As I mentioned in my last weekly blog post, for the next few weeks I will focus on reading my literature works for my project. Originally, I planned to finish my readings earlier on, but visiting the various schools took a larger portion of my time than I expected. However, I feel that reading my literature after I have been here for a while might not be a bad idea because after experiencing life here in Vietnam for over a month, I now have my own personal insight and opinions to better understand the book.
I spent this week (finally) finishing up Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table by Graham Holliday. For all of those who have been here with me since week one can recall that I started this book before arriving to the beautiful city of Saigon. I can gladly say that I give the book a 10/10 and highly recommend to those who want to experience Vietnam from the comfort of his home. Even though Holliday's entertaining travel memoir was written in the late 90's, everything he depicts is still accurate and highly relatable until this day. From my experience on top of reading this book, I can confirm two things:
1.) Vietnamese people take food very seriously, especially breakfast.
Not to say other cuisines don't take food seriously, but specifically in Vietnam, people here are "always eating, cooking, and talking about eating and cooking." In America, we Americans find happiness in enjoying a bagel, a bowl of cereal, or a simple acai bowl when waking up in the morning. (Or if you're anything like me, you just grab whatever fruit you can scavenge off the the counter and try to beat the clock.) However, in Vietnam, restaurants and outside shops are open at 5am on the dot and ready to serve there loyal customers before they head out to work. And, if you want to follow the rule of the thumb for finding good Vietnamese food, Holliday suggests looking for the restaurants located outside in your typical narrow alleyway serving one dish. Why one dish? Because they serve only what they can make the best so no need for bulky menus and debating about what to eat. These stands will open for a couple of hours and sell out by 10am. However, these "breakfast items" are not any different from their lunch or dinner items. I will include a picture of a breakfast menu below for reference. Each item is fully packed with healthy nutrients and the freshness ensures quality food.
2.) It's more convenient to buy food than make food yourself.
Vietnamese dishes will usually take a long time to prepare. The broth for pho, a beef noodle soup, can take up to 8 hours to cook to allow the flavor of the beef bones to be fully tasted. The morning stands that sell these dishes can be found at every corner and costs less than a $1. Most of the students here can confirm they eat out before heading to school because it is quick, easy, and convenient, while ensuring a well-balanced breakfast for the student to tackle the day.
Come back next week as I start The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and his critique on the American way of eating.
Thank you all so much for reading and see you back next week!
Best,
Crystal Vo
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| A breakfast menu at a restaurant in Vietnam. (~20,000 Vietnamese dong is a $1USD) |
It's interesting to hear that in Vietnam, it's better to eat out than cook and prepare your own meal. America is quite the opposite. I look forward to hearing about your next book!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting stuff Crystal!! I really need to do a better job of eating breakfast in the morning, given that I never really eat anything in the morning. Also, I like that part where you mention that here in America, we value our time more than our health. We constantly trying to beat the clock, that we forget to do what's necessary to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week, and I look forward to seeing you upon your return home!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really interesting that they value breakfast most, because in America, even though we hear that breakfast is the most important meal, that's the meal we tend to neglect. I feel like encouraging stores that only make one item is a very cultural thing, because it's the same in India. Keep up the good work!
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