#and literally only being able to eat soup and soft bread for like 3 weeks

[dandunn]

Something that really annoys me about weight loss culture (and I have been guilty of this too) is how people who have managed to drop a ton of weight suddenly get this insane sense of superiority over fat people.

Like yeah losing weight is a great achievement and all, it is not easy and requires a lot of self discipline and work but that doesnt make it okay to turn around and be snide and cruel to people who dont have the mental energy, resources or time to do it themselves.

I dropped a ton of weight myself at one point and most of my motivation stemmed from being cruel to fat people like OH THANK GOD IM NOT LIKE THOSE HAMS LOL now im fatter than ive ever been and all i can think of is wow. I was such a cunt lmao

[langblr-o-kebek]

How to feed yourself cheaply when you live alone

It can be so frustrating and difficult to get used to living by yourself. Apparently cabinets don’t come magically stocked with spices and you have to buy things??? with money???? So here’s a few things I’ve learned along the way along with some links to other great posts that have information along this subject too.

1. Secretly assassinate a relative and collect inheritance

2. Find a sugar daddy

If 1 and 2 are options then the rest of this post is worthless to you, if they are not options, keep reading.

Your first visit to the grocery store Buckle up because it’s going to be the most expensive one

You need to stock your kitchen since you are not a roach and can’t just eat the wooden cabinets. Every kitchen should have some combination of the “basics” which will be your non-perishable pantry items-those things that your parents house seemingly never runs out of. 

The Basics

-Rice -Pasta (+any other grains you might like such as couscous, wheat berries etc.) -Flour -Sugar -Brown sugar (if you’re into baking like I am) -Baking Soda -Baking powder -Spices (for example, cumin, cayenne, oregano, basil, paprika, etc.) -Salt and pepper -Oats -Boullion or cans of stock -Cans of soup/packets of ramen -Coffee/tea

I suggest you buy these kinds of items in bulk if possible. If you have the space to store them, they will last you forever and items like these can make a meal that is supposed to be 1-2 servings into somethings thats 4-6 which I’ll explain later. Also, buying in bulk is cheaper per pound/100 grams (whatever system you’re using) so in the long run, you’ll save lots of money by buying one fat ass sack of rice a year instead of 15 every few weeks. Check your area for bulk stores, places that sell spices and grains by the weight. This will save you cash and can be more eco-friendly if you’re able to use your own bags/containers.

Tips for meals

It is so much cheaper to cook a larger amount of food at a time than making something for each individual meal. This is because for the most part, you can’t buy ingredients sufficient for one serving at the grocery store and you don’t want to buy something you’ll only use once and then the rest goes bad and bye-bye money. Making a meal that will last you 3-4 days is not only cheaper, but also saves time since after the initial cooking, all you have to do is reheat a little at a time later. You can take this a step further and use grains like rice, pasta and couscous to “cut” the food thereby doubling the amount of servings you have. Below are some really easy recipes that I use that last me days.

Things you can make at home for cheap

HUMMUS! Bc it’s a great snack, filling, healthy and is stupid expensive at the store and stupid cheap and easy to make.

-1 can of garbanzo beans -2 T of tahini (you can leave this out if you want, tahini can be expensive) -1 T lemon juice -1 clove of garlic, minced -Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper

Literally throw it all in a food processor and blend. If it’s too thick, you can add more olive oil or save some of the water from the beans and add that as well. If you do that, less salt will need to be added. If you use dried beans that you’ve soaked and shit you will need more salt.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can heat the beans up and smash it by hand, it’s more effort and it may be chunkier but it works. Same goes for immersion blenders.

Fun ways to shake this hummus up

-Roasted Red pepper: Chop 1/3 C of roasted red pepper and add. Replace some of the olive oil with some of the juice from the pepper jar.

-Roasted Garlic: Instead of mincing a garlic clove, expose the head of the garlic (lol) and rub with a little olive oil, making sure it gets into the cracks (lol). Wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees (~200 C) for 30-35 minutes. Garlic should be nice and soft when it’s done. Roasted garlic is sweet instead of biting like raw garlic so using a whole head is okay and you won’t die when you eat it.

-Artichoke heart+black olive: Chop up one can of artichoke hearts with however many chopped black olives as you would like

-Pesto: Add in at least one tablespoon of pesto

Now the question is, how do I eat my hummus and the answer is, there’s actually a billion ways

-Put it on a sandwich or wrap! -Dip celery, cucumber, carrots, peppers in it! -Eat it with pretzels or tortilla chips OR if you’re a cheap bastard like me, make your own tortilla chips by cutting up some tortilla rounds, brushing them with olive oil, sprinkling them with salt and bake at 350 for 10ish minutes. I usually put mine into the oven right when I turn it on and pull them out when the oven is preheated bc I can’t be bothered to actually figure out a proper cooking time. Whatever, this is way cheaper than buying chips and they’re more filling. You can also make tortillas, it’s cheap and simple, I find they taste better, but it is slightly time consuming. Here’s a recipe. -Eat it with a spoon wgaf you live alone no judgement.

Coffee Creamer

Hell yes you can make this at home. The basic is about 1 3/4 cup of milk (whatever kind of milk, the more fat in the milk the creamier the creamer) and 14oz of sweetened condensed milk. You can also add in a few drops of any sort of extract/honey or some sprinkles of cinnamon/nutmeg whatever suits your fancy! Here is a bunch of variations. Also put 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon per cup of coffee in with your coffee grounds in the filter for a cinnamon scented coffee.

