To make a crusty bread is easy in Europe where an abundance of different flours are widely available. Hans Fritschi shows a way how you can produce a decent bread with materials that can be found all over Thailand where supply in general is very limited. We use all purpose and whole wheat flour, salt, yeast and water. The result is a crusty and tasty home made bread.

ANALYTICSEDIT VIDEOSpicy green Papaya salad is a specialty in Thailands Northeast. Som Tam is often eaten with chicken and glutinous rice also known as sticky rice. The recently home produced smoked bacon is a tasty addition for a Thai-Swiss fusion Som Tam. What, if you cannot get green Mangos in you place, but still would like to eat Som Tam? Khun Amorn knows of many alternatives.

Smoking is an old method to preserve meat. At the same time wonderful flavors are added. At Discovery Garden Pattaya we use exotic wood like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Bay leaf and Guava for smoking our meats and sausages. It is actually quite easy to smoke bacon with sustainable tropical wood, the result is mouthwatering.

”Saperlot” is an expression of exclamation in Swiss-German. In Thai Saperlot means: pineapple. At Discovery Garden Pattaya a strange kind of pineapple is grown. Instead of one body, there are dozens of small pineapples growing on one single stem. Hans Fritschi shows an easy method of multiplying ordinary and those very special pineapples.

Two giant trees at Discovery Garden Pattaya have died and pose a severe risk for the visitors and our gardeners. Burflower trees (Neolamarckia cadamba) are fast growing, beautiful and useful, but when they have to be removed this is quite a challenge due to their sheer size. Will the six wheel truck be able to reach their position? In the end our Thai experts succeed in their dangerous and difficult tree felling task, the collateral damage is minimal. To describe the double tragedy in a positive way: We also gain space to plant something new.

A very decorative tree is called Pong Pong or Cerbera odollam. It creates very pretty white flowers and funny green balls that look a bit like green Mangos. But do not take a bite! The fruit contains two highly poisonous seeds and that explains its third name: Suicide tree. Its seeds are often used for murder since they are highly effective and difficult to detect.

Baobab trees are giants and can live for thousands of years. The best known Baobab is the African Adansonia digitata and at Discovery Garden Pattaya we have huge trees of that type for show and sale. Besides the African Baobab there is one from Australia and seven from Madagascar. Hans Fritschi has grown seven out of the nine Baobab types.

After more than three months in Nong Khai Hans Fritschi travels to his Pattaya Botanical garden. The most obvious change there is the return of water, everything is green now. The rare Malabar chestnut trees produce stunning flowers and later tasty seeds. They are tasted by famous Thai food bloggers Khun Yut and mother. The two experts find the exotic nuts equally delicious as the home made Bratwurst. And they just love the beauty of Discovery Garden Pattaya.

Presently we have Khun Yut and hiss lovely mother from Nong Khai visiting Discovery Garden Pattaya. They are very successful Isahn food bloggers and published a Video clip about their visit to our Pattaya garden. I was inviteed for a guest appearance on their channel. Have a look rright here:

Now that travelling within Thailand is possible again, Hans Fritschi will soon part for Pattaya where his second tropical Botanic garden is located. He therefore starts a last bicycle tour on the shores of the mighty Mekong around Nong Khai in search for little meaningful gifts to bring to his people in Pattaya. A short visit is includes at lovely Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse which stayed open during the entire lockdown. A delicious Bavarian potato salad is prepared and the last meat loaf or “Leberkäs” eaten.