Bruno’s celebrates Swiss National Day with culinary journey through 5 cantons
Elfi Seitz
Fredi Schaub, owner of Bruno’s, threw a special Swiss
evening to commemorate Swiss National Day. Guests of honor were Swiss
Ambassador Hans-Peter Erismann and his wife Freda. Observing that this was
the 714th Swiss National Day, His Excellency in his pre-dinner speech
reminded those present that there is a special relationship between his
country and Thailand, His Majesty the King having lived and attended school
in Switzerland as a child.
Fredi
Schaub (left) welcomes Swiss Ambassador Hans-Peter Erismann and his wife
Freda to the Swiss National Day feast at Bruno’s Restaurant.
Fredi’s dinner was a culinary journey through five cantons of
Switzerland, featuring, for those who know and enjoy Swiss food, a
Schaffhausener Zwiebelkuchen and a Buendner Gerstensuppe, a tender
Forellenfilet nach Luzerner Art, a Tessiner Kalbfleisch-Roulade with
Steinpilzrisotto Roesti, and finally Thurgauer Apfelkrapfen mit Zimteisn auf
einer Vanillesauce mit Kirsch. All very delicious indeed.
Serving rice gruel is a sunrise business for Rung
Chatchanan Chaisree
Rungnapha Uthayo is a familiar figure to those starting work
very early, or going home very late. At around 4 a.m. she takes up her place on
Soi Paniad Chang 17, next to Yume Karaoke in Central Pattaya, from where she
does a brisk trade selling rice gruel until about 10 a.m. when she goes home for
a well-earned rest and to prepare for the next morning.
Rungnapha
Uthayo with her rice gruel for sale.
Rung and her small family arrived in Pattaya from
Kamphangphet nearly two years ago.
She says that she has to wake up around 1 a.m. to prepare the
soup, a paste of rice flour, “kuay jab”, and curdled blood of fowl. Her
husband Chet goes to the market to buy pig offal, fowl’s blood, and
vegetables. They follow a set routine closely, ready to set up at 4 a.m.
Most of the early customers are bar employees and bar
customers, but as the morning brightens the school children and their parents
come past and stop for a hasty breakfast, and later it’s the turn of the
department store workers and general public.
Rung has a young daughter, Nong Yok, who at two years and eight months is too
young to be left at home alone, and so accompanies her mother to work every day.
Nong Yok, she says, is very well behaved and charms many of the customers.
The sweet life in traditional and modern style
Chatchanan Chaisree
Thai desserts are a symbol of Thai tradition and hospitality,
the art of making delicacies from natural ingredients that are attractive to
look at, have an enticing aroma, and are absolutely delicious.
Suphan and
Amara, owners of Amara Thai Dessert, create a selection of delicious Thai
desserts.
Suphan La-Or and Amara Chaichana are both authorities on
traditional desserts, as well as having the creative skills to mix up
ingredients that make exciting new dishes. Pastries, puddings, custards, jellies
… all seem so simple when these two skilful ladies prepare them, but of course
it needs real talent that not everyone has.
Amara showed Pattaya Mail how to make a pudding with
pandanus leaf, coconut meat and milk, glutinous rice flour, palm sugar, and
salt. First you mix the glutinous rice flour with the coconut milk and salt.
Then pour it into the cone shape cup. After that, mold the glutinous rice flour
into a circular shape and cook it in boiling water. Pour into the cone. Easy!
Desserts play a role in various ceremonies throughout Thailand, and different
names are given to the sweets to denote prosperity, good fortune and sound
health. Gold trimming is used when a family moves into a new house because it
represents a long life, while layered puddings are supposed to help a person
increase their income, and fluffy dumplings denote someone who is number one!
Tears and happiness as Sai Yai Rak Camp project ends
Suchada Tupchai
The official closing of the Sai Yai Rak Youth Camp pilot
project was performed with a ceremony on August 11 presided over by Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn.
Housed on the Sattahip Naval Base, the camp has been a
combined attempt by a number of organizations to help resolve the problem of
vagrant children and integrate them into society. A total of 29 unaccompanied
children between the ages of 12 and 19 years had been rounded up in Pattaya and
put through the 30-day course, which ran from July 14 to August 12.
Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn chats with parents and guardians
A team from the Air Fighter and Coast Guard Unit led the
training, the intention being to teach the children self-discipline and
self-respect, and to give them a more positive attitude to show that they could
become responsible members of society with the potential for productive and
happy lives.
By the end of the course, some of the children had expressed
a wish to undergo vocational training, others have opted to spend some time in
the monkhood to continue their education, while some will be transferred to
Redemptorist House or Banglamung Home for Boys where they will be taken care of.
