The ancient art of Kai Su Luk, or friut and vegetable carving, is alive and well on Tate Street. These cut vegetables were on display in front of Tate Street's Thai Garden which has been open since 1995. One of the proprietors was advertising his carving talent at the Tate Street Festival last weekend. Taro root and melon are especially popular for carving. However, passersby last weekend seemed to be taken by the red peppers above which were sliced to look like flower petals with seeds as the center of the flowers. They were attached to small dowels and could actually be placed in a vase.
In addition to edible centerpieces, Thai carvers are experts at carving soap and are known worldwide for their high-quality carving knives. If you are interested in learning to carve, you can take a class locally through GTCC's Culinary Tech classes. Their students and, a carver or two, set up each year at the Parisian Promenade at the Tanger Bicentennial Garden. Alternatively, you can attend a school in Bangkok (see this website).
The above arrangement is displayed on top of a mirror, the perfect touch to allow us to share the photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection.
How lovely and what talent. It would take more than lessons or special carving knives for me to achieve such as this.
Posted by: Jane Mitchell | Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 07:52 AM
It seems like the yellow zucchini ducks that were in the foreground of the carvings last Saturday are also missing!
Posted by: Katja Brown | Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 08:49 AM
It always amazes me what these very talented people with can with knives and fruit or vegetables.
Posted by: barb farr | Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 09:51 AM
Katja: When I was there, people were negotiating things. Maybe they sold the ducks!
Posted by: Janis | Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 04:33 PM