfully tangy-sweet sauce, sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, with carrot-daikon, crunchy cucumber and fragrant herbs. 

The dish is inspired by bún chả, a Hanoi specialty, but it’s not bún chả. No matter what Google or food bloggers tell you. Names are important, especially when cooking and writing about cuisines not our own.

This is an authentic bún chả recipe:  https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-bun-cha-recipe/ You’ll need to get the outdoor BBQ/grill going to do proper smoky bún chả meat patties (not meatballs).

My meatball noodle bowl is perhaps more closely related to dishes such as a Central Vietnam cousin bún thịt nướng (pork skewers on rice noodles in a bowl) and a Southern relation bún bò Nam Bộ (beef atop rice noodles, sprinkled with fried shallots (Nam Bộ=Southern Vietnam) though neither include meatballs. 

Xíu mại= meatballs although they’re different in flavour to mine, which taste more like bún chả patties. Xíu mại remind me of Southern Italian meatballs in tomato sauce.

In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, home to millions of Khmer, there’s bánh tằm xíu mại. Bánh tằm=silk worm noodles. They’re topped with meatballs, cucumber, daikon, carrot, fresh herbs, crispy fried onions. Difference: cold noodles doused in a sauce of coconut cream and fish sauce. 

Remove the meatballs, add chopped fried spring rolls and it’s Cambodia’s banh sung, which is a rice noodle salad similar to Vietnam’s bún chả giò :) 

Recipe here: (link in bio) https://grantourismotravels.com/vietnamese-meatballs-and-rice-noodles-recipe/

For more on these culinary connections you’ll have to wait for our Cambodian cookbook and culinary history. In a hurry to know? Come support the project on Patreon. (link in bio)

#recipe #recipes #vietnamesefood #cambodianfood #asianfood #southeastasianfood #ricenoodles #rice #noodlebowl #meatballs #igfood #igfoodie #foodblog #food #foodstagram #instafood  #instafoodie #foodie #foodies #foodlover #foodpics #foodporn #foodphotography #foodwriter #foodblogger #writingacookbook #writingacambodiancookbook #patreon #patreoncreator #grantourismo
It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour It is pure coincidence that Pepper’s eye colour matches the furnishings of our rented apartment. So, no, I did not colour-coordinate the interiors to match our cat’s eyes. 

I keep getting DMs from pet clothing brands wanting to “partner” with Pepper and send her free cat clothes and cat accessories. Although she did wear a kerchief for a few years in her more adventurous fashion-forward teenage years, I cannot see this cat in clothes now, can you? 

#pepper #blackcat #blackcats #blackcatsofinstagram #blackcatsrule #blackcatsmatter #cat #cats #catsofinstagram #catstagram #catlover #catlovers #catlove #catoftheday #catphoto #catpic #catpics #cambodiancat #cambodiancatsofinstagram #catlife #catloversclub #catoftheday #catgram #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catphotography #catsofig #catsoftheworld #catsofinsta #cats🐱 #siemreap #cambodia

SAFETY WING INSURANCE

Safety Wing Insurance

Footer Widget Header

WEB LOVE

As Seen in The Guardian As Seen on NineMSN As Seen on Tnooz
As Seen In The Independent As Seen on Frommers As seen on Viator
As Seen in Afar As seen on Gadling As seen on Context
As Seen in Fathom As Seen on Matador As seen on Inspirato with American Express
As seen on the Daily Mail website As seen on the Forbes website Grantourismo on the SilverKris website

ALL MEDIA COPYRIGHT © 2009–2023 GRANTOURISMO | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DESIGNED IN APARTMENT RENTALS, HOTELS AND RESORTS AROUND THE WORLD BY GRANTOURISMO MEDIA.
ASSEMBLED IN SOUTH-EAST-ASIA.
GRANTOURISMO TRAVELS AND ‘MAKING TRAVEL MORE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE’ ARE ™ TO GRANTOURISMO MEDIA.