They, and the children who have homes and will be returning to their families,
will be contacted periodically to see if the project’s ultimate aim is
working.
The children
make a pledge in front of the King Taksin Monument.
Mayor Niran said that this has been a positive initiative
created by gathering ideas from both the state and private organizations to
support children who might otherwise have been neglected by society and turned
to a life of crime. Pattaya City was glad to have supported this project, and
will continue to maintain the momentum, he said, adding that whatever their
financial or able-bodied status, everybody can contribute to society if they
have the right attitude.
Colonel Dr Su-Mon Bunrod from General Headquarters Soldiers
Precinct 14, one of the course leaders, stressed the importance of taking care
of children with emotional problems. Some of the children on the course do have
psychological problems, he said, and parents or guardians should be patient and
understanding. Only the adults can complete the job of turning their lives
around.
The closing ceremony was presided over by the Air Fighter and
Coast Guard Unit. The 29 children, who had trained at Wiwat Polamuang School,
made a pledge in front of the King Taksin Monument not to return to a life of
vagrancy.
Those with families were reunited. Mrs Tangthai Arddet, 42,
mother of one of the youths, said she was happy to see her son today as they
hadn’t seen each other for a long time. She said that her son had been polite
and good at school, but was misled by friends and he left the family home. The
family had been worried because they didn’t hear anything from him.
Amongst the organizations taking part in the Sai Yai Rak Youth Camp project
were the YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya Center, Pattaya Social Welfare Department, the
Good Omen Foundation, Chonburi Provincial Juvenile and Family Court, Pattaya
Tourist Police, and the Air Fighter and Coast Guard Unit.
PCEC gets a taste of the Lulu
and Daisy Goat Farm
Gregory Barton from the Lulu and Daisy Dairy Goat Farm near
Pattaya was the guest speaker at a Sunday meeting of the Pattaya City Expats
Club recently.
Greg began his talk by explaining that he had arrived at his
love for goats without any background in agriculture. He is trained in law and
has also been a successful publisher. He now trades in stocks to support his
interest in goats, which began at a Sydney agricultural show when he saw breeds
of goats that did not measure up to the usually scraggly and scrawny image of
the beast.
Gregory
Barton from the Lulu and Daisy Dairy Goat Farm was recently the guest speaker at
the Pattaya City Expats Club.
Answering the question as to why he should choose to opt for
goats over other animals, Greg commented on the diverse personalities of the
animals and said that the females are very affectionate and possibly goats were
urban man’s long lost best friend. Greg said that for anyone who wanted to
look up any aspect about goats they would be surprised by the number of websites
that are in fact devoted to goats.
Greg’s farm is dedicated to Lulu and Daisy who were the
first two goats. Throughout his talk he showed photos of the farm and the
animals and process of changing the milk into the cheese of which he generously
offered samples.
The bucks and does (politically correct – no longer billys
and nannys!) are separated to avoid unwanted pregnancies. The does are separated
from their kids so that they can be milked to continue to produce milk for the
farm, but the kids are quickly weaned so that they take little of the milk from
their mothers. The does are quickly de-budded so that they no longer have horns
with which to do damage to the other does or the milker!
The farm at the present time has 66 goats, of which 44 are
female, but only 14 of them are in milk. They are milked twice a day but these
Thai goats only produce about a litre, whereas other breeds would produce up to
4 litres. The farm is a cooperative with the Thai employees using the milk to
produce the cheese which they sell to create profit for salary.
Greg said that the object of the exercise was to try and produce one of the
best goat cheeses in the world. The cream cheese that they produce is very good
and of the hard cheese they are already very proud of it, it is sold to a number
of good restaurants both in Bangkok and Pattaya for incorporation into their
dishes.
PC Classic raises funds
for Juvenile and Family Court
Narisa Nitikarn
The Pattaya Mail PC Classic Royal Cliff Beach Resort
International Regatta, held on March 26 at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, helped
to raise funds for electronic equipment needed by the Chonburi Provincial
Juvenile and Family Court.
August 15 saw the official presentation ceremony take place
at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort. Representing the PC Classic was Peter Malhotra,
managing director of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co Ltd, and renowned yachtsman
Peter Cummins, after whom the event is named.
The official
presentation ceremony for the handover of electronic equipment needed by the
Chonburi Provincial Juvenile and Family Court, from the Pattaya Mail PC Classic
Royal Cliff Beach Resort International Regatta, took place August 15 at the
Royal Cliff Beach Resort.
The Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya manages the fund and was
represented at the ceremony by its immediate past president, Judy Hoppe.
Representing the Royal Cliff was the resort’s managing director, Mrs Panga
Vathanakul.
Receiving the donation was Mrs Arunee Prayongyam, chief judge
of the Chonburi Provincial Juvenile and Family Court.
