Last week, I wrote about the life and legacy of Maria Guyomar de Pinha, the Portuguese-Japanese countess turned Siamese palace chef nicknamed “the Queen of Thai Desserts.” In addition to being a harrowing tale of murder, betrayal, and political intrigue, Guyomar’s life story tells of a 17th-century culinary exchange between Portugal and Thailand whose reverberations continue today. Few dishes demonstrate this better than foi thong, or “golden threads,” a treat that consists of fine strands of yolk cooked in sugar syrup infused with fragrant pandan leaves. Anyone familiar with Portuguese…
