#We went out to eat Asian though so now I smell like noodles

[donuts4evry1]

DJ IWASHAKO!!!!

[vandnana]

Loving You Is Easy

Part One��

When I decided to leave home at eighteen, I knew that things would never be the same. But then again, that’s exactly what I craved. Living with them made me realize that I was never home. Talking to them made me realize that my words were locked. Listening to them made me realize that I didn’t know who I was. So many moments between my creators could have easily led to this epiphany, but one conversation sent me out the door with no other thought except escape. 

“If you just applied for a school closer to here, then things would be easier for you.”

My mother stared at me, her eyebrows furrowed in slight annoyance.

I glared back at her with the same visible annoyance.

“Easier for me, or easier for you? Why can’t you just let me be on my own?”

I could see her eyes enflame, but she closed them to calm herself.

“Because you can never be on your own. You need me. You always have. Who pays for your school now? Who pays your insurance? Who clothes you and feeds you and lets you live in this house? Show some respect. I’m your mother.”

I remember looking at her, stunned. 

Isn’t that what a mother is supposed to do? Aren’t mothers supposed to give their unconditional love to you? Aren’t they supposed to clothe you and feed you and shelter you? I understood the privilege of having my school and insurance paid for, but those basic, bare minimum things...do I really owe her so much for fulfilling her responsibility as a mother? Do I really have to be chained to her side because of her choice to keep me alive?

I remember walking away from her without a word, and after that, I left the house with a single bag and money I had saved in my piggy bank. I left no note and no notice. I knew that if I didn’t leave right then and there, my tether would grow tighter and tighter until my own inevitable suffocation.

Despite that house being filled with people, people that were meant to encourage me and love me and cherish me, I was always lonely. But stepping out of that door forever, made that loneliness leave me.

I booked a plane to the concrete jungle, where no one would bat an eye at me, no one would wonder what my story was, no one would care what I was doing, where I was going. Only I would care. I truly thought that I wanted to be this selfish with my choices because I was never able to before. I had to think about what everyone else wanted before myself. I had to choose with the ideas of my mother and father in mind. But loneliness found me soon again as I wandered the streets for days. 

No home. No family. No one but myself to keep me company. I took refuge in a decent motel, but as I stayed longer, the more expensive it got. Yet, still, I couldn’t ignore the possibilities for me. They were so endless and I was lost. So engrossed in this feeling of misguided direction that I started to believe poisoned thoughts I created in my own head. I believed that was how I would be lost forever- my punishment for leaving the one thing that was familiar to me. My mind was poisoned with the thought that this misguided freedom was the worse alternative to the material things that my parents had given me. I tried my best to shake that thought away for a while, but it never fully left me. 

Only when I was cloaked with sudden kindness in the middle of an Asian bakery, so unassuming and so fractal, did that feeling fade away. 

I remember the morning was cold. I checked out of the motel I was staying in and walked out into the early bustle of the city. I aimlessly walked around, not knowing what to do with myself. I knew I needed a job, but I needed a place to stay too. I let myself pretend that I had some grand destination and increased my pace to match those beside me, people that actually had places to go.

Somehow I ended up in Korea Town, and I observed the shops and restaurants around me. I wanted to eat inside of this one noodle restaurant, but I didn’t want to sit alone. Looking out into the street, a bakery caught my eye.

The bell dinged as I stepped through the door, and instantly the head of an older Asian woman came out to greet me. Just like all older Asian ladies, she sensed that I was practically starving and offered me more than I had paid for. She looked at me with such genuine concern, a look I still wasn’t used to. I ate quietly on a stool by her display window, but watching me eat was not enough to satisfy her worries. She pulled up a chair next to me and asked me who I was, where I came from, my whole life. I hesitated to tell her the whole truth, but being truthful to a stranger was more comforting than talking to anyone I’d ever known. 

Immediately, she offered her place to me and told me that I could work in her shop. I couldn’t process her kindness at all and I sat there looking at her with wide eyes. She took that as a yes. 

Her apartment was conveniently right above the shop. She led me to the back of the shop where the stairs leading up to her place were. They were wooden creaky stairs with rails that I didn’t trust. She still held them though. The ceiling was not that high, but both me and her didn’t have the height to prompt crouching. We reached the last step, and I looked around her apartment that was surprisingly spacious. 

Greeting us at the top of the stairs was a shrine for the Virgin Mary, ornate with rosaries, prayer books, and a sizable statue of the Lady right in the center. She began her tour, walking me through the kitchen which acted as an extended hallway to her small dining area. Unlike the kitchen I had left behind, this one had no island in the middle and no dishwasher. The refrigerator and oven were on the left with two countertops separating them. On the other side, were four more counters and the sink. Above them were cabinets that I assumed held dishes, glasses, and containers of butter that were meant to be tupperware.  

Onward, she led me to her table with four chairs, where she told me we would eat breakfast together everyday. I smiled at the thought. We weaved our way through another open area that had a desk and multiple racks only filled with hangers, past her bedroom (which she pointed to), and back to the main hallway near the stairs and shrine. Leading me toward the right part of her apartment, she showed me her living room, which had windows that were just above the front of the shop and then she pointed to a door adjacent to the windows. 

“That will be your room,” then she gave directions to the bathroom on the other side of the wall.

The whole time, I was silent, still speechless over her kindness. She remained with me in the living room, waiting for me to say something, probably knowing that I was overwhelmed. I felt comforted by her presence though, not daunted. 

“Th-Thank you,” I started, “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

She smiled at me warmly and patted my back, and as she looked at me I realized something. 

I didn’t even know her name.

She started to walk away, her hand motioning for me to enter the room, but I stopped to ask her name.

“You can call me Mrs. Park. I’ll be down in the shop if you need me.” She beamed, walking away toward the stairs. 

My heart was grateful, and I wanted her to know that I wasn’t taking advantage of her. 

I dropped my bag off in the room quickly, barely taking in what it looked like, and went downstairs. Finding an apron hanging on a rack near the kitchen, I put it on. 

“Mrs. Park, I want to help you!”

She peeked out from the kitchen with that same warm smile from before. 

“I knew that you were a good girl from the minute I saw you! So, how are you with cash registers? I’ll need you at the front because of your good looks.” 

I laughed at her lightheartedness, and made my way to the front. Luckily, I already knew what all of the pastries were in the shop, and I knew how to speak Korean if I needed to, so I wasn’t worried.

It was around five in the afternoon. The rush of customers passed quickly, and people were looking for a meal, rather than a light snack. Still, I was at the front tending to customers that came in here and there. Some just wanted to ogle at the pastries with no intention of buying anything, an act I usually found annoying. Yet, my heart was warm, the warmest it had been in a long time. And I didn’t think i could feel a warmer feeling in my life. Of course, I was wrong.

I was peering into the display, taking note of the pastries that would need to be replaced soon, when the door swung open and I heard a deep, velvety voice resonate throughout the entire place.

“Halmeoni, did you miss me?”

Looking up from the display, I saw a tall guy that looked about my age wearing a black hat that covered his facial features slightly. The only feature I could fully see were his ears, which promptly stuck out of his hat. I could tell that he was smiling though. He had his long arms deep in his dark blue bomber jacket and he wore loose pants and black converse. He met my eyes for a second and I smiled at him, before Mrs. Park practically threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly, and I went into the back to let them have their moment. It seemed they hadn’t seen one another in a long time. 

Minutes passed while they caught up with each other. I let myself wander through the kitchen, observing everything. Earlier in the day, she gave me a tour, showing me all the necessary components and gadgets and thingies I needed to know about, but I never took it all in. 

Mrs. Park was a neat lady. I could tell that everything, from a dish towel hung on a rack to a knife placed on the counter, was meticulously placed. Most of her appliances all matched in shiny silver, but her utensils, cookware, and even her towels, all had cute characters on them. A rolling pin dusted in flour had laughing frogs plastered on the handles, and the cutting board underneath, was lined with dancing sheep around its perimeter. I made my way to the other side of the area, a sweet smell drawing me toward the pastry warmer. Maybe it was because I was getting hungrier by the minute, but up until that moment, I didn’t notice how amazing the bakery smelled. The sweetness in the air engulfed my senses, and it was all I could focus on, until Mrs. Park called out to me. 

“I was wondering where you went! Come and meet my grandson!” She exclaimed, grabbing my hand gently and leading me back to the front of the store. 

Sitting at the same stool I was just hours before, he turned his head to look at me and grinned sweetly. His hat was off, and I could finally see what he looked like. 

His face didn’t match the deep, silkiness of his voice, but I was charmed by it. Everything about his face was kind, but looking in his eyes there was something else inside of him, something that I couldn’t put into words back then.

He got up from the stool to shake my hand, and when our hands touched, an overwhelming warmth from his hand embraced the coldness of my own. He made no comment about the contrast, and introduced himself. 

“I’m Chanyeol, her most handsome grandson.” He greeted, the tone of his voice shocking me again. 

Mrs. Park chided him by slapping his arm, and he winced playfully. She rolled her eyes and I laughed.

“I’m June.” I greeted, looking down at our interlocked hands that kept in contact for longer than usual. 

For some reason it didn’t really feel awkward that our hands remained together, and it felt endless. We smiled as we looked down at them, as if they were meant to be this way--together. 

Mrs. Park snapped us both out of our trance by talking about me living with her and we quickly separated, that overwhelming warmth still lingering in my palm. 

I expected Chanyeol to withdraw his warmth completely and protest his grandma’s kindness toward me. He was here for a reason, and I had just noticed the suitcase at his side. In my mind, I readied myself to leave.

“It’s fine if I stay too right? I’ll take the couch.” He said, that new, yet familiar homeliness still clung to his voice. 

I was shocked, a shock that only I was aware of in the now empty shop. I questioned where I was in space and time. 

Did people this kind really exist? Am I really in the midst of them?

I put my hands up in protest, “No, you take the bedroom. I’m lucky to even be staying here at all.”

Chanyeol began his interjection, but was interrupted by his grandma, who slyly revealed her own ulterior motives.

“Why don’t you two just share the bedroom. It’s big enough for the two of you.” She said with a suggestive tone coated in feigned innocence. I could tell that she enjoyed watching us both interact, and because she is both a grandmother and Asian, she noticed how long our hands were glued together. 

Chanyeol and I laughed at her forwardness, and memories of the place I left suddenly rushed in my brain. I remembered the rules that I had almost forgotten, those rules that I always liked to ignore when they weren’t around. And as I remembered how much I ignored that fine line my parents set between boys and girls, I hardly noticed Chanyeol touching the back of his neck shyly as he looked at me. 

I didn’t mind sharing a room with him, and I couldn’t refuse the suggestion of the woman that was kind enough to let me stay in her home. Once I agreed, I looked at Chanyeol, who was visibly relieved, and it was only then that I noticed his nervousness, which I mistook as embarrassment, not endearment toward me. I laughed at the thought of him being insecure about something like his loud snoring. 

Once we all realized we were intensely hungry, Mrs. Park decided to close the shop early. I offered to clean up the shop while she cooked dinner, but she protested, insisting that Chanyeol do it. He decided to compromise, saying that we would clean the shop together. Her smile showed her satisfaction and she directed me to a clean-up list posted on the kitchen wall. Chanyeol and I looked it over as she made her way up the stairs. 

We decided to divide the work in half, and I asked him what he wanted to do. He put his finger up to the list, mulling over his six options, when I noticed a cut on the top of his hand.

“Actually Chanyeol, I’ll wash the dishes, wipe the counters, and throw away the trash.” I decided, walking away toward the sink, leaving him stunned in front of the list. 

He eyed me quizzically at my sudden decisiveness. “What if I wanted to do the dishes?”

Piling up what needed to be washed already, then setting them down in the sink, I walked over to a cabinet and grabbed the first-aid kit. Ripping open an alcohol pad and a band-aid, I held up his hand, the warmth wrapping around my own, cleaned his cut, then smoothed the band-aid over it. 

“You have a cut on your hand.” I said simply, letting his hand go before I returned to my dishes. 

More focused on cleaning the shop well, I hardly talked to Chanyeol after that. I was too grateful to his grandma to make small talk that I thought would distract me from doing my best work. There was a moment in my head where I felt inclined to talk to him, thinking that Mrs. Park would be pleased to hear that we were getting along, but this was the way I had always thought. Everything I had ever done was influenced by the opinions, the praises, the considerations of other people. Even though I had cut the tether, I still felt suffocated. My true thoughts were clouded by the restricted way of life that distorted my mind, and while there were rules I ignored when they weren’t around, that was just a rebellion only I ever knew about. I didn’t know how to reconcile who I was with them, and who I was alone. I still wanted to know him, and I wanted him to know me, even though I wasn’t sure who that was. 

I didn’t notice Chanyeol’s many glances at me and the many attempts he made to get closer to talk. Every step he took, I walked away, ready to clean the next thing, completely oblivious by his efforts. Yet, he wasn’t turned off by my focus or my silence, rather curious and amused. 

He spent a good while looking at the band-aid I had put on him, deciding right there, that he liked me. 

It didn’t take us long to finish, and the last thing to do was throw away the trash. There were three bags in total, and Chanyeol was happy when I finally uttered words to ask for his help. Going back inside, I rolled Chanyeol’s suitcase toward him, motioning him to go upstairs as I closed all of the lights. Unlike his grandma and I, he needed to crouch as he ascended the stairs, and even at the top, his stature towered over everything. 

The smell of Mrs. Park’s cooking permeated through the entire apartment, sending me into a daze over the day. I walked to the bedroom and Chanyeol following me silently, so silently that I hit him with the door as I tried to close it. I opened the door to find him holding his forehead with his eyes closed. Immediately I touched his cheeks worried, like I’d known him long enough to have permission to do so. 

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that. God, your steps are so quiet. Are you okay?” I asked, concern falling over my furrowed eyebrows. He took his hands off his forehead to put them over mine. 

“Yeah, I’m good. You’d think that a tall guy like me would have louder steps right?” He laughed, and I was reassured.

 I let myself sigh in relief and I took my hands off his cheeks. If I was more observant, I would have noticed his ears turning red. But, I was too engulfed by my own embarrassment to notice the effect I had on him. 

He wheeled his suitcase in, then sprawled out onto the bed with a huge sigh. I walked to my bag I had thrown on the floor, rummaging through it for a hair tie and tying my hair up into a ponytail. I looked around the room closely for the first time, taking in everything. The walls were painted white and the floor had tan carpeting. The bed, adorned with a cute bedding that matched Mrs. Park’s kitchenware, was in the middle of the room, big enough for both Chanyeol and I. 

I let my mind wander at the thought of what it would be like to sleep next to him, to have him hold me tightly around my waist or to lay against his chest. These thoughts didn’t arise because I wanted to do these things with him specifically. It was just easier to imagine him in this daydream. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be sleeping next to him because we weren’t anything to each other. We were barely friends. But, it was a nice thought that overwhelmed my feelings about what I had been through. I was always lonely where I used to live and having someone hold me was only ever a fantasy, not a possibility. He could feel me staring and quickly sat up to meet my gaze, which I averted toward the lamp next to the bed. He tilted his head curiously at me, and I expected him to make a comment about my staring, but he didn’t.

I continued to observe the room, turning my head toward the dresser across the bed, a small TV atop it with a few picture frames carefully placed on each side of it. I turned in place as I looked at the walls, which had posters of people that I assumed were Korean celebrities and singers. 

Chanyeol noticed me observing the room and got up from his position on the bed. He started naming all of the people in the posters, who were all musicians he looked up to, the biggest poster being of Lee Moon Sae, his childhood hero. His eyes grew bigger in excitement as he explained all of his favorite musicians to me, his many talents and hobbies, his passion for music, and it was then that I realized Chanyeol wasn’t a shy person at all. I learned more about him in five minutes than friends I had known for years. Those friends I believed were friends at least.

“This used to be my room when I was in high school. My grandma’s lived in New York since I was seven and I left Korea to live with her. She never took my posters down, but I guess she couldn’t wait to change the bedding.” He explained, smiling at the sheets with happy animals holding hands.

