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Carving Beauty - creating masterpieces with fruit and knife

A Bollywood affair for charity

Rotary holds Spring party at Lincoln’s

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Carving Beauty - creating masterpieces with fruit and knife

Sue K
One particularly delightful aspect of Thai cuisine and the reflection of a more leisured age is the art of carving fruits and vegetables.

The author shows off some of her handiwork.
This is a traditional craft which is still popular today, as Thais believe that food should please the eye as well as the palate.
With that in mind, M.A. Language and Thai Culture School on Soi 5 recently opened its doors to fruit carving enthusiasts.
In the fruit carver’s skilled hands and using a small and very sharp knife, an ordinary papaya or pumpkin is turned into a bouquet of flowers, a radish becomes a tiny rabbit or daisy or a carrot a rare orchid. Almost any kind of fruit or vegetable can be used.
However, the carver must understand the texture of each and use its natural color to imitate that of the chosen subject.
Not all the carvings are as small as a flower; a large round watermelon becomes a richly decorated and lidded bowl to be used as a container for fruit salad. The green outer skin is cut away to make a pattern in relief of flowers or even characters in Thai literature.
Teacher Anchaleeporn Pimsuwan, who was a cook at a well known hotel in Pattaya and has been carving fruits and vegetables for over 10 years, gently guides her students in each step of the cut and carve.

“Look what I’m making.”
After attending this carving class for 3 to 6 hours, it becomes more apparent as to why someone should bother to transform a pumpkin into a magic coach or a beetroot into a butterfly… The answer is the Thai appreciation of beauty and craftsmanship, whatever the medium.
If you are interested in joining these courses or getting more information, contact Alvi Sinthuvanik at M.A. Language and Thai Culture School, Soi 5, tel. 038 488 522, email: [email protected] or visit their website at www.mathailanguage.com

Another masterpiece ready to grace any table, anywhere.

We believe that food should please the eye as well as the palate.

A centerpiece fit for royalty.

In the fruit carver’s skilled hands,
fruits and vegetables are turned into masterpieces.

Tools of the trade.

Students watch intently as a Anchaleeporn Pimsuwan teaches her trade.

Students try their hands at this craft.

A Bollywood affair for charity

Showvik teaches the men the proper dance moves.

Sue K
For those who do not know what Bollywood means, it’s a term given to the Hindi culture, art, and film industry from Bombay; in other words, it is an Indian version of Hollywood.

A beautiful classical Lord Shiva Dance was performed by Priya.
After decades of enjoying the rising popularity of Indian films in many western countries, including Europe, the US, and Canada, Bollywood dance has emerged as another art form in itself, and in recent years has become chic.
It is a choreographed dance form used in the Indian films, a fusion of styles, including Indian classical and folk, belly dancing, kathak, and Western popular, modern and jazz.
Nowadays there are many dance schools and workshops for this in major cities around the world, and especially in Germany.

The women are obviously enjoying themselves.

Well, the fever has finally caught on in Pattaya, and recently Indian by Nature hosted a dinner and workshop for Bollywood dance enthusiasts.

Showvik makes learning Bollywood dance great fun.
A beautiful classical Lord Shiva Dance was performed by Priya followed by a fun filled dance workshop led by Showvik.
Though there were no mountains and trees to dance around like in real Bollywood films, the workshop proved a big hit with Pattaya dwellers bobbing and bouncing around on the floor in their vibrant colorful costumes.
Over twenty thousand baht was raised on the night for the underprivileged children at Mercy Center.

Rotary holds Spring party at Lincoln’s

Elfi Seitz
If you haven’t witnessed it yourself, you just won’t believe it. Many people know that Steve Ryser, assistant for Rotary Governor Peter Malhotra, is a lucky devil. But this straw really broke the camel’s back.

Generous donator Hans Schaad.
It happened at the Rotary Club of Taksin Pattaya’s Spring Friendship Meeting, which was celebrated on May 16 at the Lincoln guesthouse and restaurant on 3rd Road. It all began rather inconspicuous. The attendees ate lots of food - the buffet was great – and drank some wine (others more than some). Wine, beer and even whiskey or soft drinks were abundant. And, of course, people chatted eagerly, as that’s what these meetings are for.
Soon, the time had come to buy raffle tickets. No stinting here, for people new exactly what prizes would be up for grabs. Paintings, massage vouchers, full-year subscriptions for Pattaya Mail and Pattaya Blatt and several other attractive prizes. The undisputed top prize though was a genuine Persian carpet, endowed by Club member Hans Schaad and worth some 80,000 baht.

President Bob Denzel.
So, here we go. Steve Ryser not only won two massage vouchers, but also, you guessed it, this wonderful carpet! “Oh sure, he always wins,” the audience said in unison. Certainly, everyone was happy for him, especially after he announced that he will donate the carpet to be one of the top prizes at this year’s Rotary Club of Eastern Seaboard’s Christmas fair, aka ‘Christkindlmarkt.’ Great! We’re already looking forward to that occasion, as someone other than Steve will then be the winner.
The last two paintings were auctioned.
Bob Denzel, President of the Rotary Club of Taksin Pattaya, was happy about the great atmosphere at the party, despite the rather meager attendance. The one’s that did appear that night had certainly brought their generous mood with them.

Musician Niki.

Steve Ryser and his Persian carpet.

A souvenir shot for the album.

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