Popcorn

Well, we all knew this one. But honest to god it is so much cheaper and healthier to pop popcorn using a bag of kernels than it is to buy a box of microwave popcorn. Just pour some oil and a tablespoon of butter into a large pan, add the popcorn and cook covered over medium heat. As soon as the kernels start to pop make sure you start jiggling the pan to keep them moving so they don’t burn and ruin your pan. I’m pretty sure you can put the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave too. Throw salt on it, or even cinnamon and sugar cuz why not.

RULES FOR GROCERY SHOPPING

1. buying in bulk saves

2. Don’t buy in bulk if you can’t use it all before it expires-like yeast! Most expiration dates are pretty generous and you can actually continue using the product beyond the date (this amount of time varies, please for your own safety please google it). Yeast is the only food I know of that is true to its expiration.

3. Avoid superstores when possible. Most of the time, you’re paying for the convenience. Superstores are often more expensive because you’re paying for the convenience of doing all your shopping in one place. 

4. Ethnic markets are almost always cheaper-especially for trendy things like Coconut oil (so cheap at indian food markets!!) Find Chinese, Arabic, Indian, Mexican food markets around you and split up your shopping accordingly. 

5. MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD, it can be very easy. Google it.

6. Off brand is just as good as the rest

7. Coupons, grab them in the front of the store if available

8. Just because something is a good deal doesn’t mean you have to buy it. I don’t care if orange juice is on sale, I don’t drink a lot of orange juice. You know what’s cheaper than something being 50% off? Not buying it at all. It costs $0.00 to be smart. 

9. Don’t make grocery shopping a habitual thing. By that I mean don’t go grocery shopping every Sunday or whatever. Go grocery shopping when you need to go grocery shopping. If it’s been a week but you can wait 4 more days, wait 4 more days.

10. Don’t buy fresh herbs, grow them. A packet of seeds is cheap. Plastic pots are cheap. Potting soil can be cheap if you can find a place where you can buy by the weight instead of a massive bag. Plant the seeds according to the packet. Things like basil need to be watered often. Things like rosemary and thyme are okay chilling a couple of days without it. Read the packets and google it. Also it’s so rewarding to watch your little baby plants grow. An herb garden costs $10 dollars at the most to make. Fresh herbs at the grocery store cost $2-6 per package. Fresh herbs make meals taste a million times better I swear to god it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. Growing herbs also helped me with my depression so bonus.

11. If shopping at a super store, as much as possible stay out of the “middle”. What I mean is, things you buy should come from the sections closest to the wall-these include the produce, meat, dairy and frozen vegetables. All the processed foods are in the middle and though some can be cheap, they’re not filling and you end up buying them a lot. Doing things like making your own hummus can keep you out of the middle aisles and it’s healthier. Things from the middle you may need though are tea, ramen, grains, soup, peanut butter. 

12. Plan your trip. Thoroughly look through your fridge and cabinets to see what you’re out of. I even keep a little white board on my fridge where I write what’s in the fridge and what’s run out. Write down what needs to be replaced/what you need for the next couple of meals. Do not stray from the list when shopping.

13. Go to Marshalls or Winners or whatever equivalent for things like olive oil, K cups if you have a Keurig (oh fancy fancy) and cool pink salt. They also have other kinds of oils like sunflower and avocado, and even sometimes protein powders. It’s way cheaper there and you can buy a liter sized bottle of olive oil for like 7 dollars when it would cost at least twice that at a grocery store. 

14. Do not have the same grocery list every week. Prices of things change, your list should reflect that. If you’re wanting to get some sort of fruit for a snack, don’t get apples every week. Get whatever is in season. The prices of fresh produce in stores and markets will reflect what’s in season (i.e. the cheapest things). Lucky for us Bananas are always in season and are a super cheap snack that people forget about. I often wait until they’re ripe, cut them up and freeze them to make smoothies. 

15. Don’t be afraid of tofu. It’s cheap as hell and once you learn how to prepare it, can be a fantastic substitute for animal proteins if meat/fish are too expensive.

16. Don’t forget, so many foods can be frozen. If something is crazy on sale, don’t be afraid to buy more than usual if you are able to freeze it. Here’s a list of things that can be frozen. TBH here, in Canada, I buy those big 3L bags of milk and store the little baggies in the freezer. 

Finally, go to Goodwill stores and thrift shops to find kitchen appliances, dishes, and cookware for cheap! The best 7 dollars I ever spent was on a crock pot. These stores have so many items that last FOREVER, like a good pan, or a classic cafeteria.  Don’t think you can’t cook because you can’t afford the equipment. Kitchen equipment doesn’t have to be a huge investment.

That’s all I have for today. Good luck out there guys.

[bulgarianmermaid]

There are places you know you will miss from the first moment you set your eyes on them. Those places feel like home without you even having thought of visiting them let alone living there before. Deep into the Caucasus Mountains, where Georgia ends and Russia begins, at the top of Cross Pass outside Gudauri, you can still find high mountain peaks, desolate roads, rugged landscape, and unexplored wilderness that make my heart sing. High up there, where >5000m peaks kiss the bright blue sky and most people lose their breath, that is where I get found. The wilderness speaks directly to my soul, it calls my wild heart, it urges me to explore. It calms me down, I sleep without a single worry, nothing matters and all our “modern” concerns seem like “first world problems”.