“Hmm, I really would have thought these sheets would be your first choice.” I teased, walking over to sit on the bed. Amused by my teasing, he laughed, then sat dangerously close to me, his hands leaned back and his knees touching mine.

He looked at me, and unlike before, I met his gaze, our eyes fixated on each other. I felt like looking away, like I wasn’t allowed to stare at him, but somehow I let myself be engulfed by the atmosphere we had suddenly created. The bubbly warmth he created with his stories remained, but another magic entered the air and circled around us. I found myself smiling dumbly at him, not knowing what else to do. He smiled back even bigger, and that sweet, sweet magic in the air became harder to ignore, but more difficult for me to dissect.

There was something about him that charmed me, and I could feel his warmth beginning to infect where my doubts and apprehensions tried to devour me. Those usual thoughts somehow lost me as his eyes marveled at me with a glowing expression. Unsaid words danced around the room as we stared into each other’s eyes, and I was confused. 

Confused about why he was looking at me this way, and why I didn’t want to look away from him. Confused, because I wasn’t on the outside looking in, I was fully there with him. Confused that it was easy to just be with him and say nothing at all. A comfortable silence surrounded us, almost consuming us fully until the sudden bang of the door swinging open sent Chanyeol flying to the ground in shock.

Mrs. Park entered the room shouting that dinner was ready, her eyes finding Chanyeol on the floor.

“What are you doing on the floor? Get up! It’s time to eat!” She urged, oblivious that she was the reason for his dramatic reaction. 

I couldn’t control the sudden rupture of laughter that formed quickly in my throat. I held my chest in an attempt to control the sudden fit, but I failed. I fell to the floor next to Chanyeol and we laughed obnoxiously together. Mrs. Park’s voice rang through her apartment again, her second shouts threatening to take our food hostage. 

We got up, and Chanyeol gently pushed me out of the door, the ever-growing smell of Mrs. Park’s cooking triggering my stomach’s rumbles.

[5t0ryt1m3]

Mostly just me 3: Food

Third chapter that is mainly a self insert story. Note some of the stuff mentioned in this story are not true but boy do i wish they were.

Tags:  @5am-the-foxing-hour @deceitprotectionsquad @arc852 @madd-catter@okaybirdboy  @a-very-optimistic-realist

Warnings: Mentions of food, parent’s death, and Logan being an angry boi

Word Count: 1333

Patton didn't think the day would come when his family would become friends with a human. Roman went out to find Virgil after an hour of waiting for him to come back and tell them about what happened. The human's kitten had scared Virgil into an anxiety attack and the human rescued him. After calming him down, Virgil went to sleep and the human went to watching t.v. 

Roman than met her and and tried to threaten her. She played along and defuse the situation before Roman joined her to watch the show. He said that he may have accidentally mentioned Logan and Patton when talking with her. 

Logan was furious with Roman to say the least, borrowers weren't supposed to talk to humans at all! He mentioned how the human wasn't going to harm them and how the human wasn't even angry like most other humans would be. Patton wanted to meet the human now, Roman said that Virgil was still with her as he had no way of safety getting him down to his room. Patton really wanted to meet this human and be friends with her. Logan wanted to leave as soon as they could, humans would never be friends with borrowers. Patton would digress, the human of the house didn't seem to mind them so why leave. As Roman lead the other two, Patton wondered if the human was doing with Virgil. Logan thought the worst but Patton wanted to think that she was letting him sleep somewhere. As they come out in the underside of the couch, a warm smell came to their noses. Just the smell alone made their mouths water. 

They ran out into the open and didn't find the human. They could only guess that she was in the kitchen cooking if there was that mouthwatering smell wafting though the air. The ground shook as the human walked around the kitchen. Roman ran over to the bottom of the counter to climb it. Patton and Logan followed him up. 

Patton first saw Virgil sitting by a bowel filled with some kind of human food. He was watching the human as she cooked by the stove top. 

"Virgil, how are you?" Roman asked approaching their younger brother. Virgil turned to the older three, 

"Still a little sleepy but had to wake up. She needed to make dinner." 

 "I still don't see why we have to met her, borrowers normally don't get along with humans all that well." Logan muttered, the human caught eye of the four males. 

"Virgil, Roman, are these your brothers?" 

"Yes miss. I am the oldest, Patton and this is Logan, the third oldest." Patton introduced himself as the human smiled. 

"I am Caroline but I prefer Carrie please. And no miss, there is no need to formal here." 

"Salutations Caroline." Logan greeted rather robotic, Patton's smile dipped a little at his brother's tone. Carrie however either didn't mind or didn't hear the tone. 

 "What are you making Carrie?" Patton asked his mouth dipped with saliva looking at the food behind the human. She smiled brighter, 

 "Stir Fry. A fantastic dish that combines every taste the tongue can taste with mouth watering vegetables and meat. The dish even has its own noodles to go with it all." Carrie's description made Patton's mouth water even more, combined with the smell and - growl! Everyone either turned or just looked right at Logan. His cheeks red from embarrassment his stomach's growl. He looked down only a second later; Carrie smile, her stormy blue grey orbs filled with amusement. 

 "I am guessing you all are hungry? Would you like to join for dinner?" Patton couldn't believe his ears, was this human willing to share her food with them? She didn't let them answer as she started to finish said dinner. Soon she had a plate of the stir fry and placed it near the four males. 

"Why don't you four try it first?" Carrie offered as she started to clean up the mess that was the area around the dish that had the rest of the food. Patton was first to try it; taking a small piece of meat, he bit into it and got an explosion of flavors. It was sweet, salty, bitter, and savory all at once. He took more bites before passing the meat to Virgil. The same flavors were on the noodles and different vegetables. Tho Patton couldn't name said vegetables, he loved how they tasted. Looking to his brothers, he saw that they were enjoying a full stomach for once in their lives, even Logan had a blissful smile on his normally stoic face. A chuckle seem to remind the four where they were. Carrie finished cleaning and had wet cloth in her hands. 

"Here you four, clean yourselves up while I eat. I am glad you like my cooking." The cloth was placed in front of the four and the plate was moved closer to the human. Patton watched as she took two black sticks and used them to lift the food to her mouth. 

 "Why are you using sticks?" Logan asked as she lifted the food to her mouth. 

"These are chopsticks, in Asian country, these are the normal utensils that the humans in those countries use to eat. I tended to eat a lot of foods from those cultures with chopsticks." Carrie explained as she moved the chopsticks to her mouth to eat. The four watched as the chopsticks moved up and down, clicking every time she was done placing the noodles, meat, and vegetables into her mouth. Once finished, the human cleaned up the dishes and put any of the left overs into the fridge. She also cleaned herself a little before turning to the four, 

"Do you have a place to stay where it's warm? Tonight is going to be very cold." 

"We have rooms in the walls where we sleep but they aren't the warmest even during the summer." Virgil responded, a chill went down the borrowers spines. They had to resort to sleeping with each other to converse energy. Carrie nodded as she fed her kitten, 

"I could make you a place to sleep in my room. I have a heater in there so being cold won't be a problem." 

"Why are you being so nice? Most humans don't like us and see us as pest or are overly fascinated with borrowers that our well-being doesn't even matter to them!" Logan questioned, Patton stiffened. He was the only one who knew what happened to Mom and Dad. He didn't like humans ever sense, he had said they took their parents. Virgil was barley five when it happened. 

"I am not like most humans. You ask why I am so nice, the answer is simply because you four are living under my roof. You are only taking things that are necessary to survive. I see nothing wrong with that; I have a big clan mentality, once a member, always a member. And members of the same clan are to help each other out." 

"What if an outsider of this metaphorical clan doesn't want to be a part of your clan?" 

"Who said anything about it being metaphorical?" Carrie full takes off her shirt and turns her back to them. The tiny family gasped when they saw the tattoo. It was two white feathered wings over a roaring tiger. Under it was the words, Tigris Sidera Lapsae, in gorgeous calligraphy, "I am a proud member of the Tigris Sidera Lapsae Clan. The name is Latin for Soaring Tiger." 

"That still didn't answer my question." 

"Oh, right. Those people do not have any markings on them but are still viewed as members. In short, honorary members." Carrie explained as she put her shirt back on. She gave her kitten as few pets before heading down the hall. "You guys can make it to my room I am sure. Come in when you are ready." 

With that, she left.

[twistednuns]

April 2018

Rediscovering an old passion of mine: The ice. I went to another ice-hockey match the other day and the atmosphere was fantastic - tense, excited, the players were really going for it. Hannes bought me beer and a hot dog and I enganged in friendly banter with the enemy (I wished him a safe trip home to Karlsruhe after Mannheim had lost and he winked at me). I really hope we'll win the semi-finals. I desperately want to go to the final! Ice-hockey brings back childhood memories for me because I used to join my dad who had season tickets for the LA Cannibals. He was allowed to bring children under 6 for free (I think I must have been 6 until I was about 10 years old...) I also saw the movie I, Tonya about the infamous figure skater Tonya Harding on Easter Sunday, sitting alone in the cinema, enjoying my popcorn. I loved this film. The soundtrack is awesome, the acting and the humour are spot-on. A few days later I actually went ice-skating with Korbian (in the EHC Red Bull rink!) and even though my feet still hurt so much that I have to unfasten the ice skates every twenty minutes it was great fun. Water and ice - I'm in my element.

A small present from a sixth-grader: a sticker of a smiling bowl of ramen noodle soup!

I can see that I'm so much fitter now than a few months ago. I can run up a flight of stairs without being out of breath. Not even a bit.

Sewing together all the granny squares I had lying around. The size is still on baby blanket level so just give me a few more years to finish it...

The first warm days. Planting flowers in front of my window (primrose, forget-me-not, buttercups). Setting up the canvas chair. Hanging up the laundry on the balcony. Eating outside, walking over Viktualienmarkt just before sunset. Great light and amazing smells.

Climbing the hill in Olympiapark. Lying in the grass, making out with K., enjoying a spectacular view over the Alps and the city.

Having painted toe nails for the first time after the winter. I especially like O.P.I's Tickle my France-y (and how every nail polish just looks so much prettier under water).

The Describe Yourself Like a Male Author Would Twitter thread: Her breasts entered the room before her far less interesting face, decidedly maternal hips and rounded thighs. He found her voice unpleasantly audible. As his gaze dropped from her mouth (still talking!) to her cleavage, he wondered why feminists were so angry all the time. (stellar example by Jennifer Weiner)

Watching Gegen die Wand by Fatih Akin for the first time. And Frida - seems like I'm quite into biopics considering how much I liked I, Tonya.

Seeing how the cat reacted to Korbinian. She just rolled into a little ball in his palms and he held her in his hands for quite a while. Seems like she prefers men...

Amira Casar is very pretty.

He said I didn't snore!

Unter Glück hatte ich mir eigentlich was anderes vorgestellt.

A new double-ended eyebrow brush.

Talking about that one illustration in Janosch's Post für den Tiger (mole network!) and Lena knew immediately what I meant.

Walking over the playground with Lena and Alexandra. Trying out the seesaw, a carousel and the swings. Climbing a jungle gym, squeezing through the ropes, sliding down (my ass didn't get stuck!!)

Lying outside in the sun on a deck chair after one hour of swimming. Cold at first, very very nice after I was dry. It's incredible how much power the sun already has.

Sore muscles from ice-skating. Hill-climbing. Swimming.

Talking a walk in the Nymphenburg castle grounds. Taking a photo of Magdalenenklause (as always - I think it's fascinating how you can see the reflection of the trees and the blue sky as well as the interior of the chapel and the windows at the far end). Reading at Königsplatz. Buying food at the Asian market and some candy at Pomeroy & Winterbottom. Meeting Lena and Obi, having avocado toast with fried eggs at Holzkranich in Schwabing. All in all a really nice day even though I wasn't in a great mood to begin with.

Trommeln in der Nacht was the best play I've seen at the Kammerspiele so far. I really liked it. I mean, an Australian guy singing pop songs during a classic Brecht play - what can go wrong?

Swimming freestyle laps for the first time! My technique is probably shit but all that matters is that it gets my heart rate up.

Finding four tiny holo stars on a page in a librabry book.

Deciding to ride my bike down to Großhesselohe - I lay around in the sunshine in my bathing suit. And I needed sunscreen for the first time this year! I love the smell of the Garnier sun oil. Felt like summer! Isarkaribik... I also lay across from a nudist guy with a pretty good ass. Doesn't hurt.

Moser Roth lemon yoghurt chocolate.

Getting a bunch of Alstroemeria flowers at the supermarket. They were so pretty and stayed fresh for weeks.

Scene hunting.

The sound of the woodpeckers in the trees outside my apartment.

Delicious recipes for all kinds of wraps in the latest issue of Schrot und Korn.

Walking barefoot.

Meeting two huge, fat cats on my evening walk over the fields. Seeing the illuminated living rooms, watching people having dinner, wondering if they actually like each other. The smell of the first blossoming trees. The view over the forest after sunset, watching planes rise above the clouds. The sound of last year's leaves in the wind. Still some traces of light left. Seeing a hedgehog behind a garden fence.

How interested the cat was in the little blooming twig I brought home from a walk.

Reading so incredibly much.

Reading, yes, again - reading about Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes in Connie Palmen's Du sagst es. It's a fictional autobiography of Hughes. All these feelings, so much drama and a life for literature.

Another evening walk (I like them best) - lying down in the big nest swing at the playground. Finding a pile of free give-aways on a bench, taking home paper plates (I use them for acrylic paints).

Trauringe have only one letter more than traurige.

Going to work by tram on a sunny morning. A book in my lap, eating fruit salad. Seeing the city in a different light and discovering places I had never seen before because I usually only go there by night (for example the square/monument left of the Isar near Müllersches Volksbad).

The fact that the laundry dries in a matter of hours on the balcony now.

Taking a random library book to read on my way to work. Reading the passage "Es war April, der Monat, der von T.S. Eliot zum grausamsten unter seinesgleichen gekürt wurde, und es war Freitag, der dreizehnte." in April, on Friday the 13th. The likelihood of this happening is approximately 1 in 2500.

Kunstautomaten.

Meeting basically everyone at Muffat-Biergarten. The Fabis, Claudia, Frank, Manu and Susa. Even Lucy the dog-lady was there.

Paying Rasmus a compliment which he was really happy about.

Hanging up some crystals in the trellis on the balcony.

Spending a day at the Northern part of the English Garden with the "family". Playing Kubb, somersaulting spontaneously, so much delicious food (pizza, chocolate fruit, chickpea salad, sushi, cold drip coffee, ...), exploring some old trees at the riverside, climbing, playing with cheeky dogs, reading Lena's graphic novel.

The Destiny's Child reunion at Coachella.

Ferrero is making mother-effin' Kinder Bueno, Milchschnitte and Kinderriegel ice-cream now! Deliiiish.

Going to a workshop about voice and body language. I actually got way more positive feedback than expected. Apparently my voice and articulation are quite nice and I keep eye contact much better than I thought. Also, I asked another girl from the group to join me for lunch. Yay, talking to people! Hello, new extrovert me!

Foldable silicon lunch boxes.

Playing badminton in the park. I want to do that more often!

Getting eight more books from the library even though I still had five at home.

When your book fits exactly into the handle on the seat in front of you and you don't need a bookmark.

Having a monthly ticket for public transport is surprisingly nice. Hop on, hop off.

Visiting some of my students at their work place on Girls'/Boy's Day. We went to Deutsches Museum and a kindergarden, for example. It was great to see how much the kids enjoyed their days.

The playoff final!!! Two goals in 10 seconds, omg. So EHC Red Bull Munich won for the third time in a row. There were gold glitter, beer showers, the players' children on the ice. And I flirted with a dude from Garmisch who kept calling me princess.

Woodworking. I'm currently carving a bowl and a small bird out of limewood.

Carrying a huge pot of flowers all the way home on the train.

That other kind of mango. The type you usually get in Asia. Less sweet, creamier.

