9781422277508

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Introduction

either/or situation. Youeither aban- doned your old self and became as American as you could, or you held tightly to your Thai roots and remained essentially a long-term visitor to the United States. In either case, keeping a con- nection to one part of your Thai roots—food and dining—was im- portant. The spread of Thai food in the United States is directly tied to

the growing number of Thai people emigrating in recent decades. In recent years, a third path has emerged, particularlyamongyoung- er people. They were born in the United States but feel curious about the land their parents left behind. Rather thanrejectingeither culture, they are trying to forge a path that combines the best of both worlds: a new, Thai American identity.