The real Georgia in winter is cold and snowy, rough around the edges, wild and untamable, high in altitude and strong in liquor content. Just how I like my destinations (and my men) ❤ A few places in the American West had such a profound effect on me, an effect so strong I didn’t want to leave, let alone go back to the city. The Caucasus Mountains remind me of the San Juans in Southwest Colorado high up Red Mountain Pass from Ouray to Silverton – a place where I camped without a tent at 12000ft elevation and that experience was the best birthday present I could have ever asked for ❤

Gudauri is the largest ski resort in Georgia hidden deep in the Caucasus Mountains on Georgia Military Road almost all the way to the Russian border. Gudauri Ski Resort‘s base is at >2000m, its highest chair lift reaches 3200m, so with a vertical drop top to bottom on a ski run 1200m, it will surely make your legs shake 🙂 All 75km of groomed ski runs in Gudauri sit above tree line facing the sun and grant you the view of a lifetime every single chair ride. In terms of snow conditions, terrain quality, lift services and variety of ski runs, Gudauri can rival any ski resort in the Alps and the Rockies. Gudauri just added 4 new chair lifts this season and opened a whole new valley on the back side (Kobi) to off piste skiing and riding. Yet you can still have the whole resort to yourself and ski right behind the snow cat on empty slopes during the week.

Since I was in Gudauri for 2 weeks with IntotheWild.bg, we could choose what to do each day depending on the conditions and we rode off piste every time we got a foot of new snow. On the days when Ullr didn’t deliver overnight freshies, we basked in the sun and rode soft groomers. Because when you go to the Caucasus Mountains you get equally spoiled by fresh snow and freshly groomed slopes! Gudauri Ski Resort offers 3 valleys with lift serviced terrain for off piste skiing/riding. In addition, there are multiple backcountry and ski touring routes if you are willing to take a hike for an hour or two and earn your turns.

PC: @intothewild.bg

PC: Veselin Dochev

On our days off from skiing (2 in total for two weeks), we checked the Russian baths in Gudauri (Tsar Bani) for an authentic experience at the highest steam baths in the world and took a shuttle to the village of Kazbegi to visit Rooms Hotel for its signature view which overlooks Mt Kazbeg and Gergeti Trinity Church from the balcony. Only later did I find that Mt Kazbeg (>5000m = >16000ft) is a dormant volcano, no wonder I fell in love with it at first sight!

In Gudauri I recommend staying at Quadrum Hotel (under $100 for a double room, breakfast with a view included). Brand new and built only with natural materials in simple and modern Scandinavian style, it offers a spa and swimming pool, as well as daily yoga classes to meet all your post-skiing / hiking needs and soothe your sore muscles. There is a bar and restaurant on site as well where you can grab dinner as you’ll be exhausted after a day of skiing and unwilling to look for a place to eat down the road in town at night.

  In Kazbegi Rooms Hotel (over $100 for double room, breakfast with a view included) gets my vote for fantastic design, superb amenities, fusion cuisine and incredible service. You’ll notice there are many cheaper options in Georgia but as with every developing country, you get what you pay for, so be careful how excited you get about a budget room, especially if your budget can accommodate a comfier experience 🙂 Remember to book both hotels well in advance as they usually sell out during the main season.

    Considering my obsession with high mountain passes, Georgia Military Road deserves its own blogpost but I’ll try to give it enough attention here before I return to explore it further in summer. Georgia Military Road is one of ONLY 2 passes that connect Georgia with Russia over the Caucasus Mountains. Being a major road artery, the pass is usually well cleaned after a snow storm (or completely closed during one) and is quite busy with semi truck traffic. The highest point is Cross pass (Jvari Pass) right outside Gudauri Ski Resort at 2379m (7815ft). In winter the road works only in one direction in 2 hr intervals as the “tunnels” (actually avalanche barriers) are too narrow for two trucks to pass at the same time. There is a separate lane for summer that allows two way traffic but it is closed in winter as it is too dangerous to drive on that sliver of asphalt on the cliffside with no barriers and vertical drops at most places.

The never ending “tunnels” between Gudauri and Kazbegi are probably the most freakish roads I have ever passed (and to think I was considering hitchhiking there…) There is no light inside, no road markings or directions, the tunnels curve and are very narrow (remember…one way traffic). If I told you there would be light at the end of the tunnel (literally), would you follow me high up in the Caucasus Mountains in the middle of a snow storm, on windy one-lane roads through pitch-black avalanche barriers? And if you did the reward would be one of the greatest views of Mt Kazbeg you’ve ever seen (and a cocktail in the swanky bar at the posh Rooms Hotel Kazbegi)

    Georgia may seem far and off the beaten path to the weekend traveler, yet there are multiple flights daily from Europe to Tbilisi and Kutaishi. We opted for budget travel and I’m SO glad we did! The bus-shuttle-plane-taxi experience gave our trip such a good and authentic start. Since we were coming from Bulgaria, we took the bus to Turkey (6hrs overnight from Plovdiv to Istambul in the coldest night of the year), schlepped our luggage from the bus station to the airport with a shuttle (which took another 1.5hrs), then jumped on a flight to Tbilisi (2.5hrs of crammed leg space) and finished our trip with a taxi to Gudauri (add 2 more hours where we were so exhausted the taxi driver could have taken us anywhere and I wouldn’t have cared as long as he let me sleep 🙂

  The travel was very oriental and interesting, safe, cheap, and by no means difficult. Culture shock abound for my Western friends every step of the way – squat toilets with no paper at the Bulgarian-Turkish border (yes, we had to cross the border on foot at night in the middle of a rainstorm), perfumed alcohol in the bus to disinfect your hands, having to haggle for your bottled water (because you have to haggle for everything in the Middle East), et all. Since we were coming from a place with no snow and going thru a place with no snow, everyone was really interested in us and where we are going with all this snowboarding gear. Some people had never seen snow, most couldn’t even perceive the idea that we were taking a bus to a shuttle to a plane to a taxi to a winter resort in Georgia almost on the border with Russia.

