Afterschool treats
First day of school is exciting. After a long break, we got up early again, felt motivated, felt ready to be hardworking. This may be the only day in the semester we get up early by choice, but let us not stress that. We checked our emails to see if the professor is in town and will hold class. Yes he is. He even came on time and commented on the president’s inauguration speech, not that there is much to comment. We hung around the undergraduate lounge, tried to read, but we were still in web-surfing mode. Our friends saw us for the first time after 5 weeks, some said they built a fence over the break, some said some said they shouldn’t have drunk so much the night before, some expected this to be an easy last semester. The usual day, the usual bunch. Our professor asked us what on earth is going on with our other professor, from whom we hadn’t heard since our last email 2 weeks ago, so we truthfully said we have no idea. We heard, but couldn’t focus during the lecture, mind wandering what should we blog about today. We forgot to bring lunch because we felt so motivated in the morning. We had only 1 class today from 12:45-2:00, but we were hungry.

School kids in Vietnam have vendors waiting for them outside the school gate. As soon as they get out, they swamp the vendors’ modest environs. Clockwise from bottom southwest:
– banh khoai mi nuong (baked cassava banh): white, firm, sleek, sweet. Too sweet, maybe? Easily tiresome after a few bites.
– banh su kem (chou à la crème – cream puff): avec du chocolat pour la présentation seulement. More chocolat et less pastry would have been nice. Too little creme inside. But I do prefer these bite-sized hollow balls to monstrous orange-sized puffs in Vietnamese boulangeries.
– banh cam (“orange” banh): sesame ball is the commonly identification in America, which obviously makes more sense than “orange” balls, when the balls contain absolutely no orange or citric element. Perhaps it refers to orange the color, eh? Or the shape? Another item seriously shrunk after immigration. It was actually the size of a small orange when it was in Vietnam. Sugared bean paste inside, deep fried flour shell outside. Best freshly made. Soon afterwards, the crunch leaves and each bite is a stream of oil. The thinner the shell is, the less oily the ball is. Average snack.
– banh bo nuong (toasted banh bo): so… bò is beef (like pho bo, you know…), but fear not, this dessert does not contain animal product, much less animal flesh. Why call it bò? Perhaps because it looks like cow tripe? Who knows. Just leavened rice flour. I can’t tell if it has sugar or whatever else. It’s just light. Fluffy, lightly sweet, lightly sour. Untoasted banh bo is white like a feather ball. Toasting is supposed to strengthen both the texture and the taste. I had never liked it, because of the sourness, and I don’t now.
This is what the dessert selection at Kim Son has become after they stopped serving dau hu nuoc duong (soft tofu in sugar water). Do I regret not eating from vendors when I could? Maybe. I don’t know most street foods, don’t know who make them best, don’t know how differently they taste compared to their Americanized cousins. But wherever it is, however it’s made, dessert is like the first day of school, not too much of a celebration in its honest self, simple or extravagant, it’s a delight we all look forward to.




강남구구단 방문을 준비하고 있다면 가격 구성, 이용 방식, 예약 절차와 위치 확인사항을 살펴보세요. 인원·시간에 따른 상담 항목과 자주 묻는 질문을 한곳에 정리했습니다.
1I liked up to you will obtain carried out right here. The comic strip is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. however, you command get bought an edginess over that you want be delivering the following. sick indisputably come further beforehand once more as exactly the same nearly very frequently inside case you shield this increase.
2Good, I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Excellent task.
3Well I truly enjoyed studying it. This tip offered by you is very useful for proper planning.
4I really treasure your work, Great post.
5Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
6Hello my family member! I wish to say that this article is amazing, great written and include almost all vital infos. I would like to look more posts like this .
7Many thanks for sharing such interesting post. I truly enjoy your blog. Thank you for allowing me to comment on your blog post. I look forward to more informative publications from you in the coming days.
8Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
9Thank you for every other excellent post. The place else may just anybody get that kind of information in such a perfect manner of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the look for such info.
10I’m impressed, I need to say. Actually hardly ever do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me inform you, you might have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is excellent; the problem is one thing that not sufficient people are talking intelligently about. I’m very pleased that I stumbled across this in my seek for something regarding this.
11It’s actually a cool and useful piece of info. I’m satisfied that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
12Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem with your web site in internet explorer, would test this… IE still is the market leader and a big portion of people will miss your fantastic writing due to this problem.
13Very interesting topic, appreciate it for posting.
14Would love to constantly get updated great weblog! .
15F*ckin’ tremendous things here. I am very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
16Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I will certainly comeback.
17I consider something truly special in this website .
18Excellent site. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your sweat!
19I was studying some of your blog posts on this internet site and I believe this website is rattling informative ! Keep on putting up.
20This is a very good tips especially to those new to blogosphere, brief and accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
21I savour, cause I discovered exactly what I was looking for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
22Awsome site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am taking your feeds also
23I want meeting useful info, this post has got me even more info! .
24This is a very good tips especially to those new to blogosphere, brief and accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
25Valuable information. Lucky me I found your website accidentally, and I am stunned why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
26Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.
27I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
28I believe this site holds very superb indited content material blog posts.
29Some truly good info , Gladiola I detected this. “What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens.” by Thaddeus Golas.
30I don’t normally comment but I gotta say appreciate it for the post on this one :D.
31