These days, Luang Prabang is better known for French café culture and an increasingly cosmopolitan dining scene than it is for Lao cuisine. But writer and photographer, Mick Shippen is having none of it. When in the languid riverside town, he opts for northern soul food. There’s something deeply reassuring about northern Lao food. From […]
Why does the Pa Nang have only one ribcage? It’s just one fish among many in the traditional cuisine of Laos, but the Pa Nang has one physical characteristic that sets it apart – just half a ribcage. And while there is likely a convincing scientific explanation for this arresting detail, the folklore that has […]
It’s a fair bet that most classic cars that fetch up in small, Southeast-Asian countries have a good story to tell. But one look at the vintage Jaguar that lives outside a restored colonial villa in downtown Vientiane, and it’s clear it was once destined for great things. And not just great things, but a […]
From cream-filled sponges to delicate choux pastries, chocolate-drizzled honey toast and homemade coconut ice cream, Vientiane’s dessert table is heaving with mouth-watering delights. Lao people have long subscribed to the sweeter side of life and these days, that means indulging in all kinds of creative cakes and confectionary. New dessert and cake cafes are popping […]
Sengmany Yathotou is on a mission. It’s a weekday morning in Naxayneua village, Vientiane, and on her family farm that borders on a national park, she is overseeing the milking of more than 100 cattle – peaceful, black-and-white Fresian dairy cows that produce around 15 litres of milk each a day. Sengmany wants more people […]
Keeping it real is the name of the game for Les Artisans Lao High above an art gallery, in a small room in a narrow building off a side street in downtown Vientiane, is a humming laboratory. There, young locals in white lab coats hover over heating and cutting machines, surrounded by glass vials and […]
A country could tell its whole story through food, if only it knew how. When Latsamy Vetsaphong first heard a western friend wondering aloud where they could buy some of the amazing delicacies they had tried while in Laos, she realised there was a gap in the market for Lao souvenirs. And when she heard […]
The capital of Yunnan province, Kunming is a city that confounds expectations. As Mick Shippen discovers, it’s clean, green, and the perfect destination for a memorable getaway. Even as a seasoned food and travel writer and photographer, I have numerous preconceived notions about Chinese cities. You probably share some of them; sprawling conurbations that you’d […]
Europe’s top tables, such as Noma in Copenhagen, have built reputations and garnered Michelin stars on the trend for foraged food and edible insects. But that won’t turn any heads in Laos; such food has always been part of the country’s rich culinary landscape. Intrepid eater Mick Shippen takes a bite on the wild side […]
In spiritual terms, indigo is the colour of intuition and perception. In fashion terms, it’s synonymous with denim – deep of hue and naturally dyed. It’s also one of the seven colours of the rainbow and has up to seven of its own distinct shades. But did you know that indigo also has mosquito repelling […]
ລາວ
Comments are closed.