    To get from Tbilisi to the mountains you have to experience the famous Georgian driving on steep and windy mountain roads. My recommendation is to hold on tight and not look at what the driver is doing…prayer also helps 🙂 You thought Istambul driving was crazy, wait till you see Georgia. If you don’t abide to above rules, you’ll die of heart attack WAY before you actually crash. Locals drive these roads every day, your shuttle driver is well aware of what he is doing, save him your backseat driver speech 🙂

    The capital of Georgia – Tbilisi (aka ТиБилЛиСи in Bulgarian) is also called Tiflis in Turkey where I almost missed my flight not being able to find Tbilisi on the dashboard. And while the US has Facebook and Russia has V Kontakte, Tbilisi has Balcony.ge. People observe and share everything from their balconies 🙂 There is balcony architecture, balcony culture, balcony parties, basically “Welcome to the Land of Balconies!”

    Having covered skiing and travel in Georgia, now onto food and wine! What should you try from the famous Georgian cuisine? Basically everything…more than once – Kachapuri (homemade cheese and egg “pastry”), Khinkali (meat or veggie dumplings), Shashlik (meat skewers), breads, yogurt, cheeses, jams, jellies, soups, pickled veggies, spices!!! Based on the cuisines I had tasted before, I found Georgian dishes to resemble a mix of Armenian, Turkish, Russian, and Eastern European flavors but maybe those countries borrowed their spices and intricate preparations from Georgia, who knows…

    Georgia produces both red and white wines grown in a special viticultural region. The red is served hot and spiced on the slopes – a must for this apres-ski loving gal! Two other beverages to try are cognac and chacha. Georgia produces some of the best cognac in the world, I recommend the 5 or 8 yrs old aged varieties. And don’t forget to buy some as gifts for home! Chacha is the local name for homemade vodka / raki / moonshine. It is made from different fermented fruits. Drinking chacha is a Georgian tradition – don’t you dare refuse a toast – and resembles tequila tasting in Mexico. You will get drunk, for sure!!! The supermarket varieties go up to 55 proof while home-made chacha can be all the way up to 85 proof. I was super lucky to try a 65 proof persimmon homemade chacha aged in oak barrels on the slopes. You bet I brought some home 🙂

Last but definitely not least, I couldn’t get over was how sweet, kind, and hospitable the locals were, everywhere! Georgia is still very real, rural in places and rough around the edges at times, but that just adds to its local charm. Go visit while it is an up and coming destination, affordable and a developing tourist market and not yet full of foreigners and skiers. There is just SO MUCH to see and explore in Georgia, I only went to Gudauri and the Kazbegi Region but I will definitely be back in summer to hike the Caucasus Mountains, visit the wine region and experience the famous Tbilisi nightlife!

Svaneti in Summer – PC: @zermatterhorn

Gudauri Ski Resort, Georgia – A Gem Hidden Deep in the Caucasus Mountains There are places you know you will miss from the first moment you set your eyes on them.

[vietnamtour-blog]

Phở Thìn Lo Duc: Story of the best Phở in Hanoi

Phở Thìn Lo Duc: Story of the best Phở in Hanoi

Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin (67 years old) has just returned from Japan after bringing his pho closer to international friends. In his small pho shop right in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we have the chance to listen to the story about his life and career, thoroughly and sincerely by this artisan.

– A bowl of “pho bo tai lan” and a poached egg, please! – Right away, sir.

Coming to this quaint small restaurant in the Old Quarter atmosphere, you may have to queue up for a while. The aroma from the broth cauldron wafting in the air, the green color of onions, the sizzling sound of beef being stir-fried – all these sounds, smells and colors are the restaurant’s advertisement. For the last 40 years, this restaurant only serves one type of pho – pho bo tai lan (half-done stir-fried beef noodle).

Queuing may take from 5 to 10 minutes, however, it’s usually only 60 seconds from the time your order until a steaming bowl of pho is ready. Then you are ready for the pho moment. Crispy flavour of stir-fried beef, depths of sweet broth with a fatty layer above, fresh rice noodles, subtle ginger and cinnamon taste and a whole lot of green onions. Of course, you can leave or add some ingredients to your own liking.

For the Hanoians, the best food is worth the effort of travelling quite some distance or meandering deep into small alleys. Even though every 100m in this city pops up a pho restaurant, there are only a few spots that can keep their customers coming back.

One among them is Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin and his wife in front of their Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc restaurant

The famous bowl of Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc

Let’s explore the story behind the steaming bowl of Pho Thin.

Pho Thin 13 Lo Duc Restaurant is one of the most long-standing brands in Hanoi. Visitors who come to Vietnam capital all want to enjoy this famous bowl of pho, which is widely promoted by gourmets, including the most choosy and fastidious diners.

In spite of the diverse and fusion pho scene: from rare to well-done, shank and flank to brisket, or beef soup with bordelaise sauce, Pho Thin still serves its only type: half-done stir-fried beef noodles. This name has been attached to Pho Thin, as many local call it “Pho tai lan Lo Duc”

Behind this flavorful bowl of pho is the life story, the whole career of a pho master. That is Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin (67 years old).

“My name is Nguyen Trong Thin, born and raised in Hanoi.”

After graduating high school, I took the entrance exam to University of Industrial Fine Arts, in the period 68 – 69 in the north of Hiep Hoa province. I was one of the top 4 students who entered the school’s Faculty of Sculpture.

Graduated from university, I worked at Vietnam Television for about 7 years and the National Fine Arts Workshop (now Vietnam Central Fine Art JSC) for the next 2 years. At that time, the living condition is really poor in that subsidy period. I am the 4th child in the 10-sibling family, with a lot of mouths to feed.