Going to the market on Saturdays. Getting fresh bread, vegetables or flowers for the balcony.

Riding my bike through the forest in order to get to the garden centre.

A weird childhood flashback while washing my dirty feet in the sink: the memory of my grandma who wouldn't let us sit on the sofa in the summer if we didn't do that.

Spending a day with a happy-go-lucky woodworker. Playing games at the Starnberger See. Driving around in his Skoda. Eating pizza.

Wearing the &otherstories sunflower necklace with the one I bought in Portland and had always been to tight for me. And wearing the pink-blue checked pyjama pants in combination with a soft grey longsleeve shirt. Another thing that used to be too small.

The balcony!!! Tomatoes, yellow zucchini, pink poppies, multi-coloured petunias, I mean, YES. The light breaking in one of the crystals. Rainbow reflections.

[v3-killing-harmony-imagines]

How bad would an evening go if an “i somehow burned water once” s/o tried to cook something alongside the boys?

 Nyahaha~! This was fun to write! i can relate tho, anon

- Mod Angie

Shuichi Saihara

You’ve been noticing bags under Shuichi’s eyes lately, and that he hasn’t been sleeping.

Last night, you peeked in his room and saw him at his desk, pen in hand, mumbling to himself and writing notes in his notebook. It must be a hard case for him to crack, if he doesn’t eat or get any sleep. You don’t bother the detective at all when he’s focusing like this.

But! You wanna make sure that he’s eating right, at least. Even if you got an F in cooking class for accidentally giving everyone food poisoning, if it’s for Shuichi, you’re gonna try your best!

After rummaging through cabinets looking for something with directions on it, you find a curry packet and decide to work with that! You two usually go out and eat or get fast food for dinner, but sometimes Shuichi cooks! You get out potatoes, carrots, and… is that all..?

The easiest thing is the rice! You put it in the pan with water and pop that baby in the rice cooker! It’s all good, and you got instructions for this curry right here!

Okay! So, you need 2 ½ cups of water, but you thought that was too much so you only put in 1 cup, and you’re cooking that water- wait, it’s boiling i think- that right now...oh fuck i forgot the veggies

You start chopping the vegetables vigorously while the water goes to a boil and Shuichi enters the kitchen, looking a little shook. He asks what you’re doing, and you tell him that you’re cooking dinner! It’s important that he eats too uwu

His face goes kinda pale, and he awkwardly laughs. “Hopefully this won’t end like last time…” He looked worried. You reassure him that you kinda know what you’re doing! He stays in the kitchen and helps cut and put the vegetables in the pan.

Okay, it’s time to… i think the packet is supposed to go in now? wait a minute… wasn’t the meat supposed to go in earlier>>????? Okay,, you just plop in both at once and bOOm!! Wait for that shit to cook and you got yourself a good curry dish!

You take this time to ask Shuichi what he was working on, and he goes in really deep and goes to show you who he thinks the suspect is! You both go to his room and he shows you his notes and-- OH FUCK IS THAT THE FIRE ALARM

he is screaming. you are screaming

the fucking meat is roasted and the whole pan is smoking

You take that shit and throw it in the sink and you’re both still screaming but things turn out ok in the end. even though you only have rice for dinner...

Rantaro Amami

Rantaro texted you this morning, and after some talking, he asked if you wanted to hang out and go on a date today (which usually means watching movies and cuddling on the couch). You said yeah, he can come over!

It's about an hour later, and he's sitting on the couch looking through movies, and you're looking for more movies on the shelves. "We really have watched every movie, hah..." He chuckles from the couch. You turn to him and ask if he wants to do something else?

He thinks for a minute and looks at you with a smirk on his face... "Do you wanna try cooking together?" You can feel the sweat on your cheek, and you chuckle. "Aha, that's funny... I don't really know how to cook, but sure, okay...!" You get up and grab your phone to search for a recipe.

You two go into the kitchen, and he jokes about making an avocado cake, since he himself gets called "avocado" a lot. It turns out that it's an actual recipe, and you refuse to cook anything else. There's a fuck ton of ingredients, but luckily, you have... 4 of the ingredients, out of 11.

You write down the ingredients you need on a sticky note and get in the car with him. It was raining really hard outside, so you had to rush so you wouldn't get soaked...

Going to the grocery store wasn't too interesting, but you two were completely soaked when you got home... You laughed for about 5 minutes straight when he placed a bag on the counter and said "At least the avocados aren't harmed... They got a bath!"

After getting towels and drying up, and """accidentally""" seeing Rantaro's abs when he was drying his hair, you set up the ingredients and start cooking!

Everything was better than you thought, with Rantaro helping. Both of you successfully made the batter and it looked good! Since he did most of the mixing, you decided to put the batter in the pan and plop it in the oven!

You've never worked a timer before, though... You set it for 30 minutes, and you think that it's working?? You high-five Rantaro and chill on the couch together for the next half-hour. The alarm you heard when you thought 30 minutes passed, was not the timer, though...

You both jolted up in a panic, and you could see that the oven was smoking. You quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher as Rantaro opened the windows, and when everything was solved... the charred brick in the oven probably wasn't edible anymore, and you found out that the timer was broken.

Rantaro chuckled a little and pulled out 2 pre-baked, packaged cupcakes from a grocery bag. He gave one to you and said that he had fun, even if the avocado cake got burnt. He got to spend time with you, and that's all that matters ♡

Korekiyo Shinguji

You woke up at 6 am this morning beside Korekiyo, and you immediately get up to get ready. It's his birthday, and you're really excited for what you have planned for this special day!

You had plans for today that involve cooking, and since you can't bake a cake, you decided that it was a better idea to cook long life noodles!!

You refuse to just buy a cake from the store, and you wanted his birthday to be interesting, so you decided to make something tastier than cake! You rush to the store and buy your ingredients, after finding a recipe for it online.

It was kind of difficult to find Asian-style wheat noodles, but the store did have them! They ended up having all of your ingredients, so you were really happy about that!

Korekiyo was awake by the time you got home, and you started cooking immediately !! You put on his cooking apron and he asks what you're doing...

"Well, since it is your birthday, I thought I could make it something you wouldn't forget!" You chuckled.

"Please, do try to not burn down the house..." He sighs and stays in the room while you try your best. You assure him that it'll be okay! Even if you don't really know how to cook!

After reading the recipe instructions on your phone, you read the instructions on your noodle package, and you were successful in cooking them after you had to ask Korekiyo for help lmao !!

You mix other ingredients together in a bowl, like the instructions told you, and then it says to let it sit for 10 minutes cooking in the pan. You kept an eye on the time, and showed Korekiyo a bunch of Youtube videos you thought were cool, while you wait !!

You realize you were a few minutes over 10 minutes, and you screamed when you entered the kitchen, and fell on your bum.

Korekiyo quickly went in, grabbed the non-water fire extinguisher, and the fire on the stove went out in a couple of seconds... holy shit what just ?? happened ??

You were sad that his birthday turned to a disaster, and his "cake" was completely destroyed, but he knelt down and stared at you...

"That definitely was something I shall not forget, but... Saving you is the best present I could ever ask for."

You could see the edges of his face mask turn up, and you smile as well. Today wasn't as tragic as you thought!

Kaito Momota

You were on your phone, chilling on the couch when you hear Kaito gasp really loudly from the other room.

He yells from the kitchen, “S/O WE GOTTA MAKE A DIY GALAXY PIZZA” and you’ve never been more disappointed in your life

You walk in the kitchen and he’s already ready to go, with an apron on and everything. You don’t remember why you got an apron, because neither of you can actually cook.

Last time he tried to cook actual food, the fire alarm went off, and the pan was smoking like crazy. And after that one incident where you tried cooking and the food lit on fire in the sink, you both decided that fast food was the better option for dinner.

and here we are

You both decided that you should try do most of the work, while Kaito gets the ingredients off of a youtube video he was watching.

Tomato sauce, cheese, and… uhm, we need dough. He mumbles a little and then tells you that he’s gonna go get the stuff at the store! He rushes out of the house and the kitchen goes quiet...

While he’s gone, you look at the ingredients he chose. You’re pretty sure this tomato sauce is expired by like, 2 years, but you know that if you tell him that, he��ll say “It still looks like tomato sauce, it’s fine!”

You know that the cheese isn’t expired yet because the only thing you two can cook without it being a fire hazard is nachos. Next to the cheese is food coloring, probably gonna be used for the galaxy color.

He comes home with that dough (and some glitter- for stars he says. you know it’s not edible) and you get started on the pizza! You prepare galaxy-ify the ingredients and he decorates! You pop it in the oven and he’s so excited !

After like, 10 minutes you take it out because it smelled so bad. You had to open all the windows of the house and take the corpse out of the oven.

the fucking food dye was smoking and it was bubbling black like something poisonous

Well, there goes the galaxy pizza, here’s a…. bubbling, probably poisonous burnt disc…

yeah, fast food seems like the better option...

Kokichi Ouma

It was just a calm evening when you suddenly screamed and started panicking.

You forgot that you had to go to a party tomorrow, and were asked to bring food. It’s 8 pm and you still have no clue on what thing you can cook that will turn out decent.

You wanted to convince the people there that you can cook, since they told you that you can’t… yeah, you’re screwed qwq

Ouma finds out about your predicament and helps you out! He finds a can of green beans you decide to work with that.

You googled a recipe to make them taste good and you’re going off of that. It just says to heat the beans and drain them, so I guess that means just plop them in a pan?? Uhm.. Okay, we got this.

It took you a couple of minutes, but you find a pan that you can cook in. Just a little dusting off, and you’re good!

You set up a pan and pour the whole can in, turning the heat on. You’re guessing that it’s supposed to cook for like, 10 minutes or so? You’re not sure??

You hear footsteps coming down the stairs while you set the timer for 10 minutes

Suddenly, Ouma runs in the kitchen, screaming??? You jump and the pan falls from the stove, and it falls on Ouma’s foot. He drops his phone and screams louder. poor bby qwq

You find out that he got a really rare item in the game he was playing, but now his foot is red from getting burned.

When he opens his eyes, they widen and he shouts “Fire!!”

?????? you look to see the carpet behind you, on fire.

You panic and quickly fill a bowl with water, and pour that shit on the burning carpet. It goes out, leaving behind a burnt oven mitt. Oven mitts can burn??

You realize soon after that you could’ve used the fire extinguisher instead of making the floor slippy, but you realize too late when you run to help Ouma. You slip and fall, bruising your arm pretty badly.

In the end, you both got your injuries treated and just decided to buy something already cooked at the store to bring. Not only do you have to explain why you brought a store-bought cake, you have to explain the bruise on your arm too, and why Ouma is limping. yeah, you’re screwed qwq

Kiibo

It was a lazy, rainy day and you two were cuddling on the couch, with nothing to do. You both were coming up with ideas other than just cuddling, rejecting them all. Everything was silent, other than the sound of rain hitting the windows, until Kiibo gasped a little and smiled wide.

“S/O, I want you to teach me how to cook!” sweet robot doesn’t know what’s coming,,

His eyes were sparkling like a kid in a candy store and you couldn’t say no..

You both go into the kitchen and you awkwardly look for something that you can cook. You offer teaching him how to cook a microwave meal and he insists on cooking something from scratch… oh god,,

After searching in the cabinets for a couple of minutes, you find a little box of macaroni. You have no idea how to cook this, but it’s better than trying to cook stir fry, or something.

You search up a recipe, and yikes… You might not have all the different types of cheeses in the recipe, but you have slices of cheese for making sandwiches and such, so that’ll do.

You two had to stop by the store to get more butter and… paprika ? That’s what it says in the recipe, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When you get home, you try your best to cook while Kiibo measures the ingredients! You had no idea how he was able to measure ¼ cups of butter, but you just went with it.

You were able to cook the macaroni, but making the rest was a trainwreck. Milk got all over the counter when you accidentally stirred too fast, and you improvised and used a glass bowl instead of a “casserole dish”. You still kept a smile! For Kiibo! He looked a little worried but that’s ok.

You made the mistake of thinking that it wasn’t cooked enough and you burnt it to a crisp… You were also cooking something else (melting butter, I think?) in the frying pan on top of the stove, and Kiibo was looking after it. You picked up the burnt mac and cheese from the oven and-OW!

You burned your hand and knocked the pan on the stove over, melted butter all over the floor along with burnt mac and cheese... Kiibo was screaming the whole time, mostly because you screamed when you burned your hand.

He was more worried about your health than the mess on the floor, and you luckily got the burn properly treated. You two clean up the kitchen and end up cuddling on the couch again.

If you two ever do that again, make sure to put on oven mitts before touching anything burnt...

Ryoma Hoshi (shoutout to levia from the discord server for helping me with this!! qwq)

It’s the day before a really important tennis match! It's probably the most important one of the season. Ryoma isn't too worried about most matches, but for this one, you can hear him saying that he's not as good as he used to be, and that he'll lose this one. You're kind of worried for him, so you try to find a way to bring up his confidence...

You wanna make sure that he has enough energy for tomorrow, so you decide to make dinner for him instead of just getting Mcdonalds or something.

Your eyes travel to the abandoned spaghetti package on the counter, one that you decided to cook one day, but gave up when you picked up the package...

Spaghetti is a good source of energy....right? Well, let's do it!

You pick up the package with determination, and you're ready to cook for Ryoma!

He notices your determined smile and your frilly apron, and walks over to observe... he says that he hasn't watched you cook before, and that he's just curious. You start cooking with him beside you!

Okay, so... you grab a big pot and put it on the stove and fill it with water, just like the directions said... you opened the spaghetti package and some of it fell onto the floor and snapped, but you got most of the noodles into the water. The noodles didn't really fit in the pot, but you think it's okay??

aaa just to be sure, you break up the noodles so that they'd fit in the pot... You turn up the heat and wait for the water to boil.

In the meantime, you decide to doodle and talk to Ryoma until you see the water bubbling... wait! The directions tell you to salt the water, and the salt is on the counter above the stove. Just reeaaach,,,, wait. "S/O--" Ryoma tries to warn you until you look down...

The frills on your apron went a little too close to the fire. You scream and there it goes off of your body, and into the sink. Not only that, the water somehow went over the edge of the pot and went all over the stove, and steam was everywhere around it...

After cleaning up and throwing away your apron, you sigh and make a sandwich in the morning, for him...

You tell him that you're sorry about last night, and that you just wanted to bring up his energy and maybe, his confidence, for this game. You wish him luck and hand him the sandwich.

He looks down at the sandwich and smiles. He gives a quick "Thank you.", puts the sandwich down for later, grabs his tennis racket, and walks onto the court with slight confidence...!

Gonta Gokuhara (i'm sorry in advance qwq)

"S/o, can Gonta learn how to cook for you??" Gonta said with sparkles in his eyes, holding a recipe that Kirumi let him borrow. You were flattered that he wanted to learn from you, and said that you're not good at cooking, but he insisted, saying that a gentleman should cook for his s/o... and you couldn't say no to that pure, determined face...

You took a closer look at the recipe. Waffles... you thought it was rather simple to make, and the kitchen already had the ingredients for it! You told Gonta that you can try teaching him, and he was excited! You got the right ingredients and measuring tools (you think,,>??) and started teaching him how to measure the ingredients, and how to mix them all together. It was all good so far, actually, and you were determined that things will turn out okay in the end! Just for shits and giggles, you put a few drops of blue food dye in the batter, and he said that it looked pretty :>

You grabbed the waffle iron after searching for it in the cupboards, dusted it off...and plugged it in! You told Gonta that it needs time to heat up, and then the batter can go in ! Also, that if it smokes, that means it's bad :v

He watched intently as you opened the waffle iron with an oven mitt and poured the batter in. You thought the expression he was making was really cute, and you couldn't help but giggle a little. The batter overflowed over the iron, but that would just make it fluffier, right? Right... owo"

You pressed the hot waffle iron down, and more batter flowed out of it, and all over the counter... You laughed awkwardly, and said that that's not supposed to happen,,,

You didn't know when to lift the iron back up, but it started smoking after a couple of minutes and you opened it in a panic, hoping that it didn't burn too much!! Gonta gasped and picked you up, saying that he'll protect you from the bad !! Pure boi...

