Drive by cook

I heart Thai food, even if sometimes I can feel the steam literally going out of my ears and other bodily orifices. Thai food can be had in a lot of places around the metro. There's Manang Thai just outside the Diliman campus, or your usually overpriced restaurants around town. Of course, the best place to eat is still the point of origin. But since my friend W, who is a chef, returned to Manila after a three year stint in Bangkok, and given the state of my finances, I doubt it if I can go back there in the near future.

So recently, I've been trying to cook my own food. (It's not just Thai food. I don't know why I sprouted a sudden interest in cooking. Fellow dungeon dweller Yummy accuses me of "nesting," which is unlikely since (1) I don't have a nest but a dungeon, (2) said place doesn't even have a stove, goddamit.) I got the cookbooks, and I've been tearing my hair and gnashing my teeth because I can't seem to find any curry paste in the supermarkets. The other day I threw up my hands and just got some curry powder, and though I haven't tried it yet, I just know it's not going to be the same. What I do is also very elementary school science lab--experimentation is the key word. But so far, I haven't really missed yet.

Then I read this article in Inq7 and basically learned that The Thai Cooking School at the Mandarin Oriental offers drive by cooking lessons to wannabe chefs. "The school offers daily and weekly culinary classes (Monday to Saturday) conducted either in English or Thai by Thai chef Sompop Nonta-ud, one of two resident teachers. A course usually takes an entire week, with at least four dishes taught each day." The clientele is rather mixed--you've got housewives, ladies who want to cook their own lunch, foodies and bonafide chefs. Although a huge percentage is supposedly to be Americans, and there are certain drawbacks. The entire course must cause an arm and a leg, given the location and clientele; then there's also the thought that I really don't know my way around the kitchen. I'm just a go and just do it girl. I can't even bake. Although I do think it's still going to be a worthwhile venture.

Anyone out there who's willing to release their inner Martha Stewart who's willing to roadtest the course and let me know how it goes?