Cultural confusion and Tom Kha Gai

When I was in NYC a strange thing kept happening - I would be at the Met or Moma  and people would mistake me for being Italian or Dutch, etc - anything other than American.

I don't quite get this because I am mostly of Irish heritage and I doubt I dress very European.

At the Met a women from Naples mistook me for being an Italian. In fact after much talking (talking on her end and gesturing on mine) she was distressed that I was not Italian.

In fact she said, "Americano? No, No, No!"

I didn't quite know how to react to that one...

But that leads into me trying to duplicate the Tom Kha Gai from my neighborhood restaurant.

This is a dish made up of coconut milk and savory chicken and just a wonderful melange of flavors.

After hitting 3 different Asian grocery stores and still not finding kafir lime leaves or galangal I gave up and went to the Thai restaurant and ordered Tom Kha Gai.

I was lingering around staring at the menu and wondering how I could find galangal when the restaurant owner swung by and asked me if I had a question.

I told her I couldn't find galangal anywhere and she said, "You can find it at any Asian grocery store."

After a couple of questions it became clear I had been looking in the wrong department. Apparently it is kept in the freezer aisle. 

Sigh, another trip to the grocery store tomorrow. 

And to get back to the original theme - In every Asian store I went to today everyone spoke to me in their native language and only after I looked utterly confused did they switch to English. 

My favorite moment of the day? An elderly grandfather hobbled over to help me pick out fish sauce. He was speaking in a language I don't understand - I am gesturing to say, "this is the one I usually get - is it bad??" He picks one off the shelf and puts it in my cart. 


I smile (in thanks) and he pats me on the shoulder. 

And yes, it is the most wonderful fish sauce - salty but not too salty. 


And I did get a cooking challenge from the owner of my neighborhood Thai place - she said to try and replicate her Tom Kha Gai and come back and let her know how it works out because her's has a secret ingredient.


A very fun challenge indeed!