Vietnamese Food and Foreign Interactions

Modernized Cuisine

How did the menus that exist now come to be?

First of all Vietnam is a country that suffered various challenges caused by invasions through out history. The biggest impact that was give was the French colonization of Vietnam. Through this tragic event, the most well known, pho and Banh Mi were created. Pho is a type of rice noodle soup that is made by placing rice noodle in a soup of meat with various herbs, Banh Mi is type of sandwich created with a modified version of the French baguette. This also has herbs, meat and other vegetables within it. The culture from France that was deeply implanted in the culture of Vietnam is still visible in modern times in the cuisine of the country.

Vietnamese Food and Nature

Natural Food

How is it so?

Vietnamese food has always been considered healthy for all people around the world for a very simple reason. All the menus do not alter natural ingredients dramatically. Since the beginning of the Vietnamese culture, people have harvested raw ingredients for food and have kept it that way ever since. Although some sauces can be replaced with chemical ingredients, the core parts of the menus such as the vegetables, meat and seafood can simply not be replaced.

It's REALLY Important

Table Manners

Do's

• Wait for the elders to eat first- Those elders too wise ^^
• Men eat first- Sexist, but it's a culture
• Both hands are on the table- To show your not hiding anything
• Personalize the menu- Just get what you want to eat

DO NOT

• Stick chopsticks vertically- It's BAD omen
• Extend legs under the table
• Cough, burp and fart on the table
• Fill bowl to the brim- Sharing is caring and greed is bad

I don't want to do this, but oh well

Vietnamese Cuisine Project (VCP)

Beginning

For this part of the school year, I learnt about the basics of Vietnamese cuisine. I personally think i don't know enough to create a blog about the topic, however I was given the task so I'm gonna do it anyways.

For more information about the analysis I did for this project on the traditional cuisine and etiquette important in the culture just simply continue readin.

Summer of 2013 (Part 4)

Trip to Korea (Part 4)

4th Day

So, the 4th day we decided to go back to Seoul.

(Well, we kinda stayed in the outskirt of Seoul so more like move to the center of Seoul ^^)

We took the subway {Line 3 (Bundang-->Jon-lo 3ga) --> Line 1(Jon-lo 3ga-->Seoul Station)} and arrived at the first and biggest station of Korea, the Seoul Station!!

The one on the right is the original building of the station (currently used as a museum/gallery) and the one on the left is the one actually used currently. At the time there was a modern art gallery going on in the old building so we decided to check it out and the building while doing so. 

We decided to check out South Korea's #1relic, The Great Gate of the South Sung-Le-Moon.

It was a 5min walk from Seoul Station and there are trees along the way so no direct sunlight ^^.

There are shops (more like carts with small refrigerators) so getting thirsty shouldn't be a problem.
Sung-Le-Moon was burnt down by this idiot few years back, and they just reopened it not too long ago. They tried to recreate what it would've looked like in the past when it was first built so the colors are really vivid. Example being the ceiling and the gateway.

It was pretty awesome to see a building from over a 100 years ago (Although it went through refurbishment, the aura it gives out is pretty magnificent ^^)

One of the cool sights to go to in Seoul is the Hanok village. Hanoks are simply traditional houses in Korea made in the past. Whats cool about this village was that it's full of the houses of nobles. In other words, the houses have a reasonable big size and are elegant. Bottom line, it just looks really awesome!

Just some of my favorite sceneries of the place ^^

Our tour for the day was over by the time we finished going around the Hanok Village, so we went to get a bite and came home by 10:00.


Twas a historical day ^^ 

Summer of 2013 (Part 3)

Trip to Korea (Part 3)

3rd Day

Although we were going to our own country, I haven't seen much of the country 

and we only had a WEEK!!! So on the third day of our summer trip, we went to the city of awesomeness 'Chun-cheon'. 

We took the ITX from Yong-san station to Chun-cheon station. (It took about 1hrs 30mins)

The trains are amazing since its only been 2 years since it was first open, and theres a 

SHOP (more like a cart) with food & drinks!!!

*Note: there are tons of older citizens ^^

 

We went straight to the only station named after a person in Korea 'Kim-Yu-Jeong station'.

The internet said it was fancy, but I swear to you the only abnormal thing about this station is the building. Its shaped like a traditional noble man's house.

*The guy in the picture's my dad ^^

By the time we arrived at the main city (Kim-Yu-Jeong station is right outside the main city) it was time for Lunch (Best time of the day ^^)!!!! We went to a restaurant that sold a type of mixed noodles called 'mak-guk-su'. Mak-guk-su is made out of buckwheat noodles with a spicy sauce and vegetables. It's a summer delight with blended ice in the sauce, its amazing in a country where the unspoken rule is 

NO AIRCONDITIONING!!!!

 I forgot to mention this above, but Kim-Yu-Jeong is a famous writer in Korea (His pretty much the William Shakespeare of Korea), and because of this, the house he used to live in is a museum!! I know the word museum doesn't exactly have a positive connotation, but this ones pretty cool. The buildings are old looking (and its old) so the mood it creates is awesome. And theres this place called a jeong-ja, it was where men of the house or guests hanged out during the summer to grab a cup of tea.

The jung-ja has so much class doesn't it? I think so..... perhaps you too? ^^

By the end of this tour, all three of us pretty much worn out, so we decide to go to a restaurant where they sell chicken ribs. Did you know..... theres a whole section of chicken ribs in a market???
Pretty cool huh? (In my opinion ^^) I was too busy eating, so....... no photos ^^ --> but the power of the internet!!!

Twas a busy day ^^

Summer of 2013 (Part 2)

Trip to Korea! (Part 2)

2nd Day

The day after we had arrived from Dubai (where I currently live) to Korea, we decided to go to the heart of the country. The capital, Seoul. 

The very first cathedral of Korea (btw.... I'm christian not catholic ^^)

After the never ending walk from the subway to the cathedral and back, we went to In-sa-dong.

The mecca of tourists in Seoul full of foreigners!!

We went to this traditional Korean café called 'Ji-de-bang'. They sell traditional teas made from berries and other types of Korean medicine (It doesn't taste bad as it sounds). I ordered this thing called a
 'Pat-bing-soo' which is a cold Korean desert made with blended ice, jelly, canned fruits, milk, sugarfied  red beans.

Twas a good day ^^