He lets you down after you tell him that it's okay, and yeah, your blue waffles weren't really blue, but completely charred... they were still in the shape of waffles, tho! Aha... You told him that you're really sorry you couldn't really teach him, and that you're not good at cooking.

"It's okay, s/o! Gonta will ask Kirumi-san to teach Gonta and s/o to cook!!" He smiled wide and you gave him a hug. His hugs are always the best, aha... and now, you'll learn how to cook, together! You're excited for it!

[feliciamaisey]

I Shat Myself In the Forbidden City!

As vacations go, a twelve-day vacation to India and three-day extension to China seemed ideal, especially because my eldest daughter was gifting me the experience simply because I had expressed an interest in joining her on her first journey to India.  She had always had an interest in the music, dance, and artistry of India so when she had mentioned it to me, I found a solid tourist opportunity and before I knew it, we were buying luggage and clothing suitable for such an exotic location.

India was magnificent. There was so much to see, taste, and smell that it was almost sensory overload at times, but it was undoubtedly one of the most amazing things we have ever done together.  For one thing, the country is self-contained –the Indian farmers literally grow and cultivate all of the foods and spices they use in their many dishes, which means that they need not import/export goods.  People can be quite kind and also quite pushy, as the usual stateside boundaries between people means very little in a country that boasts over a billion people, many of whom are simply bartering services or trying to sell tourists something. Colors and scents permeate every single available space like the abandoned cows, meandering water buffalo and elephants, corralled camels and homeless dogs draw one’s eye.

Before we left for our trip, I was consumed with worry that I would not be able to eat in either India or China, having given up meats, never having eaten Indian dishes due to allergies, and having abandoned Chinese food due to a poisoned shrimp roll years beforehand.  I need not have worried though, because the foods on offer were astounding; not only was there an array of fresh fruits and vegetables, but I discovered that grilled veggies and hakka noodles are literally one of the most splendid offerings that any tourist could hope to be discovered! In addition, the desserts and bread easily eclipsed the most notorious of Indian dishes.

I must say that India surprised me at every turn– from the tiger preserve with over 200 native species of birds and tigers in hiding, an outdoor shower and the rich aroma of local fauna, to Jaipur with its pink stone structures, Dehli with its systemic caste norms and its astoundingly intricate traffic patterns, dancing with locals during Holi Festival to a private tourist party where we really cut loose, India amazed. Witnessing the genius of the Taj Mahal, the mini Taj and elephants on parade, marching 30 miles to the top echelon of his majesty’s interior courtyard and visiting the royal chambers, learning about India and Pakistan,  and the most amazing tour guide made leaving India quite difficult–in fact, getting out of India was simplistic whereas getting into the country had taken several hours in the middle of the night.

China awaited, but our quaint group was now in disarray because few people vacationed forward for the three-day excursion.  Chinese officials at the airport made entering the country horrific.  It is one thing to be cautious, but the group found themselves re-writing clearance documents and opening every piece of luggage, and we stood paralyzed by the shock of unopened items being confiscated for no apparent reason, hotel maids removing complimentary boxes of everything from sewing thread to soaps and lotions from the hotel rooms once we had finally arrived, and there existed a very specific sense of being tourists–well at least compared to being in Indian where every single person, no matter their station made tourists feel welcomed and valued for being human beings (and sometimes a meal ticket).

In the three days we spent in China, we ate a “gourmet” meal in a mall, visited the Olympics Park and saw the birds’ nest stadium, still in practical use. As Americans, we were advised to how useful the Chinese people are about using what they create as opposed to the waste of Americanism.  We walked the streets in Beijing and were astounded at the weight of the sooted air and the immaculate streets that one dare not drop a dime upon, lest they find themselves whisked away by the hordes of police officers that stationed themselves on any given walkway.  There was a jade factory and museum trip and dinner insulated between the Olympics Park foray and Tiananmen Square, and the Mao Tse Tung gateways, but the part of the trip that will never let me forget China is our last day.

We awoke in a breathtaking hotel room, high above the Olympic Park–who knows which athletes must have awaited their turn to shine on the international stage, but I am sure that at least one or two enjoyed our room at one time during the Olympics tournament. Breakfast, like all meals in China, is one in which one must be certain of their food choices and portions–it is extremely rude to partake of food and waste it, specifically in Chinese culture, so I was excited when I saw what looked like an Americanized side of the buffet breakfast bar.  There were waffles and eggs, beautifully prepared and I was famished, having been quite sick the day beforehand and my legs were starting to show signs of revolt; I suffer from poor cartilage and damage to my knees as well as bunions that cause my back and legs a lot of pain in addition to my feet–damned flat feet.  Anyway, breakfast looked promising and even though I gulped down my vitamins and allergy pills, and charcoal tabs to curb poisoning should it happen, I made a terrible mistake….

Did you ever notice how much soy, heated in a vat on a breakfast buffet, looks uncharacteristically like syrup?  Well, good for you, but guess who did not notice its rancid stench and erroneously drizzled “lots” of syrup on the waffles??  I was immediately overcome by the realization of my mistake, but there it was, plain as day on the plate. I was not going to be “that” wasteful prick of an American so I tried not to breathe as I gulped down the now-spoiled meal and ran silently to the room where I tried to brush away the lingering taste on my tongue.

I would have purged the breakfast too, but it was time to leave for the Forbidden City, something that I was really excited to do, so I made my way to the group and off we went.  To put it into perspective, the Forbidden City is literally miles upon miles of courtyards and walls, statues and guard posts, long before one gets to the inner workings of the palace.  There are many guards and four checkpoints, but only one bathroom near the first checkpoint promised Americanized toilets in addition to squats, and as I am of an age that requires such checkpoints, I made my way to the bathroom.  However, the line was long and breakfast was swiftly churning inside of me.  We had walked from the hotel to the Forbidden City, taken several photo ops, and bid our time as we made our way inside the first gate, a massive set of ancient doors that could easily scare the bejeezus out of any invading army, and all that movement not only irritated my legs, but I was really starting to feel sick.

There I stood, waiting and making small talk with others from our group, until there was just myself and one other person from our group ahead of me.  When she realized that these were, in fact, all squats and only one precious Americanized toilet, she dug her heels in and began commiserating with another person. By this point, I could feel my insides churning and I was ready to cry because every toilet stall was in use.  I was trying to do something between shimmying n place to standing deathly still for fear that my insides would betray me.  I was worried about an overly loud intestine rumble or a fart to rock the ages, but just then, I felt a panic that I had b never even felt during birth-a task that I took on 4 times– I felt my body mocking me and my stupidity for mistaking soy with syrup.

I pushed past my complaining companion and ran into the first available stall, one 6 doors to my right and across the aisle.  I opened the door and the trashcan was overflowing with sanitary napkins and toilet paper. The squat was in the middle of the floor and like most stupid American jeans, my fkg pants refused to unbutton and the zipper decided that this was the moment to get stuck.  I almost screamed in agony at the pressure of trying to un- wrangle my ass from my clothing and unpack sanitary wet wipes and the realization that I would never leave this stall if the slime from within seeped out before I got my pants down and positioned over the squat. The hole in the ground was far out of my visibility at this point as I was trying, unsuccessfully, to control the lava that exploded from my anus into the squat’s opening. The floor was wet where people had used water bottles to cleanse themselves and because of my bag and jacket, I could barely keep my garments clear of the deluge of what I was sure was poisoned Chinese foods.  

At last, I was able to get the wipes in position to cleanse myself and that is when it happened…when I looked down and realized that I had positioned myself so as not to fall into the hole’s opening, but I completely missed the damned thing and soiled the toilet’s rear perimeter in a manner that even a baby’s soiled diaper would whimper from comparison.  I barely managed to get myself wiped and dressed without falling into the slime, but just then a stranger yanked at the door. I begged her to get help, to save herself and back away, to stop staring at me as the tears welled heavily against my lids and slid down like a dam’s breaking against my crimsonly embarrassed cheek, but her pretty asian face clearly misunderstood and she stood there, staring at the disgusting filth that was inescapable.  

I ran to the sinks and scrubbed my hands, waving away anyone who dared to follow her gaze and I tried to find someone to help me, but I recoiled at my shame and finally ran to my daughter in tears.  She had no choice, but to hold back he natural inclination to burst into laughter as I cried into her ear, “I shat myself in the Forbidden City!” As is her way, she consoled me and made sure that I was not wearing any of the soil on my person before we crossed the immense vastness of the courtyard and lost ourselves in the palace’s secrets.

Even the Great Wall of China, blowing my knee completely on its steep incline, and finding an Americanized bathroom for my daughter on the premises that night paled in the shock and horror of being “that shitty American.”

[arplis]

Arplis - News: Hungry for Words Podcast: Vietnamese Chef Andrea Nguyen

Welcome to episode 2 of the Hungry for Words podcast starring best-selling author and chef Kathleen Flinn. In this episode, Kathleen talks to noted Vietnamese food writer, chef, and author Andrea Nguyen about everything from dumplings and pho to her dramatic escape from her home country in 1975 at the height of the war.    Andrea is the author of several books, including the classic Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, Asian Tofu and Asian Dumplings, and The Pho Cookbook. Get more about Andrea - plus the recipe for the Rotisserie Chicken Pho - from the episode here on Hungry for Words. Below is a partial transcription of the podcast. Kathleen: Hello and welcome to "Hungry for Words, The Podcast," in which I talk to the most interesting people writing about the food, I make some of the recipes and then we talk about it, and you get to listen in. I'm your host, Kathleen Flinn. Today, I'll be talking to Andrea Nguyen, an award-winning author of numerous books on the cuisine of her homeland, including the classic, "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen." We'll talk about her latest book, "The Pho Cookbook" over steaming bowls of the noodle soup. We'll also talk about dumplings, tofu, and how her family dramatically escaped the war-torn country in 1975. This episode of "Hungry for Words" is sponsored by Wolf, encouraging you to reclaim your kitchen starting with one home-cooked family meal per week. Visit reclaimthekitchen.com for tips, techniques and recipes from Wolf cooking tools. And by our media partner, foodista.com. Join a passionate community of food lovers at foodista.com. And by our partner, Book Larder, Seattle's community cookbook bookstore. Learn more at booklarder.com. Tomorrow, I'm gonna interview Andrea, and I have her book, "The Pho Cookbook." Forever, I thought it was pho, I think it's still pronounced pho. And I have to say I've never actually attempted to make pho, but I am really excited about it. So I was looking through it and she has a whole bunch of different recipes. So she has the classic beef, classic chicken, and they look great, but they also look like they take four or five hours, which I don't really have. So then I was looking at her quick chicken pho, which sounded really good, but she said it was pho-ish, so it's not really pho. But then I'm flipping through and then I see something that she calls Pho Ga Quay, Rotisserie Chicken Pho, and I was like, "That has my name all over it." And I like this because, to me, I felt like it was sort of more real stock-ish because you take the actual chicken carcass, according to her recipe, you take it, you kind of break it up, and then you simmer it along with celery and apple and napa cabbage and carrot and cilantro. Now, I'm taking the star anise, cloves, some coriander seeds, and cinnamon, and then over medium heat, you toast the spices for several minutes. I'm now going to add some ginger and some onion. And then now, I'm gonna add in all the chicken and all the other stuff, and you let that simmer for about an hour, and then see how it goes. And now, I'm going to strain it. And I have to say, it smells pretty great. I'm going to put it aside till tomorrow. Hey, welcome to Seattle. Andrea: Thank you so much. And you know, I have to say, when I walked through you're door, I smelled this beautiful fragrance of pho, and I was so happy. Kathleen: I have to tell you, I started it last night, at like 9:00, and I wasn't done until about midnight. Because I had to go shopping, I just all of a sudden went, "Wait, she's coming tomorrow and I got to go get that stuff and figure out what I'm gonna make." But I picked the rotisserie chicken pho. Is it pho? Andrea: It's pho if you want to really impress a Vietnamese native speaker, but if you just say... Kathleen: Pho. Andrea: Yeah, pho, like you're asking a question. Kathleen: Kind of like how a Valley girl says it, like, "Pho?" Andrea: Yeah, like "I want some pho right now." Kathleen: Okay, I want some pho. Andrea: Yeah, yeah. Kathleen: All right. Well, this is, like, the most helpful pronunciation guide, I have to tell you. Andrea: Always add a question mark at the end of the word pho. Kathleen: Pho? Andrea: Yeah. Kathleen: All right. So other question I have to ask you is how you pronounce your last name. Andrea: It's pronounced Nguyen, like N-hyphen-W-I-N. Kathleen: "N-win." Andrea: You can always "Win" and it will always be like a win-win situation, I suppose. Kathleen: My husband and I were having this whole conversation about last night. And I thought, "Oh, my gosh, I'm gonna mispronounce your name. I'm gonna pho wrong." So here we go. So it's all good. Your other books are easier, there was tofu, I can say that. That's pretty clear. And dumplings, which are universal. Andrea: You know, pho is a new word for the American-English language dictionary. And so one of the problems is that we know we no longer have to put an accent mark on it, so it looks like pho. Kathleen: Yeah, that' true. Because if you walk around international district, they all have the, you know... Andrea: The diacritics. Kathleen: Yeah. Andrea: And those things look so funky, and there's like two of them on that letter O, and so I always tell people, like, in Vietnamese, when it's just P-H-O without any of funny little cookie dickies, you know, accent marks, that is pronounced pho, and once that you get a little side hook on the O, then that is pronounced pho. But then once that you have a little question mark above the O, it become pho. Kathleen: And pho is what we're talking about. Andrea: Correct. You know, pho is a word that is based upon a Chinese term for flat rice noodles, fun. I don't really believe that there is a precursor for, like, the other words for pho. It's just pho. It's almost like a word that Vietnamese people, they sort of...they adapted from Cantonese, or their pidgin version of Cantonese way back when pho originated in the early part of the 20th century. Kathleen: Interesting. In reading your book, you talked about that being the origin of pho, right, was in the early 20th century. Andrea: Yes, and there's a lot of murky mythology about the origin of pho. And so some people have, who allows it, "Oh my gosh, you know, it came from French pot-au-feu because look how pho sounds like feu, fire, in pot-au-feu." So the French were in Vietnam at that time as the colonial overlords of Vietnam. And they began slaughtering a lot of cattle. And the Vietnamese were using the cattle as draft animals, not as food. And all of sudden, there were these scraps sitting around. And there was a particular water buffalo noodle soup that was being served on the streets in and around Hanoi. So we're talking about the northern part of Vietnam, the northern part closest to the border with China. So this noodle soup made with water buffalo had like these little round rice noodles, like rice vermicelli. All of sudden, there were sales on beef. And people didn't have a taste for beef, but the sales were really good, because the butchers were like, "Hey, we got to get rid of these really like tough cuts of meat and bones." And the food vendors were like, "Oh, here's a business opportunity," and they started switching out the water buffalo for the beef. And then along the way, they were like, "This tastes better with flat rice noodles instead of..." So we're talking about noodles that look so, like, pad thai, or linguine shape. And so they made that switch and it became like this hit with a lot of working-class folks who were, like, working on the shipping, like merchant ships on the river there, in Northern Vietnam. And as Hanoi became more urbanized, the noodle spread throughout the city, and so it became this city thing, and it became a food vendor thing. So you can imagine, like, you know, the 21st century version would be like, I don't know, taco truck, you know, [inaudible 00:08:23] taco trucks gone wild. And here's like the noodle soup's like "Woo hoo!" Everybody goes crazy for it. And people from all different walks of life come to pho and have pho at the table, and they're eating it out on the street. Kathleen: And I bet it was probably inexpensive if they were making it, essentially, out of rice noodles and these super cheap cuts of beef. I have one question though. Where did the water buffalo come from beforehand? Andrea: They are also a primary draft animal in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. They are placid animals that we love, and so like when you look at Vietnamese art, oftentimes, you'll see a little boy painted atop a water buffalo in the rice patty and everyone looks at that and everyone goes, "Oh, it's the water buffalo." And at certain times, you know, the water buffalo is harvested, but oftentimes, the water buffalo is just out in the field working. If you were to travel to Vietnam, you would still see in rural areas, sometimes, you know, water buffalo roaming. And they have a special place in our hearts. Kathleen: Let's try the pho that I made. I will say that I was kinda like, hmm, I'm kinda nervous because I'm making this for the first time and I'm cooking for an expert. Andrea: I love food that whoever cooks for me, and this smells really, really good. Kathleen: Oh, thanks. Andrea: I'm not gonna talk for that much, or I'm gonna talk with my mouth open. It's aerating things. Kathleen: It's aerating, I like that. Andrea: I think you did a bang-up job. Kathleen: Thank you. Andrea: Pho is about the noodle soup but it's also about the spices and it's about the experience and it's about the noodles. And I thought to myself, you know, how can I tell people about making, creating their own pho experience so the spice blend, the pho spice blend really allows me to do that. You know, it's got the star anise, and fennel, and coriander, and cinnamon, and clove, and black pepper. And I'll use it in lieu of five-spice. I will also mix it with salt and create like a rub for steaks. Kathleen: So let's talk about the whole condiment thing, because to me, this has always been part of the whole experience. You go and they bring you all the stuff and how are you supposed to eat it. And it's interesting, because earlier in the book, you said you guys didn't do that. You're much, much more purer. Andrea: It's because my parents were both born in Northern Vietnam. And their pho experience was one that was not born from bodacious Southern Vietnamese living. So they both migrated from Northern Vietnam to Southern Vietnam and settled in Saigon. And this is like the '50s and my father was a military governor and he went all over the provinces and stuff. So they were familiar with southern food, but there were certain things that they're very traditional about.

