Isan Food Festival
Eating deep fried insects may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's something to suit every palate at the upcoming Isan Food Festival in Thailand. Visiting chefs, guest lecturers, and the world's largest woven sticky rice basket are just a few of the highlights planned at next year's party, celebrating Thailand's Northeast cooking.

Travel to Khon Kaen, Thailand in March 2008 for the inaugural Isan Food Festival and its culinary masterclass weekend. Festival dates are 7-16 March 2008. The Thai Cuisine Masterclass Weekend, modelled after similar events overseas, is slated March 8 and 9 at the prestigious Sofitel Raja Orchid hotel.

Khon Kaen will throng with foodie tourists, intrepid journalists and drooling Thais for 10 days in March, when the city opens its kitchens. London restaurateur Vatch Bhumitchitr, author of six Thai cookbooks in English, leads the line up at the Sofitel Raja Orchid's Thai Cuisine Masterclass Weekend, with simultaneous English-Thai and Thai-English translations in every workshop. English expat Philip Cornwel Smith, author of the contemporary culture book "Very Thai" is also presenting, plus Australian-based textile expert Morrison Polkinghorne, cookbook author Robert Carmack, along with local Isan specialist Pramol Pimsen. As well, regional food producers, from sausage makers to fish sauce brewers, are on hand to give an introduction to their foodstuffs. There's even a workshop on "Inedible Cuisine' featuring the unusual Isan custom of eating fried locust and lizard, and stir fried silk worm -- not to mention the famous Isan/lao specialty of ant egg soup!