My mind wandered to Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan to the Great Wall, to China, to Marco Polo. I wondered how living during that epic period might have been. I was continually caught up trying to understand the history of that part of the world. Just as I am doing now, I found myself writing about feelings, perceptions and memories and in so many instances writing about things totally unrelated to cooking.

For example, I always understood that there was a connection between India and Southeast Asia. I presumed it was simply a matter of nearness and open trading between the empires then existing in Southeast Asia and Southern India. More recently, I discovered the real Indian connection to Southeast Asia and I am still in the mode of reading all I can find on the subject. These forays into new learning always detract from the task at hand. None the less, my writings now reflect this new knowledge and the impact it has had on Thai, Burmese, and Cambodian cooking. I suspect, that my understanding of the region will never be complete to my satisfaction. As a result, the content of my writings will change with time to reflect this new understanding. These writings therefore, are the heart and soul of my love affair with everything Asian. Who knows, perhaps someday a real cookbook will emerge.

I recently had a great find, a book entitled: Traditional Recipes of Laos. The book is a collection of original recipes written by Phia Sing, the head Chef to the Laotian Royal family at the Royal Palace in Luang Prabang for some four decades. The original manuscripts were translated by Laotians and edited by an English couple Alan and Jennifer Davidson for publication by Prospect Books. My wife and I have been through the book several times and we have every intention of preparing a series of dishes just as the King of Laos and his family would have enjoyed.