Sandwich shop goodies 14 – Bánh da lợn (pig skin pie)
This is no stranger in the Vietnamese food biz: the layered pastry that gets its name from looking like pork belly, except green and yellow. Of course it doesn’t contain any pork skin, it’s sweet, sometimes may even be too sweet. Dad used to buy a whole pie home, as big as a platter and as warm as a father’s hand. From that same bakery somewhere in the market alley, he would buy bánh chuối nướng (bread pudding) too, which I always preferred to the bánh da lợn. But thinking back on those days when we lived near Bà Chiểu Market, it was certainly the best pig skin pie I ever ate.
Many years have passed, and many bánh da lợn have been eaten by me, both in its homeland and across the seas. The best way, I figured, to slaughter these chewy beasts is to peel off the layers one by one, when it’s warm. That wet, smooth skin of tapioca flour, when warm, is fragile. You don’t want to break it while peeling, and you want to drop it whole in your mouth to wrestle with its resilience, all the while inhaling the sweetness of pandan leaves and vanilla fused in its tone.
Simply put, a cold “pig skin” is a dead “pig skin”. A warm mung bean paste layer is also less sweet than a cold one, and thank goodness the bean layers are always one fewer than their tapioca neighbors. The pies Dad bought from that market bakery would have white chewy layers too, and the green ones didn’t look radioactive green like those we get from sandwich shops these days. Ah marketing strategies, just like somewhere in Vietnam someone thought of calling it “bánh chín tầng mây” (cloud nine pie) (because pork skin doesn’t ring any two-cent poetic sound), or when the tapioca layer turns dark purple, because of either magenta plant‘s leaf extract or food coloring, and the bean layer light purple because of taro.
Whatever the case, the original bánh da lợn is still the best. I looked through 51 pages of Google search for its origin, which seems likely lost through generations of home cooking and street food mingling. You see, it was never really a praiseworthy, historically recorded invention in the kitchen. There’s no village or province associated with the best bánh da lợn. It’s probably from the South, even if “lợn” is the Northern word for “pig”. It’s a product from a steamer, it’s cheap, it has texture, kids like it, Dad likes it. That’s all I know.
And by the way, Alpha Bakery & Deli sells some good, thinly sliced, warm numbers for a buck fifty.
Address: Alpha Bakery & Deli (inside Hong Kong City Mall)
11209 Bellaire Blvd # C-02
Houston, TX 77072-2548
(281) 988-5222
Previously on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh xu xê (couple cookie)
Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh quy (turtle mochi)
It is the best time to make some plans for the long run and it’s time to be happy. I have read this submit and if I may just I desire to counsel you some interesting issues or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read even more things about it!
1Whats Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & assist other users like its helped me. Good job.
2I like this weblog very much, Its a really nice office to read and find information. “Words are like leaves and where they most abound, Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found.” by Alexander Pope.
3I am glad to be one of several visitants on this outstanding web site (:, appreciate it for putting up.
4Would you be considering exchanging hyperlinks?
5Thanks a lot for giving everyone such a special chance to read in detail from this blog. It is always so amazing plus stuffed with amusement for me and my office acquaintances to visit your web site no less than 3 times per week to find out the newest guides you have got. And definitely, I’m just always astounded for the eye-popping tricks you give. Certain 2 ideas in this posting are certainly the most efficient we’ve had.
6I’m impressed, I have to say. Really rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me let you know, you will have hit the nail on the head. Your thought is excellent; the problem is something that not enough individuals are speaking intelligently about. I’m very glad that I stumbled throughout this in my seek for one thing referring to this.
7Regards for helping out, wonderful information. “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” by J. K. Rowling.
8I love it when people come together and share opinions, great blog, keep it up.
9I’ll immediately seize your rss feed as I can not to find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly permit me recognise in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
10I conceive this website holds some very wonderful info for everyone. “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.” by Diogenes.
11Some genuinely nice and utilitarian info on this site, as well I believe the style contains fantastic features.
12I will immediately grab your rss as I can not to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly let me understand in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
13Very interesting topic, thankyou for posting. “The maxim of the British people is ‘Business as Usual.'” by Sir Winston Leonard Spenser Churchill.
14I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this web site. I am hoping the same high-grade website post from you in the upcoming as well. Actually your creative writing skills has encouraged me to get my own web site now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a great example of it.
15Pretty portion of content. I simply stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact loved account your weblog posts. Any way I will be subscribing for your augment or even I fulfillment you get admission to consistently fast.
16Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and web and this is really frustrating. A good website with interesting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this website, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
17I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
18Wonderful blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it
19I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
20The heart of your writing while appearing reasonable originally, did not sit properly with me after some time. Someplace within the paragraphs you actually managed to make me a believer unfortunately just for a short while. I however have a problem with your leaps in assumptions and one might do well to help fill in those breaks. If you actually can accomplish that, I would undoubtedly end up being fascinated.
21of course like your web-site however you need to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very troublesome to tell the reality however I’ll surely come again again.
22obviously like your website but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the truth on the other hand I will surely come again again.
23I am very happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
24Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is excellent blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
25I like this blog so much, saved to bookmarks.
26excellent publish, very informative. I wonder why the opposite specialists of this sector do not understand this. You should proceed your writing. I’m sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!
27fantastic post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector don’t notice this. You should continue your writing. I am sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!
28An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
29Some truly nice stuff on this website , I enjoy it.
30I’d have to examine with you here. Which is not one thing I usually do! I take pleasure in reading a post that may make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to comment!
31WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..extra wait .. …
32Hey would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
33Keep working ,impressive job!
34I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my problem. You’re wonderful! Thanks!
35I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again
36Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
37This web site can be a walk-by way of for all of the data you wished about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and also you’ll undoubtedly uncover it.
38Admiring the hard work you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
39Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
40Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will definitely return.
41I’ve read several just right stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot attempt you put to create such a fantastic informative website.
42With havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright violation? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any techniques to help protect against content from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
43Thanks for helping out, excellent information. “If at first you don’t succeed, find out if the loser gets anything.” by Bill Lyon.
44Hi there, I found your blog via Google while looking for a related topic, your site came up, it looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
45I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this website has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
46Thank you for some other informative site. The place else may I am getting that kind of information written in such a perfect method? I’ve a challenge that I’m simply now working on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such information.
47This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen
48Hello! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no backup. Do you have any methods to protect against hackers?
49Wohh exactly what I was searching for, regards for posting.
50