Viet World Kitchen

Travel Book Review: Communion

Americans have a lot of baggage when it comes to Vietnam. I’m often asked if the Vietnamese like Americans. My response is usually, “Vietnamese people are practical. During wartime, they had issues with the US government, not its people. Visitors, even overseas Vietnamese like me, are walking dollar signs. It’s a poor country and our money goes a long way.”

Travel writer Kim Fay captures some of those nuances in Communion: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam (Things Asian Press, 2010). It is a work that details her food experiences from north to south Vietnam. She’s accompanied by her photographer sister Julie and Vietnam-native Nguyen Thi Lan Huong.

Despite the book’s name, it is not religious. Perusing the work, I tried to figure out with what and whom Fay was communing. The chapters break down into cities and then vignettes of the women’s experiences in each locale.

Their culinary journey involves many cooking classes but there are few actual recipes or explanations of techniques. This is largely a travel memoir and the subtitle is not fulfilled in the culinary arena.

That said, what is valuable are her interactions with and reflections on people that she meets. As an American expat, she leads off with stories of experiences with fellow expats, Hanoi chefs Didier Corlou and Bobby Chinn. Both are well known abroad and offer the outsider’s passionate perspectives on Vietnamese food culture. Foreign visitors to Vietnam are often initially drawn to other foreigners.

In subsequent chapters, Fay includes interesting interviews with Vietnamese chefs. Many of them are women and they reveal their resilience, strength, and determination. They charm with their low-key affect and wit. But those human characteristics are sometimes lost in Fay’s tangential and overly descriptive prose.

She tries to define culinary concepts such as umami and fusion cooking but her discussions distract from her compelling subject – the people and foodways of Vietnam. Tighter editing would have produced crisper narrative and more impactful storytelling.

At the end of the book, it dawned upon me that Fay is communing with her personal history, the people she meets in Vietnam, and her travel companions. There are a lot of loose ends in Communion, but that is what travel is all about.

Stir-Fried Beef with Lemongrass and Chiles -- Mark Bittman.com

Remember how I went on the press trip last month? I went to New York, Nanjing, China, and then Hanoi, Vietnam, in the span of about 10 days.  In total, I flew 9 flights in 13 days. I tasted new foods, experienced Asian history, met relatives I didn't know I had, and battled jet lag!

Among the things that I took away from the trip was the stir-fry above. It's not quite Vietnamese thit bo xao xa ot but a hybrid Chinese-Vietnamese preparation that I had on Dragon Air (part of Cathay Pacific Airlines, which co-sponsored the trip).

The simple stir-fry comforted at the end of the journey, and I liked it lots. So much so that I went home and replicated it. It's hard to believe but airline food can inspire!

For the recipe, see this 7/8/10 post on MarkBittman.com:

• Decent Food at 30,000 Feet, Seriously

Related posts:

• Advice for Fighting Jet Lag and Surviving Red-Eyes
• Hanoi Food and Travel Tips: Where to go, what to eat
  
• Hanoi Food and Travel 2010 (initial impressions)

Advice for Fighting Jet Lag and Surviving Red-Eyes

My friend Bob, an investment banker who practically commutes by airplane, says he can’t sleep on planes and so he won’t fly red-eye flights. I, on the other hand, have had to fly many overnight and long-haul flights. I do it to save money (no hotel room!) and time. I also catch up on movies!

During the recent press trip to Asia, I took 9 flights in 13 days. Of those flights, 2 were overnight and the threesome that brought me back to America put me transit for nearly 24 hours. Needless to say, I’ve become adept at flying red-eye and long-haul flights. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific have set up their schedules so that customers can efficiently arrive in the morning to flexibly do business or catch a connecting flight to another destination.

I’ve managed to sleep and rest on a plane with a few simple strategies, none of which entail prescription drugs or lots of alcohol! Here are my tips:

Before Boarding: Relax, Eat Light, Get Ready for Bed
I try to work only half a day before a red-eye flight. That way, I can eat a light early dinner a couple of hours before leaving for the airport. No one wants to get on a flight with a queasy uneasy tummy. My typically dinner is vegetarian: rice, stir-fried vegetable, something with tofu. I’ll have some wine but definitely drink a strong cup of chamomile and mint tea to push me toward deep relaxation.

Then, I go through my nightly ritual of ‘duties’ such as brushing my teeth, doing a quick facial, and changing into lounge wear (a.k.a. “public pajamas”). I remove my contact lenses and don my glasses. In summary, I do whatever I normally at night but do it earlier.

Hanoi Food and Travel Tips

Some people say that after visiting Hanoi once, they never need to go back. I totally disagree. I love visiting Vietnam’s capitol. Even though there’s traffic and a ton of motor bikes, it is a respite from the hustle and bustle of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). You can cross the street in Hanoi with slightly less caution than you would in Saigon!

Hanoi is more conservative, traditional, and graceful than Saigon. I was just there last week on a press trip, courtesy of Sofitel Hotel and Cathay Pacific. After posting my initial impressions and photos, I wanted to offer a few solid tips for those of you who’d like to visit Hanoi.

What to See in Hanoi?
Lots. If you’re into Vietnamese culture and traditions, head to the Temple of Literature, stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, get lost in the maze of the Old Quarter (get a taxi back to your hotel!). Go early in the day when things are less crowded. Hanoi sites are small, well maintained, and doable in a couple of leisurely days. The water puppet show is a must-see once in your lifetime. It’s amazing how they move the puppets underwater and you’ll hear classic Vietnamese music too.

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Saigon’s sites, with exception to the Reunification Palace, are less charming. Hanoi is the seat of Vietnam’s government and they make sure that things look good. It’s national pride.