When I was young, I especially liked … eating. That is the passion for the wide range of dishes, the quality rather than quantity of food. I was willing to pay much more for a variety of choices. In these times, I often pondered: “Why are there some places that have absolutely delicious food, while other places don’t ?”

After a while, I decided to leave the Fine Arts Workshop to pursue my passion for food. Just because I quit my job, my wife left me. She did not believe I was able to do those business things in the private sector. That was about 1979 – 1980.

Soon then, the economy was open, the state allowed people to do business as long as it did not involve prohibited goods. At that time, next to my house, there was a pho restaurant of Mrs. Vu, where guests queued up in such a long line.

Mr. Thin is a painter, an alumnus of Industrial Fine Arts School.

The first time I mentioned opening a restaurant to my dad, he didn’t say anything.

The second time, about a couple of weeks later, I asked again, he continued to say nothing.

The third time I mentioned, here was all he said: “Do you have money? Can you compete with Mrs. Vu’s restaurant?”

I replied: “Mrs. Vu had brought a lot of promising customers, only steps from our house. I promise you, I will do my best to succeed, so that I can pay back to you, mom and dad.”

My father said nothing.

Not until recently that I realized the reason why my father kept silent. He had experienced and understood how businesses were ran at that time. He was worried for his son.

Nobody taught me how to cook. My parents were tiled brick producers, none of my older siblings did anything related to cooking. Only by passion, self-research and try-outs, I started out the restaurant on my own.

When thinking about all the bowls of pho I had eaten in Hanoi, I felt that they basically have quite the same taste of bone-based broth and toppings. I questioned myself: “Can I do it differently? Why do I have to follow that basic recipe?”

So I started from the broth.

Normally, people would simmer pork bones, beef bones, even chicken bones, long enough to get the most out of them. I was bolder: I chose to “color” the broth.

Being a painter, I had quite a natural aptitude towards color. For example, if I looked at the color of broth, I would know whether it was good or not without tasting. Mixing colors came natural to me, and my head just popped up: “What if I mix ingredients from both plants and animals for the best broth color?”.

And those experiments paid off. The sweetness from bones and meat tuned in with the sweetness from vegetables, creating a distinctive sweet taste. Such was the taste that everyone in my family complimented me. I thought to myself: Finally, I did create my own broth recipe.

To make a bowl of Pho Thin, the cook must devote wholeheartedly to each step.

As I prepared to open my restaurant, I built a coal stove myself. In this stove, temperature could reach up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, in which thin slices of beef would be sizzling in the hot pan for just a moment. “The juice doesn’t get to evaporate, so the beef remain tender and moist.”

“First, I add the oil to the hot pan. Until its near smoking point, I put ginger and beef to the pan and stir quickly. The beef is stir-fried briefly, so it is not too cooked and not too rare, just in the middle of tender richness. The key to that taste is the consistency of the cook when stir-frying the beef. In other restaurants that also sell this pho tai lan, variance results in either chewy beef or too soft and raw beef. Cooking this very kind of pho is not difficult, but a restaurant needs a very consistent cook.”

On the first opening day, my restaurant still had not welcomed any customers. I craved the long queue of the next-door restaurant. Hence, I brought one pan over high heat, tossed garlic, ginger and sliced beef, stir-fried quickly in the flaming pan. The aroma wafted in the air, calling out for curious customers. Some went out to try. Gradually, the waiting customers in front of Vu’s restaurant all came to my place. In the end, Mrs. Vu sold her house and moved to another place.

The outcome was good for me, but not good for Ms. Vu. I had no other choice. I did my own work, as long as I did not violate the law. Now that is called healthy competition.

The bowl of pho, along with Mr. Thin, grew up through thick and thin till now.

For the first 3 months, I didn’t make any money. But gradually, due to good reputation, both local and foreign customers flocked here. They would like to inhale the aroma from the steaming pho bowl, add some pepper, fresh chili and lemon. A bowl of Pho Thin costs VND 60,000, diners who want to enhance the taste can eat pho with crispy fried bread-stick and poached eggs. These dishes are born for each other!

From a small noodle shop that quietly sprang up next to a famous pho restaurant and only sell one type of pho, Pho Thin has been through 40 years. Now it has become a familiar name with the Hanoians.

Pho in Hanoi is a long story of many generations, many ways of cooking, many tastes and dozens of ways of doing business. In this capital, Pho shops spring up like mushrooms, yet not all shop-owners can sustain their reputation and keep the customers coming back

In May 2009, after 30 years of selling pho, I went abroad for the first time to teach cooking pho in South Korea. I brought with me all kinds of raw materials such as beef, pork bones, chicken bone, cinnamon and even fish sauce. In Korea, I “performed” 4 variations: xào giòn (crunchy stir-fried), xào mềm (supple stir-fried), áp chảo nước (sauteed with water) and of course the signature phở bò tái lăn (half done stir-fried). What struck me most was that the diners spared no noodles left, given their delicate etiquette of eating.

After receiving the cooking technique, the Korean asked me to cooperate to open a pho restaurant in Seoul. However, I was too busy with the business at home, I gave them the recipe so that they can operate on their own.

Later, to my surprise, a pho restaurant was open in Seoul, with its name literally translated as the Pho Gift – the gift of recipe from a Vietnamese. If they earnestly want to keep that recipe to best serve the Koreans and Vietnamese expats, then it is my pleasure to give it to them at no cost.