The equipment included a printer, microphone and digital
camera, all needed for the court’s work but not covered by the department’s
purchasing budget. Hearing of the court’s need, the PC Classic Organizing
Committee had agreed to help.
This year’s Pattaya Mail PC Classic, the 11th in the series, was the most
successful to date. Raising funds for local concerns is the primary reason for
the event, with the enhancing of Pattaya’s profile as a center for water
sports activities being another important aspect.
PGF hand over 2.7 million baht
to Heartt2000
Michael Burchall, chairman of Pattaya Gay Festival, along with
Jim Lumsden, events organizer, ceremoniously handed over a cheque representing
the 2.7 million baht that PGF has given so far this year to support the work of
Dr Philippe Seur and the HEARTT2000 Foundation with HIV/AIDS patients here in
Pattaya.
Michael
Burchall (right) ceremoniously hands over a cheque representing the 2.7 million
baht that PGF has given so far this year to support the work of Dr Philippe Seur
and the HEARTT2000 Foundation.
HEARTT2000 was started in the year 2000 and represents
“Help Ensure Aids Rescue Together in Thailand”. The event chosen for this
presentation was a special charity dinner hosted by one of the long-time
sponsors of the PGF, Bruno’s Restaurant. The whole evening was a celebration
with special Italian guest chef “Luca Messina” conjuring up some wonderful
creations.
The evening began with a welcome glass of Italian sparkling
wine with a dash of grenadine. After a salmon amuse bouche, a beautifully
presented duckling aspic royale surrounded by crispy salad seasoned with
orange-olive oil dressing was the first course. The parmesan cream soup with
Parma ham and rosemary in a basket had everyone talking. An orange sorbet with
Campari was next up to cleanse the palate ready for the main course of
Australian beef tenderloin served with Italian vegetables topped with a cepe
mushroom tortello in balsamico sauce. The meal ended with a zuppa inglese con
salsa di cioccolato which sounds much better than layers of sponge cake soaked
in Alkermes liqueur and chocolate-vanilla cream served with chocolate sauce, but
tasted divine… A fitting ending to a very pleasant meal served up as
impeccably as ever by the staff of Bruno’s Restaurant under Fredi’s watchful
eye.
The object of each PGF event, whether committee or sponsor
organised, is to raise money in support of HEARTT2000 and other local charities.
The Italian dinner was no exception and due to the generosity of so many people
donating items for the lucky draw or making cash donations under the guidance of
Jim and his “Boyz” over 200,000 baht was raised. That along with the 44,000
baht from the 500 baht per head ticket from the 88 attendees meant that almost
250,000 baht was raised on the night.
This could not have been achieved without the very generous
support of our sponsors who provided prizes, Ursulla Antiques and Jim’s
International Tailors, both long-time supporters of the PGF, along with Asian
Moon, Exotique and Jim who donated the mask which cost 16,000 baht. Special
mention must go to Honest Gems who regularly provide the star prize jewellery,
on this occasion a beautiful diamond and sapphire bracelet.
To all who attended and made this another very memorable occasion the
committee wishes to express their thanks. If any individual or owner of a
business would like to become a sponsor/formal supporter of the PGF and
HEARTT2000 check out the website at www.pattayagay festival.com
Rotary Club Taksin-Pattaya raises 50,000 baht at fund raising
event on Walking Street
On Friday 12th, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th and Monday 15th
August members of the Rotary Club Taksin-Pattaya attended Walking Street, in
front of our friends at King Seafood Restaurant. There they held a fund raising
event on behalf of SOS Rice and Rotary Club of Taksin-Pattaya various charities.
Prizes
included sweets, bags of crisps, cans of coke, cuddly toys, giant teddies, gift
sets of drinking glasses and electric fans.
The fund raising event was using a fishing net to fish out
small plastic capsules floating in water. Inside the casuals were small pieces
of paper which contained a prize. The nice thing about this event was that
everybody won something. The prizes were sweets and bags of crisps, going up to
cans of coke and then on to the better prizes of cuddly toys, giant teddies,
gift sets of drinking glasses and electric fans, etc.
The local population loves to have a go at this as they
always win something, and of course many foreign visitors also took part along
with their children. Unfortunately, the main day being Saturday, much needed
rain decided to fall on the show! Club members had to pack up quickly and wait
for around one hour for it to stop, and that then made the crowds much smaller
than usual. Even so, they managed to raise nearly 10,000 baht on Saturday night.
People not wanting to play the fishing game had the opportunity to help fund
raise, as the club had two large collection boxes at both ends of the stand and
a steady stream of people were putting money into these during the evenings. The
overall amount raised over these days was app. 50,000 baht.
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