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/hungry-for-words-podcast-vietnamese-chef-andrea-nguyen

[hermitlibrarian]

Babe’s got a viable side business working out of Busy Bean’s, the coffee shop in her hometown of Oar’s Rest, creating all sorts of tasty treats from sandwiches to baked goods for the people in her small beach town. Can sweets and savories heal hurt hearts, though, in a summer full of turmoil and new love? It’s hard to say, but in Lillie Vale’s debut novel readers will be treated to not only delicious dishes, but to a deliciously intricate story of friends and emotions, of the summer before the rest of their lives start, and a town that feels like home.

I want to thank Vicky from Vicky Who Reads for facilitating this partnership & Lillie for her guest post today on the tummy rumbling food in Small Town Hearts and much more!

  From Lillie Vale

  Hi Harker! Thanks for hosting me on your blog today! So excited to chat about my YA debut, Small Town Hearts, all the yummy food Babe conjures up in her kitchen, and, of course, the foods that mean the most to us! Everybody else: Hi! I’m Lillie Vale, the author of upper YA contemporary Small Town Hearts. It’s a messy BFF breakup + found family novel taking place in the summer after high school, the last summer 19yo bi baking barista Babe thinks she’ll have before her friends Penny and Chad start college in the fall. She has a somewhat co-dependent relationship with the people she loves, and change has never been a good thing, in her experience, so she’s trying to hold on tight during a time when she has to learn how to let go. Matters are further complicated when her ex-girlfriend Elodie returns to their sleepy Maine village of Oar’s Rest at the same time as a mysterious summer boy shows up to rent Babe’s mom’s cottage on the beach.

“It’s hard to figure out if you want something to be a career. Like when people find out I’m not going to college, they get all awkward. They think staying at Busy’s and being a barista is . . . a stepping-stone job. And for most people, it is.” I shrugged. “But I’ve never wanted to do anything else in my entire life. Making people happy with food is something special.”

– Small Town Hearts (pg. 124)

Food plays a huge role in Small Town Hearts. Babe loves taking care of her found family with sweet treats, steaming chowders, fresh-baked bread, and experiments with flavors like goat cheese that her author is way too chicken to try! Nope, nuh uh, sorry, I have an adventurous palate but it does not extend to goat byproducts! 🙈

I joke all the time that Small Town Hearts should come with the disclaimer that it will make you really hungry, and I hear this A LOT from readers that they were craving snacks (or actually went out to get some!) while reading! Which, to my foodie heart, is top-shelf praise.

“The sweetness of a slice of cake has the ability to turn a bad day around. There’s a lot of memories in food, you know.”

– Small Town Hearts (pg. 225)

So I thought I’d chat with Harker about comfort food, and why it means so much to us!

I live on a steady diet of Asian food: khow suey, chicken biryani, shrimp/egg curry, vegetable korma, pad thai, thai basil chicken, and so many more. This stuff takes FOREVER to prepare if you are a turtle at chopping vegetables like me, and in general there’s a lot of prep involved with Asian dishes, and sometimes a very specific order in which to add ingredients, so all in all it can be time consuming.

My mom makes the best chicken gravies/curries. It reminds me of my childhood whenever I smell frying onion. Her butter chicken and chicken tikka masala is *chefs kiss*. Rich, smooth tomato gravy with lots of onion and garlic, oh my gawdddd. Paired with white rice or naan? THE BEST. Also, Indian recipes that require only one clove of garlic? DO NOT TRUST. Who doesn’t love garlic? It’s doing double duty! Not only is it making your food delicious, it serves a very medicinal purpose of keeping you safe from vampires (;

Crisp vegetables, tender meat (or your choice of protein! I often substitute tofu!), the bite of ginger and the sweetness of onions, crunchy bean sprouts and sugar snap peas, chewy re-hydrated mushrooms (my favorite!!!), flavorsome lemongrass and curry leaves, garlicky noodles and sauces, fragrant coconut milk mixed in a delicious, savory broth…I could wax poetic about this all day! Eating any of this is like being enveloped in a warm hug. I know how much time goes into meals, so I appreciate it even more when it’s made for me. It soothes me to a degree I sometimes didn’t know I needed. Sometimes, food can be love.

As a diaspora Indian-American, food is the best way I know how to connect to my heritage. I associate my favorite Indian dishes with stories my mom tells me of her childhood in India, of a world and a time and a place I have never known, yet still feel wistful for.

And when I don’t have the time/energy to cook for myself or can’t beg/bribe my mom to make me something? Nothing beats packet ramen with a ton of veggies and a fried egg (gochujang and pickled radish and greens if you’re feeling fancy)! Wendy’s chicken nuggets, fries, and chili! You haven’t lived until you’ve dipped fries in their chili. So. Freaking. Good. And…corn flakes. I just really like corn flakes.

Harker, what are your favorite comfort foods, and why are they so evocative? Any special memories you associate with food? (Also, I am really hungry right now!!! Why did we think talking about food was a good idea!!! I have no idea what to make for lunch!!! I JUST WANT ALL THE THINGS!!!)

  From Harker, the Hermit Librarian

  Oh Lillie, I don’t know! Just reading your post made me hungry all over again. Each dish sounded better than the last. 😀

I feel very basic in saying that two of my comfort foods is mac n cheese or Chef Boyardee, both of which are super easy to make when I’m feeling low energy. However, I also enjoy Asian food quite a lot, especially from my local restaurants: brisket ramen, bool go gi, takoyaki,  and butter chicken. I haven’t made many of these dishes myself at home because, as you mentioned, these and similar can take a long time to prepare and I often don’t have the energy or the strength (my hands cramp easily when chopping/mixing). I’ve tried some jarred butter chicken sauce which I know isn’t the same as homemade but it suffices and it still quite delicious.

Reading Small Town Hearts made me ache to try some of the dishes that Babe was making. Whether it was the sweets or one of the savory dishes, pretty much everything she made sounded delicious, even if it had an ingredient I’m not partial to (blue cheese is apparently to me what goat cheese is to you, Lillie! *lol*).

Babe’s fare was a bit easier to replicate at home.

  (Left to Right – Babe’s “Grilled Cheese” Toastie, Ham & Cheese, Dark Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies)

  There was one sandwich that jumped out first: a grilled cheese that Babe made with blue cheese, arugula, and apricot jam. I made my twist on this by switching out the blue cheese for gouda and using an arugula/spinach mix. Omg, this was SO good! I’d never thought of putting jam on  sandwich before! What a joy! This was supposed to be a grilled cheese and I kind of failed on that in all the iterations I made, so it became more of a toastie, but even only semi-melted the smokiness of the gouda was a real nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the apricot jam.

Since I had the apricot jam and the arugula/spinach mix already and I wanted to make something that Babe would be proud of, I tried to think of a sandwich that would utilize many of the same ingredients. I paired the aforementioned items with some deli ham and sliced swiss cheese to make another sandwich. If you’ve got the energy you can toast it, but if you want something quick late at night, this Ham & Cheese can also be enjoyed cold.

And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t try and recreate Babe’s dark chocolate chip pistachio cookies. In Small Town Hearts, Babe includes sea salt in her recipe, which I nixed because I thought that the pistachios would be a bit too salty in the cookies. Next time, though, I would include it and also put more pistachios on top. All in all they were quite tasty! The recipe is the one on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse bag with the addition of the nuts if anyone would care to recreate them for yourself. 🙂

Food is only one part of Lillie’s book, of course. There’s so much more to it, from setting to the characters. Check out the synopsis, purchase links, and my review for more on this debut novel.

Once again, thank you, Lillie, for joining me for this wonderfully delicious guest post!

  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads | Indiebound

Published: 19 March 2019

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Category: Contemporary/Young Adult/Romance/LGBT+

Rule #1 – Never fall for a summer boy. 

Fresh out of high school, Babe Vogel should be thrilled to have the whole summer at her fingertips. She loves living in her lighthouse home in the sleepy Maine beach town of Oar’s Rest and being a barista at the Busy Bean, but she’s totally freaking out about how her life will change when her two best friends go to college in the fall. And when a reckless kiss causes all three of them to break up, she may lose them a lot sooner. On top of that, her ex-girlfriend is back in town, bringing with her a slew of memories, both good and bad.

And then there’s Levi Keller, the cute artist who’s spending all his free time at the coffee shop where she works. Levi’s from out of town, and even though Babe knows better than to fall for a tourist who will leave when summer ends, she can’t stop herself from wanting to know him. Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had – to never fall for a summer boy?

Rating: 3 Stars

Rep: Bisexual MC, Black SC, biracial ex-LI, Chinese American SC

CW: manipulative friendship, mention of casual drug usage (weed, not shown on the page), alcohol consumption (on page), alcohol abuse (a character drinks and parties to the point of dehydration and sleep-deprivation; two characters get wasted and are too drunk to fully consent to sex with each other); in this edition use of a racist term (tr*be – “It always felt like once people had their tribe, they didn’t have a lot of time for new friends.”) during the included quote. Note: having spoken to the author, she’s accepted this note and while it’s too late to change the current edition, she mentioned correcting it in further print runs.

From the get go, Small Town Hearts had a great knack for setting. At the heart of it was The Busy Bean, the coffee shop where Babe sells her baked good and works as a manager. It has a certain eclectic charm that is illustrated well in the furniture from various patio sets and alternating lettering styles displaying the daily specials on a board.

Vale constructs a comforting setting. Oar’s Rest comes to the reader’s mind not only through visuals that she sets out for them, but through scents that are described and used to round out the image of the town. It almost makes it a 3D image and puts the reader that much more in the story than any other.

There were some characterization choices that I thought were interesting, such as when Babe & Penny compare Penny & Chad’s relationship to Rory and Logan of Gilmore Girls. Penny/Rory, in their respective works (book/show) don’t tend to notice what they’re asking of others, the demands that their actions place on others, and I found this a super apt comparison.

Penny did not end up being my favorite person. There’s some growth on her part, but it was difficult to read her interactions with Babe. There’s language she uses that’s subtly manipulative of Babe & Babe’s feelings as well as judgment toward Levi when “first meeting” him at a houseboat party and offering him weed/alcohol but also “water if you’re not into having fun”.

I wasn’t sure, at first, if the tension between Babe & Penny was casual friends depending upon one another or something else, but as one scene plays out (Penny asking Babe to, essentially, cement a breakup with Chad) it becomes clear that Penny knows what she’s doing. Events spiral from that one request, and from the past decisions that have happened between Babe, Penny, and even Chad, to create a whole mess that intertwines the entire narrative.

Babe & Levi had some sweet moments, despite the tension that was running between them for a variety of reasons. Their dates around town, their conversations, there were some truly lovely, intimate moments that bolstered the quickly formed relationship.

There is something I found slightly odd, maybe offputting, about the tone of the characters. Before their ages were explicitly stated, and perhaps even a bit after that, I would’ve said based on the way they acted, the situations they were in (living conditions, certain freedoms, etc.), that this was more a New Adult novel and that most of the main cast was in their early twenties rather than late teens. Like, there was a disproportionate amount of young people to older (late twenties and up) residents. These characters were all 17-19 and not quite acting like it. They had jobs, “houses”, and responsibilities that didn’t quite mesh with the personalities that had been presented on page.

There is a brief explanation given as to where Babe’s mother is (she works on a cruise ship most of the year) and why Babe is able to afford living in a lighthouse (given funds). It felt a rather convenient way, though, to avoid developing a familial relationship between Babe and her parents because both are essentially absentee what with her mother working on a cruise ship and her father being a relative unknown to the reader.

Overall, while the action seem choppy/repetitive at times, creating a sometimes rough reading experience, what was good was good and what wasn’t awful. I really could see Oar’s Rest in my head and sinking into a setting isn’t always easy. I wish that it was possible to visit such a place, get a picnic lunch at Lorcan’s seafood shack, and wander down to the beach. Small Town Hearts is a wonderfully atmospheric novel and getting to settle down with a snack and a good read is totally something to look forward to with this debut.

  About the Author

  Lillie Vale, upon discovering she could not be one of Santa’s elves or attend Hogwarts, decided to become a writer to create a little magic of her own. Enjoying the romantic and eerie in equal measure, she’s probably always writing a book where the main characters kiss or kill. Born in Mumbai, she has lived in many U.S. states, and now resides in an Indiana college town where the corn whispers and no one has a clue that she is actually the long-lost caps lock queen. She can be reached on Twitter @LillieLabyrinth and Instagram @labyrinthspine. Small Town Hearts is her debut novel.

            I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Quotes included are from an advanced reader copy and may not reflect the finalized copy.

All media belongs to the respective owners and is used here solely for the purpose of review and commentary.

  Yummy Read: A Guest Post with Lillie Vale, author of Small Town Hearts Babe's got a viable side business working out of Busy Bean's, the coffee shop in her hometown of Oar's Rest, creating all sorts of tasty treats from sandwiches to baked goods for the people in her small beach town. 2,668 more words

[umichenginabroad]

Weekend In Malaysia

Last weekend we went on our first trip out of Singapore, to Kuala Lumpur and Penang Malaysia! I just got the pictures back (and my computer working again) so I’m excited to make this post! 

We arrived in Kuala Lumpur early morning Thursday, there were 13 of us traveling from NTU! Unfortunately, one of us booked a flight for February instead of January, so he had to take the bus to KL. The city was huge and very different from the super clean Singapore. We spent the day shopping, sightseeing, and eating some of the best food of our trip.

People had told us Malaysia is known for it’s food, and that wasn’t a lie! We ate at the Lot 10 Hutong hawker stand, which was rated some of the best street food in KL. The underground cafeteria center had tens of stands, and all of them were amazing and cheap! At around 10-15 MR (2-3 USD), you could get a huge plate of noodles with plenty of seafood. Even though we exchanged our money at the airport and got a bad exchange rate (lesson learned for the next trip), you can’t not be amazed at the cost of food here.

This incredible picture by my friend Connie Lu is of Jalon Alor at night, one of the main food streets of Kuala Lumpur. The number of food stands and people there was incredible! 

The food was priced a little higher because of all the tourists, but the atmosphere was worth it. My group bought a durian and dared each other to try it, most of us hated just the smell, but some of my friends liked it a lot! In Singapore, there are signs showing that durian is banned on public transport because of the smell! 