In Vietnam, till now, I have only give my pho recipe to one place – the Vinpearl. I was touched by Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong’s vision and passion for preserving and developing Vietnamese cuisine. I believe, Vinpearl can keep my pho legacy, and Vietnam traditional culture in general. Seeing them respect and preserve the authentic values of pho, I am so glad my efforts have been acknowledged.

Therefore, I have come to all Vinpearl facilities, the international 5-star resorts of Vingroup, to teach cooking pho, carefully and thoroughly every step without taking a penny. I believe what you give away, you keep forever!

Mr. Thin agreed to teach cooking technique of the signature “Phở tai lan”.

A Pho Thin counter in one Vinpearl resort – Vietnam’s largest international five-star hotel & resort chain

10 years from the first time Pho Thin came to Korea, this March, I continued the journey to bring Vietnamese bowl of pho to the world. This time, the destination was Tokyo – the capital of Japan.

Pho is like cherry blossoms, which will appear in different colors and fragrance if grown in other places rather than the Land of the Rising Sun. Opening a pho restaurant and actually running it smoothly was not easy. However, to promote Vietnam culinary to the world, I am willing to do everything.

The ingredients to make pho are not as available in Japan as in Vietnam, so it is even harder to keep the true taste of this noodle soup. Many days prior to the shop opening, I went to Tokyo to choose and test ingredients with the shop owner, Kenji Sumi.

On March 9, 2019, Pho Thin in Tokyo was officially opened. Although the expected opening time was 11am, from earlier, diners had already been lining in front of the restaurant. More than 100 bowls of pho were sold in less than 1 hour, only until 11h20 AM did we sell out.

The next day, the restaurant prepared 1.5 times more than the first day’s, but pho was still quickly sold out due to the large number of diners. Japanese customers shared their interest in the bowl of Pho Thin from Vietnam.

To some small extent, I have made quite a success.

One day before returning to Vietnam, the customer lined up in a long queue. I looked at the scene and had to run quickly inside to cry. I was so happy! It is not one or two days’ achievement, it has been such a long way.

As Kenji Sumi saw my red eyes, he hugged me and cried. The two generations of us cried together. Sometimes happiness is not just money.

Mr. Thin cried, remembering the moment when his bowl of pho reaching out to the world.

Source: http://cafebiz.vn Translated by: Mia

Source: http://blog.evivatour.com/pho-thin-lo-duc-story-of-the-best-pho-in-hanoi/

[wittesworldtravelblog]

Hated my picture taken…can you tell.

The year was 2010, the place was Yellowstone National Park, the feelings were;

irate, mad, annoyed!  

Yes, I was angry.  I couldn’t do anything, I felt my body had failed me, but I had failed my body.  Getting up in the morning was a chore, my husband would wake early in the morning, start a campfire, eat breakfast, and read his book.  I laid in the tent, sleeping, or just laying there, dreading the time I stepped out of the tent.  Stepping out meant I had to pretend to be a “Happy Camper”.  

Spending a lot of time in the Tent

Ugh, I could barely buckle the seat belt

In truth the only time I was truly happy was when I was just sitting and observing the beauty.  That sounds great, but when you have an active husband, it is depressing.  Walking the paths in the park was pure torture, especially the ones that required steps.  I felt so depressed about my insufficient engagement in the experience.  My handsome, wonderful husband played along and pretended he was okay with my insufficient energy, but in  truth I knew he was secretly disappointed.

Just before I started my journey to weight loss surgery

Returning home was not much better.  I was teaching at the time and it was in July, summer break was a nightmare.  Still, not wanting to get out of bed, still disappointing my husband, kids, grandkids.  Living was a strain.  I couldn’t go up and down stairs without pain and heavy breathing.  I  weighed in at 298 pounds, I was considered, “Class 3 – Obese”.  My BMI was way over the 40 point.  I was a mess!  

I am not even sure where the idea came from, but one day I decided to call my insurance to see if they would pay for gastric surgery.  They would, but you had to be on a strict, doctor monitored diet to qualify for coverage.  Quickly, I set up an appointment with my doctor and explained my situation.  She agreed to monitor my weight loss.  I explained that I wanted to try the Fit for Life plan to lose weight.  She read the plan and agreed it would be a great way to lose weight as it promotes high protein, low carbohydrates, six small meals a day, with gradual addition of exercise.  

The hardest

PART

Was

Telling my family!

Telling my family meant after all these years of lying about being happy, I would have to admit, I hate myself.  I hate I let myself down.  I hate I let my husband down.  I hate I let my kids down, I hate I let my grandkids down.  I just hated I had to go through this to lose weight!  Of course, everyone would say, you are fine the way you are, you don’t need to do this…but they all would end up saying, if you do this, we will support you.  That is what I needed, support!  Lots and Lots of support!

The Weight Loss Center

The realization that this is happening

The scariest place to be

The happiest place to be

The only place for me

I researched and researched for a weight loss centers in the area that would perform weight loss surgery.  I was lucky!  There was a surgeon in our area that specializes in weight loss surgery and was and affiliate with the hospital/doctors on my insurance plan.  I found out they had an informational meeting at a hospital near me the following week.  My husband and I attended the meeting.  It was informative.  I signed the papers to allow them to contact my insurance and my doctor.  It was the scariest thing I have ever done.  Weight loss surgery is, at the least, going to change my internal being for the remainder of my life.  

Once done, it is

irreversible,

permanent,

Indefinite.

