Our time on Siem Reap was as close to perfection as one can get. It peaked the last night with a Khmer cooking class at Le Tigre de Papier. Our funny, talented hostess Savoenne provided expert guidance through a starter (green papaya salad for me), main (curry tofu) and a common dessert of mango with sticky rice. It started with a trip to the market where she explained some of the finer points of the vast array of unfamiliar fruits and veggies.
We then proceeded to the second-floor kitchen across the alley from the restaurant. It featured an indoor prep area and outdoor stove. We learned how to make pretty veg garnishes, banana leaf plate liners and bowls and got to flex some muscle making paste with a mortar and pestle. No food processors here! Coconut milk, lime leaves and juice, chillies, fresh lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, garlic, shallots…the flavours meld to produce taste that is indescribable!
The only other student in the class was a young American woman who has been living in Rwanda for the past eight years, working in community development. Courtney was a perfect fit, and three hours flew by as we shared stories, cooking disasters and celebrated our Khmer feast.
After a long bus ride to Phnom Penh our energy level was quite low, so we opted to take in a show at the National Museum a block from our hotel. It was fabulous! High energy, vivid colours and beautiful folk songs as a backdrop to dance traditions from all regions of Cambodia. Cambodian Living Arts is an organization founded by one man following the fall of the Khmer Rouge who all but annihilated the arts community during their reign of terror.
I parted ways with Paula early Sunday morning. She planned to spend the day exploring the city before her flight to Seoul. As for me, back on the bus, heading to Ho Chi Minh City!