The next morning, we woke up early to go to the Batu Caves before the midday heat - especially because we had to wear long pants to enter the temple. This was one of my favorite things of the trip! The Batu Caves are a Hindu temple built into a huge cave honoring Kartikeya, the god of war. It is one of the most visited temples outside of India! 

Lots of steps up to the top! 

We saw SO MANY MONKEYS. We were amazed with how much like little people they are, we probably spent an hour just watching them play and their group dynamics. Their little hands were so creepily like peoples! 

My friend Matt went against our advice and tried to take around his coconut with coconut water, and all the monkeys wouldn’t leave him alone. This one climbed up onto him until he tried to feed it with a spoon. Needless to say that did not go well! 

I was way too afraid to get closer to the monkey! Haha!

They were following me around all day too, trying to grab the water bottle out of my backpack. They bite a hole in the bottom and suck the water out, honestly the amusement might be worth losing the water bottle! 

We opted to go for the conservation cave tour, so we had to put on these hats and hiked through the cave. At the deepest points, it was pitch black, darker than anywhere I have ever been in my life! There are many animals and insects that are only found in Malaysia that are in that cave, including the Trapdoor Spider. We didn’t get to go into the conservation areas where they live, but I still highly recommend doing the cave hike! 

The rest of the day we spent in Petaling Street, a Chinatown shopping district of Kuala Lumpur. If you have ever wanted to buy a knockoff purse and bargain it down to $6 USD, this is your place. 

That night, we ate one of the cheapest and best Indian meals I have ever had! If you love food, trying new food, talking about food, taking pictures of food, or any of the above, you need to go to Southeast Asia! 

I’m not saying everything about traveling is perfect, sometimes you have to make due (as seen above), but I’m so glad everyday that I studied abroad in Southeast Asia. It’s amazing and eye opening as I expected, but at the same time even more than I could have imagined. 

We hung around (aka loitered) at the Petronas Towers of Kuala Lumpur that night until our overnight bus to Penang left. There’s a mall in the lower building, but the stores are more of the Versace type, so window shopping is the best we could do! Luckily, I was able to sleep the whole time on the overnight bus and wake up ready to go in Penang the next morning.

I didn’t get a picture of our hostel there, but we stayed in Georgetown, an island city in Penang Malaysia. The island was beautiful and had so many beaches and mountains. This picture is from the top of one of the higher mountains looking over the coast. 

Photo: Connie Lu

In the city, we explored the Chew Jetty, a village of houses built up on stilts in Penang. It was built in the 19th century by Chinese immigrants, and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. 

Another view of the Jetty at night, I can’t imagine living there! It reminded me of an old Chinese town, but built 10 feet above the water. There were beautiful lights set up for the Chinese New Year as well. Everything was so quiet even though each of these houses had families living in them, as seen by the children’s toys sitting in front of each house. 

We stopped to have Nasi Kandar that night at a place the hostel owner recommended - it definitely seemed authentic! Nasi Kandar is one of the dishes the region is known for, it has a base of rice and tons of different toppings! I got the curry chicken and a huge prawn on top. The seafood here all was really fresh and great! 

This picture by Connie is taken outside of what the hostel owner described as the international bar. I swear I’m not making this up, we bought $0.75 beers from a rather round, shirtless man inside smoking a cigarette that spoke very broken English. Outside, everyone pulls up stools and talked about their travels through the region. We met so many people from all around the world, some had just gotten to SEA and some were veteran backpackers. Definitely got some good advice and ideas for future trips here! 

We spent the majority of the next day motorbiking around the island of Penang. I’m not exactly sure of the legality of this, but we rented some “mopeds” from a shop in town ($8 USD for the day!) who did not ask for any kind of drivers license, they gave us minimal instructions on how to drive them (including that they drive on the opposite side of the road there), then we were off! My bike’s speedometer was broken (as expected), so I’m not sure how fast we got up to, but I swear these mopeds went much faster than the ones back in the states! 

We took a stop at the Tropical Spice Gardens, the whole garden smelled amazing! The walk through the jungle/garden showed the traditional spices that have been grown in the region for hundreds of years. We also saw a ton of monkeys, snakes, and an asian water monitor - didn’t get a picture of that one though! 

Just us on a swing in the jungle, NBD! 

We continued the bike ride around the island, getting lost in the jungles to cities of Penang was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life! We drove down the coast, up into the mountains, and through these small villages. It was so untouched by tourism and seemed like a very authentic Malaysian village. 

We stumbled upon the huge Kek Lok Si Buddhist Temple, or the Temple of Sukhavati on our bike ride as well. Like we actually saw this huge temple in the distance and drove up to see what it was because we figured it had to be important! 

I didn’t even know until right now as I’m writing this blog post that this temple is said to be the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia! I’m an Asian Studies Minor at Michigan and I took a class on Buddhism last semester (Asian 230), so it’s always interesting to see the influence of Buddhism and other religions we aren’t as familiar with in the states in these countries. 

Seriously, the picture I took does not do this place justice. This picture of the temple at night from Penang-Online.com shows the huge size of this temple! 

Lesson learned from this trip? Get off the beaten path, because that’s where you find the most amazing views and experiences! 

- Reilly Wong

Computer Science Engineering

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 

[justinjohn]

This weekend’s events.   1.20-1.22.17. Spills and stew and satan.

What a strange weekend. Can I tell you? I just have to tell you. First of all, I spilled everything I touched. I don’t know if I am developing Parkinson’s or I’m just particularly spastic of late, but I almost missed the women’s march yesterday because, upon trying to leave the house, I went to grab a water bottle. but missed, sending it skidding like a hockey puck across the counter top, at which point it plowed into a COMPLETELY FULL LARGE COFFEE out of which I had not yet taken a sip, which toppled over and the top came off, and it projectile splattered all over the kitchen. 

It was one of those spills where you just stand there in complete shock for a minute with your hand over your face. It was truly as if someone had been shot.. but with milky caffeinated blood. I just stared at the pool of brown liquid dripping from the counter top down into all of the drawers below, and ultimately pooling again on the floor. 

My parents don’t have rags so I just had to sop everything up with paper towels, which made me feel like an environmental hobgoblin, and I also started to have one of those break-downs, like, “you can’t even grab a cup of coffee right you clumsy idiot.,” as I obsessively wiped up the spill like Lady-Macbeth, “just make it disappear, make it go away. No one will ever know. Out, out damn spot.” 

Of course it was the day after the cleaning woman came, too, because that’s just how life works. 

Okay so that happens.. I have an incredible time at the march. It’s invigorating, empowering, unifying, fun. And so I come back, and I’m exhausted, and I take a nap. And I was up FAMISHED.

I looked at the clock and my dinner with my friends wasn’t until 8, so I needed to go down to the store in the building and grab some food because there was not a snowball’s chance in hell I was going to make it until then. So, I grab some asiago noodles and a little carton of chicken salad and I go to the counter to pay. 

There a few girls who man the register at the store in the building, whom I’ve gotten to know because I am there constantly and eat two out of three meals a day there because I have no desire to leave the premises on account of probably a mild case of agoraphobia mixed with a tinge of laziness.

Anyway, so yesterday it was the gothic one. She’s fairly new, but she immediately caught my attention when she started because she has black hair and wears a pentagram earring-and-necklace set prominently outside of her work uniform, and I couldn’t help but thinking, “Who the hell makes a matching pentagram set like that that you can buy together in one purchase?” Like one satanic piece isn’t enough but you need to have all three and wear it at one time?  Anyway, she makes it work but certainly she is proud to represent her beliefs, which, whatever, be a witch, I’m so good with that, just don’t double-charge me for my eggs. So, anyway, I pass the asiago noodles and the chicken salad to her and she scans them, and as I take out my wallet to pay, she goes, “Oooh!”

Hearing the strange, unexpected remark, I look up to see her smile and say, “That will be $6.66.” 

I mean, come ON. How is that possible?! Of course that had to happen. And then immediately I, as you can imagine, I thought my life was in danger. Like, if ever there is a moment that satan is actually present, it is when a pentagram is near, and I had the trifecta from hell two-feet away from me. So, here I am just wanted to get some goddamned asiago noodles, and now I was in fear of a  dark force taking over my soul in the grocery line. 

It was one of those moments that normally you’d be like, “Woah, well, look at that,” and perhaps uncomfortably laugh, but it was just a little too real, so I just scurried out of the line convinced Satan himself just contacted me through a portal in the check-out line to let me know I’m marked for death. That’s fine.

So then I had dinner with my friends which was completely lovely. I had gotten all dolled up because they’re two of those friends that exclusively sees me when I look like shit or haven’t washed my hair in three days, so I felt compelled to show them that I can be a productive member of society when tasked with the assignment, and don’t only exist in a state of sleep deprivation / hangover.

We went to an Asian restaurant, and I’ve recently been into this whole movement where I let other people just order, mostly in part, because I’m lazy and I don’t want to be responsible for ordering a basic-bitch dish that no one wants and that appeases my philistine tastes. 

They ordered catfish stew which made me dry-heave when they said it out loud, but turned out to be delicious in practice, some sort of bone marrow situation but without bread which was not okay because then we were actually just cave people spooning that into our mouths and I felt like I should be slouched over an open fire pit somewhere in a one-shoulder animal skin like Barney Rubble. And then fish on the bone. The last time I had fish on the bone was spring break  in Puerto Rico in 2006 because we couldn’t find a shitty American restaurant to eat dinner and the San-Juan people prepared the food locally. So, I was essentially trying to tell jokes and be super-likeable, all while saying to myself, “you better take that bone sitting in your cheek cavity out of your mouth before you choke on it.” Which happened 20-30 times that meal. 

And then I spilled laundry detergent all over the floor this morning. Granted, this is something for which I take full responsibility because I’m a big idiot.  It was one of those powder detergents in a plastic tub, but it was sort of old and the powder had coagulated into little rocks which was annoying me, so as I walked down the stairwell to the laundry room, I decided I would violently shake the box to loosen the rocks. Unfortunately, the top wasn’t completely on and I basically shook powder detergent all over myself and the floor of the stairwell, like a human sprinkler. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have to go get a broom and dustpan from your apartment to sweep the stairwell because you rattled a tub of detergent without the top on? I’m 32. I wanted to just put myself though a wash cycle after that. Maybe it would knock some shit back in place. 

Anyway, now I’m here. I went to a Presbyterian church service even though I’m not religious, partly because I’m trying to ‘center’ in a difficult time, and partly because I received an omen from hell on Saturday. It was enlightening, minus the fact that I was sitting next an incredibly rancid-smelling homeless person, which caused me to have to uncomfortably snuggle up to the man next to me and his young child. But it was church so I couldn’t very well explain to them that I was not interested in touching either one of them sexually but rather just inching away from the arrestingly-terrible smell emanating from the other side. 

And now I’m going to order in Thai food and on-demand a movie because that is my signature ‘cozy’ move to usher in a relaxing Sunday evening before I wake up in my usual panic attack on Monday morning. 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to spill something else on the floor. 

–

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Phở ALL DAY LONG - FEW WORDS ON VIETNAMESE CUISINE

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Traditional cuisine is something every traveler is dying to try, because it refers to all of our senses: taste, smell, sight, touch and even hearing. Trying traditional dishes is an exciting experience, including some level of risk. Food helps us to get to know the country’s culture better. Even though it not always makes the best impression on us, it is usually totally different to what our taste buds are used to. Asian cuisine differs greatly from the European. Despite the fact that its influences have been present for many years now, and that it’s possible to find Asian-influenced take-aways on every corner, recreating the perfect Asian taste is practically impossible. And Asian taste has a lot of diversity, inter alia Vietnamese.  

One can’t complain about the culinary variety in Vietnam. Vietnamese people eat a lot of beef, poultry, seafood, rice, salads and fresh herbs. However, their culinary preferences are much wider than what we consider “common food”. Most restaurants and chop-houses serve dishes made of snakes, crocodiles and toads, less often of mice or…dogs. Eating dogs is such a controversial matter among Western society, that Vietnamese stopped serving them in restaurants. Apparently, it is possible to find doggy dishes in the north of Vietnam, but local people don’t like to flaunt about it.  IN THE MARGIN: we saw dog farm on Phu Quoc Island, but it wasn’t possible to get in. We haven’t seen any places serving dogs, at least we didn’t know about it. We’ve managed to try baked mice instead!

Is Vietnamese cuisine spicy? It is more spicy than European but not as hot as Thai or Indian. Usually you can decide on the hotness of the dish by yourself by adding or not freshly chopped chilis to the dish.

How do Vietnamese eat? All of the dishes are served at the same time. Freshly chopped vegetables and herbs, such as basil, mint, coriander and lemon grass, are always served on separate plates along with main dishes and soups. Vietnamese use chopsticks, even when eating soup (!) – first, they eat solid ingredients to then drink the brew straight from the bowl. The cutlery is available in most places in bigger cities, but eating with them is usually unwelcomed, therefore it’s better to practice using chopsticks before going to Vietnam.

 What do Vietnamese eat and drink? 

Phở - it’s the most popular dish in Vietnam. People eat it all day, every day and are never fed up with it. It is kind of meat or vegetable brew, cooked with rice noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs. There is no one and only recipe for this soup, because it always tastes slightly differently, depending on where you eat it. What determines it’s a phở soup? Added fresh coriander and a lot of salty fish sauce (Vietnam’s specialty). There are few kinds of phở soup:

- Phở gà - with chicken - Phở bò - with beef - Phở chay - with vegetables

IN THE MARGIN: try to eat phở soup in clean places, where a lot of locals eat, because you never know what this soup is really made of. Once it went wrong for us as we ordered some king of brew that smelled like a dead cat and we were not able to eat it.

Cốm trắng - this is simply boiled white rice. Don’t get fooled, though – it tastes completely different to Uncle Ben’s ;) In Vietnam, rice is served to every kind of dish, even in addition to noodles. Vietnamese eat so much rice, that they boil it in special device for cooking rice, which makes the rice sticky and full of taste, and easy to eat with chopsticks.   

Chả giò - these are traditional spring rolls: pieces of beef, crab meat and eggs, rolled in to thin rice paper and filled with noodles, mushrooms and herbs. They can be served raw or deep-fried in oil. They taste best when dipped in soy sauce.  

Mì chiên với rau - rice or egg noodles fried with vegetables.  

Ech chiên bột - frog meat in pancake-like dough, deep-fried and served with vinegar and fish sauce.  

Canh chua - sweet and sour soup cooked with tamarind, tomatoes and pineapple, traditionally derived from Mekong Delta.  

Trứng vịt lộn or Hột vịt lộn, also called Balut - this delicacy is advised only for people with strong stomachs. Balut is a cooked duck’s egg with an embryo inside, which has to be swallowed at once with embryo’s beak and bones.    

Baguette (Bánh mì) - what? Yes, yes. Vietnamese people love small wheat baguettes, which was introduced by the French during their colonial years in Vietnam. It is usually made into half-fried egg or minced ham sandwich, filled with fresh cucumber, chives, lettuce, a lot of coriander and even more Maggi (monosodium glutamate is very popular in Vietnam and used to emphasize the taste of almost any food). These baguettes can be bought in the street stalls, bakeries, bus stations and local dinners.    

IN THE MARGIN: they seemed the safest food while we were travelling in Vietnam, because we could point to exactly what we wanted to have them with. 

Fruit – when you go to Vietnam, you have to eat a lot of fruit, all day long...It would be hard to try them all, or even remembering all of their names, but trying few of them I’ve listed below is a must: 

- mango – it may not seem such an exotic fruit anymore, because it widely-available nowadays, however it tastes so much better in Vietnam. Popular are dishes with raw unripe mango or unripe mango salad sprinkled with salt and chili flakes.  - bananas – really? Vietnamese bananas are the ‘mini bananas’, which are smaller and dryer, but much sweeter than the regular ones. There is a wide variety of bananas in Vietnam, so the bigger ones are also available. - dragon fruit – is sweet and juicy, in the size of a big apple. It’s intensive pink skin is covered in green scales (that’s where the name comes from). It’s pup can be white or dark pink and it hides many tiny black pips inside, but they are almost imperceptible while eating. - jackfruit – it is the biggest fruit growing on a tree. It’s considerably big pips, covered in eatable dark yellow pulp are hidden underneath green, “hairy” skin. Jackfruit is sweet but not very juicy. It is usually sold already peeled.