120 on my wedding day

  298 pounds in 2010

A few days later the call came in…we talked to your insurance, they will cover the costs if you do the three month diet and prove you can lose weight.  I laughed…my problem never was losing weight.  Sure I could lose, and then gain it back with another ten pounds added on.  I went from a 120 pound 18 year old to a 298 pound 40 year old.  Yo Yo dieting was a way of life for me.  The insurance clerk laughed and said, the next step would be to do the three months diet, come in for a consult, and when the diet is over, submit the results to the insurance company for the surgery approval.  Sounds easy, right?!?  Since I already knew about the diet and started with the diet a few weeks early I set up the consultation appoint.

Who Knew?

I had no idea there were so many weight loss surgeries.  Each surgery has its pros and cons.  Each aids in weight loss, each changes your internal structures, each is permanent, each had side effects.  Did you know that someone that has had gastric bypass will get physically ill if they eat sweets?  Sweets were never a problem for me.  The surgeon took my medical history, eating habits, exercising habits, and lifestyle into account and recommended I have Lapband surgery.  

LAPBAND?  Why?

Lapband is the least invasive surgery that treats obesity through the slower consumption of food, thus reducing the amount you eat.  The surgery consists laproscopically placing a silicon gastric band around the entrance to the stomach, the tube is also attached to a port used to “fill” the silicon tube. The gastric band constricts the stomach making the entrance into the of the stomach smaller and allows you to feel full with less food and then the food takes longer to digest with the constriction.  You are literally eating small portions, feeling full longer, and losing weight.  However, you are not changing your internal organs permanently.  The lapband is permanent, you will always have the port, but your internal organs are not changed in any way.  

Readying the body for the day of reckoning

Dietary Changes  

Eliminate – bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, crackers, chips, pretzels, cookies, cakes, pies, candy, sugar sweetened food, sweetened drinks, full strength fruit juice, processed food, fried food, breaded and saucy foods

Prepare your body:

Cut food into small pieces, chew thoroughly, eat slow, eliminate distractions, stop drinking 30 minutes before a meal and wait 30 minutes after a meal, start an exercise program for at least 10 minutes a day

Changing Eating Habits:

Eat protein first, unlimited vegetables, fruit at least once a day, three meals a day, no snacks, limit carbs to 20-30 a day, drink much water, avoid alcohol, take a multivitamin, keep a log of foods

Three weeks before surgery change to a soft diet

Two weeks before surgery change to a full liquid diet

Three days before surgery change to a liquid diet

Six months and 28 pounds lighter

Time to go

February 15, 2011 – The day that will live in infamy

Surgery took about an hour under general anesthesia.  Recover takes about four hours.  You cannot leave until you can keep down fluids and pudding.

Recovery is quick, within a few days you are at full activity level.  You need to slowly introduce regular food again.  The gastric band is in place and has limited constriction at first.  It is at your two week check up they complete your first “Fill”.  I will never forget that first fill!  The pain was intense.  I thought I would never do it again.  You will get a “Fill” every two weeks until you reach your goal weight or you can’t keep food down.  

Lapband surgery is the slowest in seeing results.  With Gastric Bypass you can lose 50-100 pounds in a few short months.  With Lapband you will lose slowly and steadily for about a year to two years.  

The pros –

I lost weight steadily – going from 280 pounds at surgery time to 168 pounds in August of 2013.  I enjoyed most of the foods I love and still lost weight.  I went from a size 26 to a size 10!  I felt great, no more knee pain, can get out of bed every morning with energy.  Life was better, house was cleaner, everyone was happy!  I learned how to eat healthy and that the amount wasn’t what counted, but what your body needed to survive is what mattered.  

Almost there

There

Looking good

Awesome!

Started riding horses again!

Comfortable with myself again

The cons –

Limited foods you can eat, no carbonation at all, frustration, vomiting, never feeling satisfied, and  depression increases especially if you are like me and stress eat.

This summer – gained a few pounds, but still looking good!

I am not going to lie!  It was hard and remains hard to this day.  I have gained some weight back, I currently weigh 185 pounds and I went from a size 10 back to a 14.  How did I do this…I went back to my old habits.  I became frustrated with not being able to eat, physically it was painful most of the time and I would often vomit if I ate too much.  The most irritating is the build up of gastric fluids when you are eating and they need to be expelled by vomiting.  I would cry for just a normal meal, a cheeseburger, steak, any normal food.  I was tired of ground meat, soup, mashed potatoes, and literally feeling hungry all the time.  I started to eat “slider foods”.  These are called slider foods because they slip right through the gastric band without constriction.  Of course these are the bad choices we make, cookies, ice cream, chips, candy, cakes, pies…pretty much anything bad for you.  

I am asked all the time – Would you do it again if you could go back?  The answer is simple, YES!  I am so much healthier and in the long run, happier.  I look at myself now and think that yes, I have gained some weight back, but I am also still 100 pounds lighter today than I was in 2010.  I still get frustrated, I hate the vomiting, I miss my beer, but I am so much better off than I was back then.  I haven’t had a fill in two years and thus I can eat steak, potatoes, rice, chicken and most meals now, but there are days that I cannot eat these foods physically.   I have learned to read my body and what it needs.  I still eat a lot of soup

My goals and why I am blogging about this part of my life:

Be HONEST with you

Help those with weight issues

Help those who may seek gastric surgery for weight loss

Share reviews of restaurants based on my dietary needs

Share my vacation from a different perspective

Ask for support from my followers when needed

If you have questions or need support please contact me!

      I Live a Soupy Life – My Story of Weight Loss Surgery The year was 2010, the place was Yellowstone National Park, the feelings were; irate, mad, annoyed!  

[gastronomicgorman]

Thai food is something I think is tricky to get right. That delicate balance of sour, sweet, salty and umami eludes many. When Siamais opened on the site of the old Thai Edge in Brindleyplace, it promised spectacular cocktails and food, so of course, the Brum Bloggers collective took it upon ourselves to put them to the test!

