Unlike some others on this forum I do not really believe in standards when we talk about eggs and cooking. Of course, Thai cooking academies try to achieve the highest possible standards. I would never ever force my boys or other young family members to visit them. I witnessed the high standards once—and tasted the result—many years ago in a restaurant in Nong Khai, only a few days before Christmas.

Chef Jacques, however, learned to cook eggs differently. I acquired this essential skill after being elected to Sancta Barbara, a rather old and small local society whose members were each known within the community for the particular skills they possessed.

Personally, I hate seeing fried eggs lying proudly on top of everything. Ha ha! So I hid mine underneath the meal: three sunny-side-up eggs, fried in plenty of butter, at the bottom of the plate. I covered them with healthy brown rice and then poured green curry over everything.

The eggs had completely disappeared—but Chef Jacques knew they were there:

Unfortunately, I enjoyed my creation so much that I continued eating until I was completely stuffed. My belly became seriously bloated, and my stomach started to hurt. Fortunately, we have local pharmacies for such culinary emergencies—although eating a little less would probably have been the cheaper medicine.

I suppose proportion is less of a problem when you cook for customers or for your family. The real danger begins when the chef and the customer are the same person.

Earth calling!

Ground control to chef Jacques.....