 - mangosteen - it looks like a big plum on the outside. It's skin is hard, but inside a white, beautifully balanced, sweet and sour pulp can be found. - longan - the center looks like lychee, but it's skin is rusty orange, it's taste is sweet and juicy. - durian - it's the stinkiest fruit in the world, it has been banned on planes and in some hotels; it's green, thorny skin hides very sweet and tasty orange flesh. Make sure not o breath when peeling it, because the smell is truly repulsive. - guava - raw guava tastes similar to pear, but it's consistency is much more buttery. Feel free to it all, including skin and pips. - papaya - ripe papaya is sweet and juicy, it's color intensively orange. There are many black pips inside, though they can be easily scooped out with a spoon. - Java apple - although it looks like an apple, these are tree-grown berries, which don't have an intensive taste: they are rather sour, hard and very juicy. - coconut - there is nothing more refreshing than the fresh coconut water drank straight from the fruit - people keep young coconuts in fridges in Vietnam, so they can quench the thirst even better. 

   Coffee - Vietnamese coffee is strong, sweet and thick. It can be made in two ways: by preparing very strong coffee brew to then mix it with hot water and condensed milk, or by putting tin strainer on a glass, filled with freshly grind coffee and waiting until the hot water soak the brew through it into the glass.   

Tea - the most popular in Vietnam is the green tea, which tastes absolutely amazing with added Jasmin petals.  

Beer - Saigon export and 333 are the most popular beers and they taste quite good as well, not to mention the price.

 Vietnamese cuisine is such a wide topic, that I decided to divide it into parts. Therefore, you may expect another posts related to it. I plan to describe places, where the Vietnamese eat; street market,s where they buy food; and how do they prepare fish and seafood, so please stay tuned! :)

  To conclude, I would like you to watch my vlog from Vietnam, where my fiancé and I are trying very hot chilis and we eat mice (these scenes are not recommended to people with gentle stomachs, because the way mice are killed and prepared for cooking may be disturbing for some!).

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@liuliuloves | Interview with Stephanie Liu

Meet Stephanie Liu!  Also known as @liuliuloves on Instagram, Stephanie is a Taiwanese American, Los Angeles based foodie/food lover, who has been posting on her account since August of 2016.  To find out more about Stephanie and her opinions on Foodie Culture, Asian Americans in the social media foodie world, and more, click to continue reading our interview with her below!

Introduction/Background Questions

Please list your name (first and last), age, ethnicity, and current city of residence.

Stephanie Liu, 34 years old, Taiwanese, and Los Angeles

Do you consider yourself a foodie, a food blogger, a food critic?  What title would you prefer to be called?

I would consider myself a foodie or food lover

How long have you been blogging/posting as a foodie account?

I created @liuliuloves in August 2016

How did you start out?  What made you want to become a social media foodie?

Food is a huge part of my life, so I figured it only made sense to create an account dedicated to one of my favorite things in the whole world.  I always said my dream job is to get paid to eat and travel, so I’m halfway there now!

Assuming that you do, why do you like food?

For me, eating is more than just sustenance, it is about an experience and memories.   Specific things that I am obsessed with, remind me of a familiar or happy time in my life.   Meals are best shared with the people you love, so family style is always a must, even when I’m with my friends.  Really, this is my way of convincing everyone else to order all the dishes I want to have.

Please define what a “foodie” is.

I generally associate the term with a person who is infatuated food.

What does being a foodie mean to you?  Do you see it as it a lifestyle? Just a hobby?

In a perfect world, I would be a foodie full-time.  At the moment, it’s just a hobby as it’s not profitable enough to survive off of.

Do you have another occupation (besides being a foodie)?

Yes, I do.

How often do you visit restaurants and stores for the purpose of blogging/instagram?

Since I have a full-time job, I typically head to restaurants on the weekends.  To make the most of my time, I’ll schedule 3-5 tastings in a single area (LA, Valley, Pasadena /Glendale, or OC).

So far, what has been your favorite food/restaurant to visit?

From places I’ve tried through foodie life?  It’s so hard to pick a single spot!  I’d say Pasta Sisters for all your Italian cravings.  In regards to restaurants I’ve discovered on my own, Uzumaki (sushi), Scopa and Forma (Italian), Lao Tao (Taiwanese), and Rori’s (ice cream).

What is the strangest/most interesting meal you’ve ever had?

One of the most interesting meals I’ve ever had was at N/Naka.  From the service to the presentation, and the complex and unique flavors, this was an incredible dining experience.

What is your favorite memory, related to food, from your childhood?

Oh man, there are so many!  The fondest memories from my childhood are going to donut shops and breakfast joints every weekend morning with my dad.  Now I realize, this is probably why I can totally have breakfast at any time of day, and why I have an unhealthy relationship with donuts.

Have you ever learned about the topic of food cultures?  Have you thought about the history or roots of where the dishes you eat come from?

Absolutely, that’s half the fun!  It’s nice to make a personal connection with a chef or restaurateur, and to hear their story and the inspiration behind the fascinating dishes they create.  

When do you think food blogging through social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) became the popular “it” thing to do?  

Social media has been slowly progressing for a while, but only recently made a boom in the past few years.  We, as a society, are consumed with these social networks and the idea of receiving information at the click of a button.  Instagram has become quite the addiction and guilty pleasure, you can find anything and connect with anyone on that app.

If you did not choose the title of “food critic” in question no.2, what would you say distinguishes you from a food critic?

I have so much more to learn.  If I compare myself to the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern, their knowledge of food is quite extensive.  They are true food critics, I’m a food-critic-in-training.  

Asian American Influence Questions

As a child, when you went to school, did you grow up feeling like you shouldn’t bring Asian food for lunch?  What was it like growing up where you did?

Even though I grew up in a diverse school district, I did not want to bring Asian food for lunch.  Sometimes the rice or noodles would smell or look funny, and I didn’t want to be made fun of.  It was easier to have lunchables and sandwiches like the other kids.  Makes me a little sad to think about now because I wish I would have just eaten my mom’s home cooking, it was WAY better than anything I had at school.

Do you think that Asian Americans are a majority of Instagram foodies (is it a true statement that a majority are Asian Americans)?  What do you know about the demographics of social media foodie culture?

I haven’t read much about the demographics, but most of the foodie friends I’ve met through Instagram are Asian.  Perhaps it’s because we, as a culture, love to take pictures of everything and have no shame standing on a chair in the middle of a restaurant just to get our perfect shot.

Why do you think that Asian American food has become more prevalent and accepted to eat over the recent?  Would you say that it is a result of social media foodie culture?

Not sure what the recent is?  I’m always looking to try new things, and I encourage my friends to do the same.  It’s easy to stick with what you’re used to, however, a single experience outside of your comfort zone can open up a whole new food world.  Just make sure you are going to places that are authentic.  Good food will always rise to the top, even if it takes a minute to get there.

What do you think about the phrase “eat with your eyes”?

I do this ALL the time, it’s a terrible habit.  The table usually ends up with tons of half eaten items because I think I can finish everything, but my eyes lie to me.  It’s okay though, because then I have tasty leftovers for days!

Asians are stereotypically labelled as materialistic, do you think that this has anything to do with foodie culture, as well as the presentation of food on Instagram and blogs?

We are?  I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever heard that before.  I’m not sure what the relationship is here?

With the rise of opposition of under-representation of Asian Americans in America, do you consider foodie culture as a way for Asian Americans to be more represented?  

Any way for us to get our voice out there is a win for Asian Americans.  We are definitely under-represented, so I support anything that positively represents Asian Americans, especially when it’s something that I enjoy as well.

As an Asian American, do you tend to gravitate towards Asian foods or AA-run businesses?

My taste buds prefer Asian foods, ALL THE TIME.  Although, there are certain dishes from many other cuisines that I can’t live without.

How important of a role do you think influencers on social media platforms, such as yourself, have played in the rise of popularity of food fads such as boba, rolled ice cream, K-BBQ, etc.?

I wouldn’t attribute that to my own efforts, but, I strongly believe that Instagram especially, has a HUGE influence on any brand or restaurant.  Food fads rise and fall pretty quickly if they aren’t appetizing.  Only the delicious will survive.

How would you define the word “authenticity” in a culinary aspect?  What, to you, makes a dish authentic?

There are two ways I define authenticity.  One, is to remain true to the history and culture of those dishes.  The other, is to be true to yourself and everything that you stand for.  I can appreciate both versions of authenticity in a dish.  You can absolutely taste the difference when someone does or doesn’t put their heart and soul into their cooking.

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TCM Eats: Jo Jo Taipei

Jo Jo Taipei (Allston)

You know those places you walk by all the time, never go into, always tell yourself you’ll go some day, but always forget when the time comes to eat? Jo Jo Taipei was that place for us. We’d passed by it so many times, it had nearly become part of the scenery, and were it not for the fact that it’s been utterly packed nearly every time we went by, we may have never gone. 

We ate:

Szechuan Style Fish Fillet

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Spicy Bean Vermicelli with Ground Pork

Scallion Pancakes

Angela’s Thoughts:

So remember during my review of Shanghai Gate where I said that Shanghai Gate was probably the best Chinese food in Allston? ...I forgot about Jo Jo Taipei! I’ve only been once before, and it was quite a while ago. That’s a practically unforgivable oversight on my part, after how great it was during our last visit!

We went for a late lunch on Marathon Monday; a few of the restaurants in Allston were still open, but Jo Jo Taipei was practically empty. The space is nice, and deceptively large. It’s decorated like a very traditional banquet-style Chinese restaurant, but with some interesting decorative touches. We were seated quickly, and ended up being some of the only people in the restaurant.

We arrived around 3:30, and since it was a weekday, we could take advantage of their lunch special, the triple lunch combo -- $21.99 for 3 dishes, rice, and a soup course. The lunch menu has an impressive number of dishes, so there was a lot to choose from. We’d narrowed it down to a few, and asked our server what would be good that day. She gave us excellent suggestions (and shot us down when we wanted to order Orange chicken, lol), and we followed them! We ended up selecting Szechuan Fish, Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce, and Spicy Vermicelli with Ground Pork.

We started with the soup. It looked like an egg drop soup, and had large cubes of soft tofu, as well as seaweed and scallions. The smell was peppery and fragrant, but the taste was a bit bland. I had a few sips of the broth and ate some of the tofu, but our food came out so quickly that I barely made a dent.

The first dish that came out was the Szechuan Fish. They were small filleted pieces of white fish in a chili sauce. The fish had a light batter on it to soak up the chili and black bean sauce. The sauce wasn’t too spicy, but was bright and flavorful. The taste of the fish also stood out distinctly from the sauce, which was nice.

The second dish to arrive was the spicy vermicelli. This was a dish that we hadn’t seen on the menu, but was pointed out to us and recommended by our server. I was expecting thinner noodles, but we got wider, ribbon noodles instead. The larger noodles were coated in a chili oil sauce with ground pork and chili. The noodles had a notable spring to them, that contrasted well with the soft pork. It was nice to have a more filling noodle dish along with the fish and eggplant, and the strong spicy flavor was really tasty.

The eggplant with garlic sauce was served with large sliced chunks of asian eggplant with sliced green pepper, chili, bamboo shoot, basil, and other sauteed vegetables. We were initially choosing between the two eggplant dishes on the menu, but our server suggested the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce when we said we liked spicy food. The eggplant was tender and nicely cooked, with a slightly tangy, spicy sauce. The flavor profile was the most distinct of the three dishes we had, which was welcome. I’m a huge fan of sauteed eggplant, and the flavor of the sauce was really savory and delicious.

Lastly, we ordered the scallion pancakes. I loooove scallion pancakes, and we ordered them (after some coaxing and promising not to overorder on my part). These took the longest to come out, and it was clear why when they arrived. They came to the table piping hot, and covered in a beautiful bubbly crust that was evidence of how hot the oil must have been when they were cooked. These were probably the best scallion pancakes I’ve ever had in my life. They were fried exquisitely. They were slightly oily, but still light and delicate. They were almost fluffy, and not dense at all. I wrote down in my notes that they were “a joy to eat.” It sounds hyperbolic, but they were fantastic, seriously. I would go back just for those scallion pancakes. I would recommend to you all, dear readers, to visit Jo Jo Taipei for their amazing scallion pancakes (and eat their other great food, too)!

This most recent visit to Jo Jo Taipei made me regret not visiting them way more often. The food is delicious, and really affordable (particularly the lunch special). They also have the best scallion pancakes I’ve ever had. For me, that’s reason enough for me to recommend that you all make the trek down to Allston to visit!

Matt’s Thoughts:

On a sunny Marathon Monday afternoon with empty bellies and not much of anything to do, Angela and I had decided today, yes, today! would be the day that we go out to review our beloved Oppa sushi. Except Oppa was closed, and our hearts were broken yet again. Will you ever be open, Oppa? (random aside - you stay away, TCM Curse. If you go anywhere near Oppa, I swear there will be hell to pay.)

We discussed our options, and I suggested just strolling down Brighton Ave and going into a place we hadn’t eaten at before. As we walked, I suggested Jo Jo Taipei - a place that is always packed every time we walked by. Angela agreed, and we crossed our fingers that the restaurant would be open for service at the odd hour of 4pm. Bless it, Jo Jo was open, and we headed into the mostly empty restaurant, sat down, and began to digest their extensive menu.

Fortunately for me, Angela noticed that we just barely made it in before they stopped offering their lunch specials. I personally welcomed the slight restriction - even on their lunch specials menu, Jo Jo still had a lot to offer and choose from. Certainly a good sign for us to find something we’d like, but not great for my analysis paralysis. Jo Jo has a lunch deal: three entrees (plus the standard rice and soup of the day) for $21.99 so we of course went with that. Once Angela and I had narrowed it down to just four or five options, we were stuck, and decided to request guidance from our server. After laughing at us for ordering the (admittedly) “white people food” Spicy Orange Chicken, she recommended we choose the Szechuan Style Fish Fillet (one we’d already selected!), the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce over the Eggplant with Basil, and the previously-unnoticed Spicy Bean Vermicelli with Ground Pork. She was friendly, and we were thankful for her help, and we sat back excited for the meal to come.

First out was the soup - a slightly off-clear, thick broth with dropped egg, big pieces of soft tofu, and seaweed. Though the soup smelled peppery, it was unfortunately bland. Not unpleasant, but even with the toppings, there just wasn’t much flavor. We both set it aside after a few sips and bites. The soup was quickly followed by bowls of white rice and the Szechuan Fish Fillets.

This dish was a plate of 7 or so medium sized, lightly breaded pieces of fish coated in a beautiful glossy sauce. A bite, and the characteristic clean, light flavor of well-cooked whitefish popped onto my palate. Though the sauce was on the salty side, it complimented the mild fish, and paired extremely well with white rice. Angela loves fish, and a quick glance up at confirmed that she was adequately blissed out. A definite score.

The Vermicelli landed soon after with a suggestive jiggle - these were wide bean noodles, not at all the thin vermicelli I was expecting, and they just looked extremely chewy. A bite, and I was not disappointed. The spice here wasn’t as aggressive as I was expecting, but it was certainly noticeable and pleasant. The ground pork lent a bit of texture (though not an enormous amount of flavor) and the noodles carried that characteristic smokiness of a dish cooked well in a wok.

Though we were only a bite in, our Eggplant with Garlic Sauce touched down with a flourish. Dark amber eggplant flecked with vibrant purple skins was all we needed to get us salivating again. We barely needed to taste this one to know it was good, but we begrudgingly accepted the formality of eating the dish before us. Lo, it was delicious. Wonderfully creamy eggplant, savory sauce, and astringent green peppers that lent bite in both flavor and in texture. It was some of the best asian eggplant I’ve had in Boston.