The wonderful ladies Ting and Laura who head up Brum Bloggers arranged a series of date nights at Siamais, playing cupid and pairing up bloggers to experience their showstopping cocktails and food.

My date was the absolute babe Vicky from Brumderland, and we headed to Siamais last week to get thoroughly spoiled.

As usual, I was running late from work, so we met at Siamais. The decor is gorgeous and a little quirky. Hundreds of lanterns hang from the ceilings, while murals adorn the walls and skulls can be spotted all around.

Once I’d been shown to our table, we were introduced to the manager Max almost as soon as I arrived, and spend probably the best part of 20 minutes catching up before we even looked at the cocktail menu!

To be honest though, we didn’t really need to look, as we both desperately wanted to try the Bang Pai Falls Cocktail. We were invited up to the bar to watch it being prepared, and believe me it’s quite the spectacle!

The preparation involved flaming booze, dry ice and a carved skull to drink it from. It certainly turned heads as it was brought to our table! The flavour was fruity and sweet, but with a rummy tang. It packed a good punch of alcohol too.

For our food, we broke all the rules. Having decided we wanted to eat literally everything, Max decided to take control! He made us our very own starter platter, swapping in some of our preferred dishes, and giving us a side portion of king prawn tom yum soup. We were both very aware we were getting special treatment though.

The starter platter was presented beautifully, with Thai fish cakes, chicken satay, battered king prawns and the addition of the Weeping Tiger steak we wanted to try, with 3 dipping sauces.

The Thai fish cakes were really good, but be warned, they are not the soft inside, crispy breaded fish cakes you might expect, they’re firm patties of spiced fish with a good kick. The satay chicken was delicious, with juicy, tender chicken and a thick, unctuous satay sauce, with just enough peanut sweetness. The Weeping Tiger steak was also wonderful, with thick slices of chargrilled rare steak and a spicy dipping sauce.

My only criticisms of the platter were that the batter on the king prawns was quite thick and dense, and the dipping sauce could have done with less fish sauce for my taste, but other than that, a very good start.

We also tried out the Tom Yum soup, which was delicious, full of fat king prawns with a sour, spicy broth.

For our main courses, we continued in our rule breaking naughtiness, as Max presented us with a selection of dishes to try.

We got 3 mains: red duck curry, chicken and beef massaman and mixed seafood in chilli, accompanied by spicy rice and egg fried rice.

I started off with the chicken and beef massaman, which was really fragrant with delicate flavours, tender meat and potatoes.

The mixed seafood was a highlight for me, with huge green lipped mussels, fresh squid and prawns in a hot chilli sauce. The seafood was all cooked really well, and the sauce was fiery. Max had asked us when ordering how hot we like it, so I was pleased that he’d ramped up the heat for me.

Finally I tried the duck red curry, which was another highlight. The duck was crispy, the sauce was rich and coconutty and there was plenty of fresh veg providing some contrast to the richness of the meat and sauce. I already love Thai red curry, and this was one of the tastiest I’ve had, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The rice accompaniments were lovely too. The egg fried rice was well cooked and fluffy, but nothing spectacular, whereas the spicy rice was really delicious, packed with veg and plenty of chilli.

We had so much food, we ended up having two platefuls each and still enough left to take home in a doggy bag!

After all that food, desserts were off the cards, so we got to have fun with after dinner drinks. Max had already furnished us with some Thai beers to go with dinner after we’d finished our Bang Pai Falls cocktail, but he had something special to show us for afters.

We started off with a Smoke Old Fashioned, the whisky classic, served in a bell jar full of smoke that creates a real entrance!

It was a well made old fashioned with Jim Beam double oak, that had an ever so subtle smoke flavour. I’d definitely order this one again.

Then it was time for some real fun. Siamais has a secret menu, only available if you ask for it, with some even more spectacular cocktails on it.

The most interesting and Willy Wonka-esque of the lot is the Bitter Blocker: a grapefruit margarita, served with a bitter blocker pill, and a selection of accompaniments. The pill blocks bitter and sour flavours, Max promised us we’d be able to eat lemons like sweets, so both Vicky and I were intruiged!

You can’t rush this one, you need to suck the pill for a good few minutes, and work it all the way around your mouth, so it almost feels like it’s been coated. After that, it’s time to get stuck in.

I was skeptical, I’ll admit, but I kid you not, I ate the lemon slice and it tasted like lemon Starburst. The lime was the same, and the grapefruit slice tasted like melon!  I wasn’t as enamoured with the red wine, but the grapefruit margarita was amazing.

According to Max, Siamais was the first place in Birmingham to give customers the Bitter Blocker experience, but now other high-end cocktail establishments are quickly following suit. He didn’t seem offended though, he just loved seeing our faces as we tried it!

Clearly we were treated to a very special experience as we were there to review, but it has to be said, Max and his team, especially out wonderful waitress Pai, were amazing the entire night. Although there was a bit of a wait for some things, overall the service was very good, they really looked after us and catered to our every whim. The food was lovely, and Vicky and I are both extremely grateful for their generosity, as our entire meal and drinks were complimentary.

That said, I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, I genuinely had a great experience. I’m keen to go back for a regular, paid for meal to see if the service matches up, but judging by how Max and the team treated other diners while we were there, I’d expect it would be pretty close.

Have you tried Siamais yet? What did you think?

Cx

Brum Bloggers Date Night at Siamais, Brindleyplace Thai food is something I think is tricky to get right. That delicate balance of sour, sweet, salty and umami eludes many.