A feast from bygone days
A wide selection of products and foods from Khlong San and Thon Buri communities will be showcased under the same roof, as Discovery Plaza of Siam Discovery holds the “Khlong San - Thonburi Delights@Siam” fair from November 29 to December 5.
Co-organised by IconSiam and the Districts of Khlong San and Thon Buri, the fair aims to promote local products and make them more widely known.
“Now that we are a member of the Khlong San and Thon Buri communities, we would like to contribute by supporting and promoting a recognition of precious local wisdom that should be preserved and passed on from generation to generation. For this reason, IconSiam has then worked with them to select the best local products and well-known foods of these two communities to showcase at Siam Discovery with the aim of encouraging entrepreneurs and manufacturers to promote and distribute their products directly to consumers at affordable prices,” said Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, managing director of IconSiam.
Among the highlighted handicraft products that portray the way of life and culture of the people in the community are khon masks from Baan Khon Thai shop located in Soi Wat Suwan community where members continue to preserve the heritage of khon making. On the fair, there will be many sizes of khon masks from small ones, which are a popular souvenir with tourists, to the large sizes worn in the shadow show. There are also hand woven cotton products from Auntie Nang’s Pha Fai shop that are made from 100-per-cent natural cotton fabric, blended and dyed with natural colour according to ancient methods as well as woven on an ancient loom.
Many well-known eateries in the two communities will bring in their main dishes and desserts to the fair. These include Portuguese delicacies from Baan Sakul Thong, one of the 18 Portuguese-born families of five generations in the Kadeejeen community, who have continued to cultivate their culture with a rare ancient dish known as Sappayak Bun (a traditional Portuguese bun stuffed with minced pork, potatoes and chilli). Also on offer will be Latieng (fried prawns and nut wrapped in an egg net), Chor Muang (a purple chewy treat stuffed with savoury filling), Jeeb Nok Thai (bird-shaped Thai dim sum), Kao Mun Som Tum (rice cooked in coconut milk and papaya salad).
Visitors can also munch on Khanom Farang Kudeejeen, an ancient dessert of a small Portuguese community that settled over the Chao Phraya River on the Thon Buri side more than 200 years ago. This yellow cupcake is topped with raisins, sweet winter melon pieces, dried plums, and sprinkled with sugar. There are also Khlong San pier’s Bua Loy Kai Kem (three-colour rice dumpling in sweetened coconut milk with either salted egg or egg yolk); Chinese Steamed Dumpling from Uncle Sek of the Chinese community of Kalayanamitr Temple; and Noni or Indian Mulberry Juice in Honey from Grandfather’s Herbal Drink shop.
There will also be several demonstrations daily such as the khon mask making, paper mache piggy bank making, cotton fabric weaving, and Chor Muang making.
For more information, call (02) 658 1000.
