Thai people take the saying “break bread with your neighbor” to another level- the astral level. The spirits in and around spirit houses are astral beings. One of the ways these entities can connect to our realm is through food and drink. Ritual installation ceremonies have the largest spreads of food including a whole pigs head with the feet and tail. But on a daily basis, each offering comes from the heart and hearth of the local Thai kitchen.
The palette of the land guardians is a part of common Thai folk knowledge and each dish offered has a special meaning. Here are 10 typical spreads of sweet and savory delights offered at spirit houses around Thailand. Although this food is prepared in the human realm, after being offered to the land guardians it becomes supernatural cuisine.