Find out when you can visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It’s closed many days and the hours are limited. However, to stand in line with school kids and country people wearing their best outfits is to understand Ho Chi Minh’s place in modern Vietnam. Don’t wear sleeveless shirts and leave your camera behind. The first signals disrespect and the second is a no-no. Once inside, you’ll see him in everlasting peace as you steadily march around the body. There are only 4 embalmed leaders in the world and Ho Chi Minh is one of them. (Apparently his real body is rarely shown but I like to take part in the pomp and circumstance any way.)

Hanoi Food and Travel 2010

I've been feeling like one of the luckiest people on Earth these days. A few weeks ago, I was invited to go on a press tour sponsored by Sofitel Hotels and Cathay Pacific airline to China and Vietnam. Our Vietnam visit was in Hanoi. I have not been to Hanoi, the capitol of Vietnam, since winter of 2003 – one of the coldest winters they’d had in years. This trip was the polar opposite.

It was sweltering, around 100F with humidity. But I really didn’t mind as Hanoi is now a more modern yet still charming place. The airport is bigger and the immigration people smile. The patina of slight neglect adorns many Hanoi structures.

We only had 2 full days in Hanoi and I could have remained at the Metropole Hotel, which was recently renovated and expanded to launch Sofitel’s Legend brand of historic properties. But that was out of the question! I couldn’t wait to hit the streets at 7am to stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and see people exercising, playing badminton, and visiting with friends.

I’m on my way home and jet lag lingers, but I couldn’t wait to share a few snapshots and notes with you.

Worthy Causes: Charities Cook up Change in Vietnam

Spending Christmas or New Year’s in Vietnam is rather surreal. If you’re in Saigon, it’s hot but there are holiday decorations and Christmas music. I particularly love the fanfare on December 31 because Saigon locals come out for fun; Tet (Lunar New Year) is typically a quiet time for family. Vietnamese people love public celebrations like the one on New Year’s Eve, and the park in front of the Reunification Palace is a giant party and public performance area. Young families ride up on their motorbikes, 3 to 4 people on each, and they hang out, snacking and visiting with friends. It’s loud, colorful, and fun. Multiple stages are set up and you can choose from classical music performance, torch singers, and dance performances by cute young girls dressed up in frilly outfits with stage moms in tow. That night, the scene in the park reminds me of the crazy Asian variety shows that my parents watch on Vietnamese-American television channels.

Indeed, much has changed for the better in Vietnam in the past decade and people, especially young people, are full of optimism. But there is still much to be done to provide greater opportunity to more people. Lots of people visit Vietnam during this season and part of the experience is to understand the needs and potential of the country. We can help out with tourist dollars but you don't have to visit to contribute to change.

Here are three non-profits that are doing interesting work to help improve the lives of Vietnamese people, particularly in the kitchen:

Travel Tips to Vietnam: How to Feed Finicky Kids in Saigon (and still eat well)

There were great tips that people shared in response to the recent piece on travel tips to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I also received some questions via email but one message this morning got me thinking about traveling to a foreign country with children, particularly those with special needs. Most people I know of have gone overseas when their children are either babies or in their late teens and older. The rationale being that it is easier to cater to their needs or they can take care of themselves.

Ellen posed this question:

We are going to Vietnam for the first time over the holidays and have been reading your website, which is marvelous. Sadly we will only be in Vietnam for just for a few days on the way back from Thailand -and only to Saigon/Mekong area. We are already planning a return visit dedicated just to Vietnam, we are that sure that we will like it.
 
We have two sons, 13 and 11. To say that they have white-bread palates is an understatement. The 11 year old also has autism, so that adds a layer of complexity to travel. I want them to eat local and as native as two Irish/German New Englanders can. Any suggestions? They are not seafood eaters. I want to keep them out of fast food! I have some ideas from your Saigon article, but any place you can think of that might satisfy culinarily-challenged kids would be great...  restaurants, grocery/food market items, types of foods,  etc would be welcome.

Hmmm… as adults, traveling to a foreign country presents both opportunities and challenges. Where to go and what to eat? How to eat safely? When you are traveling with children, particularly those who are finicky or are special needs children, special handling is required. Here are some suggestions and strategies for authentic eating in Vietnam:

Many thanks to Suzanne for sending this photo in!

Prep the kids in advance and start young! If possible, introduce them to Vietnamese classics, such a pho noodle soup before you leave your home country.  That way, they will not suffer culture shock upon arrival. (Ellen and her family will be in Thailand first so that is part of the advance preparation!) To illustrate, the photo above is of a 22-month-old toddler eating a bowl of homemade pho; it was sent in my his Vietnamese American mom, Suzanne (remember the post, Generation Gap: Why some Asian elders bug me?). Here's a tip from when I was a kid: If the bowl of pho is too hot for your child, add an ice cube to the bowl to cool it down. That's how I got trained!

Travel Tips to Saigon: Where to Go, What to Eat

We’re heading into the peak travel season to Vietnam – the winter time when the heat subsides a little in the south, it gets cold in the north, and dreary damp in the central region. This may seem weird but for those of us not used to extreme humidity or heat, winter is the best time to go to Vietnam. Many people are gearing up for their trips abroad and I have recently been receiving more inquiries about where to go and what to eat in Vietnam – one of the major travel destinations these days. I don’t know why I’ve not done this before but I’m going to run a short series of postings based around the major tourist and travel hubs: Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh City), Hue, and Hanoi.

Things change rapidly in Vietnam – it’s like a wild frontier land – so feel free to add your tips and insights below. It’s hard to keep up with the latest and greatest, but we can together build a nice repository of information to share with one another.