Now, despite the fact that we had three entree-sized portions of amazing food in front of us, one bowl of white rice and one bowl of half-eaten soup in front of us, Angela still wanted scallion pancakes. At $4, I couldn’t really complain, and neutrally consented to getting an order. I am so very glad I did.

These could easily be the best scallion pancakes I have ever had. Thin, light gold, and dotted with paper-thin bubbles of crust that shattered upon biting, the texture of these was out of this world. Though they were chewy, they weren’t tough (I’d always just thought that scallion pancakes were a food that required some chew), and the scallion flavor was delicate enough to play in and out of the fried dough flavor. A dunk in the sauce, and the flavor changed again to carry the best notes of soy and vinegar along with the pancake flavor. Maybe we just got lucky with the kitchen, where an attentive, un-busy chef decided that these would be the best scallion pancakes they’d ever made. Maybe this is run of the mill. All I know is they were phenomenal and I need to go back and try them again.

I can’t wait to get back to Jo Jo! It’s bad, because when I work from home I could easily hop over for a lunch special, and with a menu as big as theirs, it would take me a long, long time before I’d tire of it (assuming the rest of the items are as good as what we had). I will say, though, that considering all of the food we had (I’m going to conveniently forget the soup) was excellent, it really makes me want to explore their menu more. If you’re hungry in the area, absolutely give Jo Jo Taipei a try.

Overall:

This is the third time that we’ve turned away from Oppa Sushi and gone somewhere else, only to have a *great* meal. We’ll try to review Oppa soon… but again, we’re kind of glad it was closed!

Jo Jo Taipei had an extensive lunch menu, good prices, and really tasty food, including some of the best scallion pancakes either of us have ever had. We’re both excited to go back, and can’t wait for an excuse to eat more of their food. Definitely give it a try, *especially* if you love scallion pancakes. Seriously. You need to eat them.

We give Jo Jo Taipei 4 tender eggplant slices out of 5.

[tasteculturepower]

Family picture taken Christmas 2016.  From left to right: Mom, sister, lola, me, dad.

Hint: Click the links for more info throughout!

One of the most amazing things about Filipino food is that it’s a powerhouse of mixed influences from other cultures.  The Spanish and Mexican influence in our heartier stew-like dishes like menudo and adobo; the Chinese flair in our signature dishes pancit canton and lumpia; America’s fast food craze influencing the rise of popular Filipino fast food chain Jollibee and Max’s Chicken—these and many more influences from around Asia can be tasted in our food.  

Like many other Asian cultures, we all share food communally—no separate plates with prepared food, only big bowls of food with serving utensils.  It’s this practice that really solidified meal time as family time.  Whether it’s a normal dinner, a Christmas feast, or an afternoon merienda, or light meal, we always ate together.  

Rice is possibly one of the most important parts of the meal.  To this day, I cannot eat any Filipino dish without it—they just taste so much better once you’ve drenched the rice in the sabao, or broth.  For breakfast, we would have fried rice with peas, egg, and garlic (above).  Rice is also one of the first memories I have of eating: My lola, or grandma, standing behind me as I sit at the kitchen table, swiping the fish and rice on my plate into meticulous balls, and hand-feeding it to me.  Her hand smelled distinctly of fried tilapia—and I would turn my head to avoid it.  Many people say that rice doesn’t really have a taste to it, but when I taste rice cooked exactly how my mom and lola would make it, it really hits me in the gut (pun intended) and reminds me of home.

But where is home?  I’m from New Jersey, but I moved towns in 7th grade—so I now have two distinct homes I remember.  The old house was nestled in a nice cul-de-sac, and it was a time when I felt more in tune with Filipino culture.  We went to Filipino house parties all the time, gorged ourselves with huge trays of Filipino food and desserts laid out banquet-style—my sister and I hated being dragged along to these get-togethers and seeing relatives.  Lechon (above), whole fried pig; crispy pata, deep fried pork knuckles; palabok, a noodle dish; kare-kare, a peanut-butter based curry made with oxtail; leche flan, a creamy flan dessert—all this, and more, was awaiting us.  Once we moved, though, we were detached from that.  All that remained was our cooking and our trips to the Asian store with our mom or lola.  Funnily enough, I don’t recall my father ever going grocery shopping with us nor cooking. He always did buy our takeout, though.

It’s at this point in time when I can say that we definitely began to experiment with food more as a family. The area we live in now has many more options for different types of cuisine, and the fact that our house had a working oven meant that my mom could bake and cook more dishes.  We started eating out more as a family or bringing back food to the house—but in between those meals, Filipino food remained, resilient as ever, never departing from our cravings.  And in between trips to Shop Rite would be runs to the Asian store to buy more exotic veggies and chichiryas, a nickname for junk food mostly used for Filipino snacks.  We would also start taking our plates into the family room to watch TV instead of sitting at the table, something that was borne out of the layout of our new house.  

As we ate out more frequently, we all became “foodies.”  When traveling, too, our go-to destinations would be the food places.  Because of this shift, and from already experiencing the complexity of Filipino food itself, I was eager to try new things.  What I did notice, though, was that my tastes always aligned with Asian and Filipino cuisine, and I would be choosier about certain ingredients.  Cilantro is one of them—it’s not a part of any Filipino dish I’ve had, and am pretty disgusted by the taste of it.  Meanwhile, hearty, savory, and umami dishes would steal my tastebuds in a second, even if I’d never tried them before.  

As a BU student, I am completely detached from Filipino food.  In fact, the nearest Filipino store/restaurant is outside of Boston.  I’m completely comfortable eating anything nowadays; however, I gravitate toward Asian dishes.  But there are many times when I wish I could know there’s a pot of something delicious boiling over the stove, ready to be eaten as soon as everyone gets back home from work.  I’ve gotten lazier about feeding myself because of the stress of work, college, and everything else that needs to get done; when I was still at home, I could wander into the kitchen and open up the fridge or pantry and grab whatever I wanted. With the rising popularity of short video food tutorials on social media, I’ve started to pick up cooking, but found that I definitely can’t finesse my way through a dish like my mom or lola could—with no measuring tools, just hands and eyes.  

One of the things I regret is learning our language and having my mom teach me to cook more Filipino dishes when I was younger—but it’s never too late to start.  I know that when I start carving my own path in life, I never want to let go of those home-cooked dishes.  

Sitting around the kitchen table, chatting about our day, hoarding rice, drenching our plates with sabau—I never want to forget the feeling of that taste.

     -  Isabella Santa Maria

P.S. If you have time and want to watch something fun, check out this episode of Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods.  He takes a trip through the Philippines and tries out all sorts of Filipino food and learns about the culture.  It’s pretty interesting!

[arplis]

Arplis - News: Hungry for Words Podcast: Vietnamese Chef Andrea Nguyen

Welcome to episode 2 of the Hungry for Words podcast starring best-selling author and chef Kathleen Flinn. In this episode, Kathleen talks to noted Vietnamese food writer, chef, and author Andrea Nguyen about everything from dumplings and pho to her dramatic escape from her home country in 1975 at the height of the war.    Andrea is the author of several books, including the classic Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, Asian Tofu and Asian Dumplings, and The Pho Cookbook. Get more about Andrea - plus the recipe for the Rotisserie Chicken Pho - from the episode here on Hungry for Words. Below is a partial transcription of the podcast. Kathleen: Hello and welcome to "Hungry for Words, The Podcast," in which I talk to the most interesting people writing about the food, I make some of the recipes and then we talk about it, and you get to listen in. I'm your host, Kathleen Flinn. Today, I'll be talking to Andrea Nguyen, an award-winning author of numerous books on the cuisine of her homeland, including the classic, "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen." We'll talk about her latest book, "The Pho Cookbook" over steaming bowls of the noodle soup. We'll also talk about dumplings, tofu, and how her family dramatically escaped the war-torn country in 1975. This episode of "Hungry for Words" is sponsored by Wolf, encouraging you to reclaim your kitchen starting with one home-cooked family meal per week. Visit reclaimthekitchen.com for tips, techniques and recipes from Wolf cooking tools. And by our media partner, foodista.com. Join a passionate community of food lovers at foodista.com. And by our partner, Book Larder, Seattle's community cookbook bookstore. Learn more at booklarder.com. Tomorrow, I'm gonna interview Andrea, and I have her book, "The Pho Cookbook." Forever, I thought it was pho, I think it's still pronounced pho. And I have to say I've never actually attempted to make pho, but I am really excited about it. So I was looking through it and she has a whole bunch of different recipes. So she has the classic beef, classic chicken, and they look great, but they also look like they take four or five hours, which I don't really have. So then I was looking at her quick chicken pho, which sounded really good, but she said it was pho-ish, so it's not really pho. But then I'm flipping through and then I see something that she calls Pho Ga Quay, Rotisserie Chicken Pho, and I was like, "That has my name all over it." And I like this because, to me, I felt like it was sort of more real stock-ish because you take the actual chicken carcass, according to her recipe, you take it, you kind of break it up, and then you simmer it along with celery and apple and napa cabbage and carrot and cilantro. Now, I'm taking the star anise, cloves, some coriander seeds, and cinnamon, and then over medium heat, you toast the spices for several minutes. I'm now going to add some ginger and some onion. And then now, I'm gonna add in all the chicken and all the other stuff, and you let that simmer for about an hour, and then see how it goes. And now, I'm going to strain it. And I have to say, it smells pretty great. I'm going to put it aside till tomorrow. Hey, welcome to Seattle. Andrea: Thank you so much. And you know, I have to say, when I walked through you're door, I smelled this beautiful fragrance of pho, and I was so happy. Kathleen: I have to tell you, I started it last night, at like 9:00, and I wasn't done until about midnight. Because I had to go shopping, I just all of a sudden went, "Wait, she's coming tomorrow and I got to go get that stuff and figure out what I'm gonna make." But I picked the rotisserie chicken pho. Is it pho? Andrea: It's pho if you want to really impress a Vietnamese native speaker, but if you just say... Kathleen: Pho. Andrea: Yeah, pho, like you're asking a question. Kathleen: Kind of like how a Valley girl says it, like, "Pho?" Andrea: Yeah, like "I want some pho right now." Kathleen: Okay, I want some pho. Andrea: Yeah, yeah. Kathleen: All right. Well, this is, like, the most helpful pronunciation guide, I have to tell you. Andrea: Always add a question mark at the end of the word pho. Kathleen: Pho? Andrea: Yeah. Kathleen: All right. So other question I have to ask you is how you pronounce your last name. Andrea: It's pronounced Nguyen, like N-hyphen-W-I-N. Kathleen: "N-win." Andrea: You can always "Win" and it will always be like a win-win situation, I suppose. Kathleen: My husband and I were having this whole conversation about last night. And I thought, "Oh, my gosh, I'm gonna mispronounce your name. I'm gonna pho wrong." So here we go. So it's all good. Your other books are easier, there was tofu, I can say that. That's pretty clear. And dumplings, which are universal. Andrea: You know, pho is a new word for the American-English language dictionary. And so one of the problems is that we know we no longer have to put an accent mark on it, so it looks like pho. Kathleen: Yeah, that' true. Because if you walk around international district, they all have the, you know... Andrea: The diacritics. Kathleen: Yeah. Andrea: And those things look so funky, and there's like two of them on that letter O, and so I always tell people, like, in Vietnamese, when it's just P-H-O without any of funny little cookie dickies, you know, accent marks, that is pronounced pho, and once that you get a little side hook on the O, then that is pronounced pho. But then once that you have a little question mark above the O, it become pho. Kathleen: And pho is what we're talking about. Andrea: Correct. You know, pho is a word that is based upon a Chinese term for flat rice noodles, fun. I don't really believe that there is a precursor for, like, the other words for pho. It's just pho. It's almost like a word that Vietnamese people, they sort of...they adapted from Cantonese, or their pidgin version of Cantonese way back when pho originated in the early part of the 20th century. Kathleen: Interesting. In reading your book, you talked about that being the origin of pho, right, was in the early 20th century. Andrea: Yes, and there's a lot of murky mythology about the origin of pho. And so some people have, who allows it, "Oh my gosh, you know, it came from French pot-au-feu because look how pho sounds like feu, fire, in pot-au-feu." So the French were in Vietnam at that time as the colonial overlords of Vietnam. And they began slaughtering a lot of cattle. And the Vietnamese were using the cattle as draft animals, not as food. And all of sudden, there were these scraps sitting around. And there was a particular water buffalo noodle soup that was being served on the streets in and around Hanoi. So we're talking about the northern part of Vietnam, the northern part closest to the border with China. So this noodle soup made with water buffalo had like these little round rice noodles, like rice vermicelli. All of sudden, there were sales on beef. And people didn't have a taste for beef, but the sales were really good, because the butchers were like, "Hey, we got to get rid of these really like tough cuts of meat and bones." And the food vendors were like, "Oh, here's a business opportunity," and they started switching out the water buffalo for the beef. And then along the way, they were like, "This tastes better with flat rice noodles instead of..." So we're talking about noodles that look so, like, pad thai, or linguine shape. And so they made that switch and it became like this hit with a lot of working-class folks who were, like, working on the shipping, like merchant ships on the river there, in Northern Vietnam. And as Hanoi became more urbanized, the noodle spread throughout the city, and so it became this city thing, and it became a food vendor thing. So you can imagine, like, you know, the 21st century version would be like, I don't know, taco truck, you know, [inaudible 00:08:23] taco trucks gone wild. And here's like the noodle soup's like "Woo hoo!" Everybody goes crazy for it. And people from all different walks of life come to pho and have pho at the table, and they're eating it out on the street. Kathleen: And I bet it was probably inexpensive if they were making it, essentially, out of rice noodles and these super cheap cuts of beef. I have one question though. Where did the water buffalo come from beforehand? Andrea: They are also a primary draft animal in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. They are placid animals that we love, and so like when you look at Vietnamese art, oftentimes, you'll see a little boy painted atop a water buffalo in the rice patty and everyone looks at that and everyone goes, "Oh, it's the water buffalo." And at certain times, you know, the water buffalo is harvested, but oftentimes, the water buffalo is just out in the field working. If you were to travel to Vietnam, you would still see in rural areas, sometimes, you know, water buffalo roaming. And they have a special place in our hearts. Kathleen: Let's try the pho that I made. I will say that I was kinda like, hmm, I'm kinda nervous because I'm making this for the first time and I'm cooking for an expert. Andrea: I love food that whoever cooks for me, and this smells really, really good. Kathleen: Oh, thanks. Andrea: I'm not gonna talk for that much, or I'm gonna talk with my mouth open. It's aerating things. Kathleen: It's aerating, I like that. Andrea: I think you did a bang-up job. Kathleen: Thank you. Andrea: Pho is about the noodle soup but it's also about the spices and it's about the experience and it's about the noodles. And I thought to myself, you know, how can I tell people about making, creating their own pho experience so the spice blend, the pho spice blend really allows me to do that. You know, it's got the star anise, and fennel, and coriander, and cinnamon, and clove, and black pepper. And I'll use it in lieu of five-spice. I will also mix it with salt and create like a rub for steaks. Kathleen: So let's talk about the whole condiment thing, because to me, this has always been part of the whole experience. You go and they bring you all the stuff and how are you supposed to eat it. And it's interesting, because earlier in the book, you said you guys didn't do that. You're much, much more purer. Andrea: It's because my parents were both born in Northern Vietnam. And their pho experience was one that was not born from bodacious Southern Vietnamese living. So they both migrated from Northern Vietnam to Southern Vietnam and settled in Saigon. And this is like the '50s and my father was a military governor and he went all over the provinces and stuff. So they were familiar with southern food, but there were certain things that they're very traditional about.

Arplis - News source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Arplis-News/~3/Teg31_tqDJI/hungry-for-words-podcast-vietnamese-chef-andrea-nguyen