Midweek Check-In
Char siu roasted cauliflower, Japanese plum wine liqueur, hot dog banh mi, shoe box fruit storage, MSG martinis
Whenever I get home from a trip, I relish the opportunity to cook in my kitchen. Summer is extra wonderful because of what may be thriving in the garden.
A couple days ago, after we got home from my book touring in Los Angeles, I headed straight to the garden to check its progress. The edibles on the drip watering system were alright but the ones that weren’t were on the verge of needing a deep watering.
I picked a bunch of overgrown mustard green leaves, ripped the tender portions off their tough stems and steamed them with ginger and garlic (I keep those pre-peeled aromatics refrigerated in a tub for fast prep). On top, I added small frozen fish fillets and a splash of soy sauce; the fish thawed as the tough greens cooked.
While mining my freezer gold, I also located my stash of cooked rice and a tiny tub of black beans. I reheated the beans with a splash of water and added the rice to create a quickie take on Moros y Cristianos (Cuban beans and rice). I have no photo of the hodgepodge-but-healthy homecoming dinner. It wasn’t my best meal ever but we were home and that was the most important thing. We were back in our comfort zone and that first meal is always a ritual realignment.
Opportunities to make new friends and visit with old ones is one reason why I favored releasing Ever-Green Vietnamese in 2023, after the pandemic was mostly in our rear view mirror. Nowadays when there are so many distractions, I value your taking time to read PTFS, cook, and when possible, come to say “Hello” while I’ve been touring. I’ve also had great conversations with people on social media. A few of the gems:
“Your name and cookbooks have been circulating among my family for years!”
“Your recipes helped my relationship! My boyfriend loves me more because he loves the ribs from Vietnamese Food Any Day. He asks for them all the time. I can’t wait to cook for him from the new book.”
“This is a vegetable book that’s not for vegetarians. That makes me so happy!”
I’ve also had a ball with what folks have cooked up from the book! A sample from many cooks including Marian Bull, who reviewed the book at Mess Hall:
Unfamiliar with Ever-Green Vietnamese (EGV)? It’s a new cookbook chock full of my easygoing, modern interpretations of traditional Vietnamese plant-based eating. Of the over 125 tested recipes and variations, 80 to 85 percent of them (at least 100 recipes!) are vegetarian or vegan. Most are naturally gluten-free. You can make your own vegan fish sauce, too! Preview it here, if you like.
For signed copies of EGV and my other books, purchase through these retailers:
And, please do me a huge favor and leave a review at Amazon. Compared to the past, nowadays, people do not write reviews as much. That means each one carries greater impact in helping people find the book. Thank you in advance.
5 Things
In California at Korean and Japanese markets, you may still find ume plums to make umeshu Japanese plum wine. No ume? Buy regular plums to tinker with my plum liqueur recipe. Your winter will be extra cheery. I just checked in with my 6-year-old umeshu batch and it’s aged quite well.
The Washington Post’s food section editor, Joe Yonan, just made EGV’s char siu roasted cauliflower and deemed it a keeper. I think you ought to make the easy cauliflower recipe too!
Shoe boxes are terrific for storing summer’s delicate fruits. I just refilled mine (a former Addidas sneakers box) and slid it into the fridge. The box’s thickness means the fruit won’t pick up weird smells but can still breathe.
Hot dog banh mi for July 4th? Add a Viet-ish note to your holiday celebration next week. You can use regular or vegan hot dogs for a great sandwich. Here’s a recipe and guidelines.
MSG in cocktails? Yes. My Atlanta pal, Wendell David Brock, sent the MSG cocktail story. If you want a drink that’s MSG-free, use Asian mushroom seasoning granules as a swap. See the MSG Deep Dive part 2 for details.
On Sunday I’ll add another MSG idea to your cooking arsenal. Paid subscribers fuel this newsletter and they will receive the whole shebang. Consider upgrading, if you have not already.
The MSG martini is delightful. I put 1/16 of a teaspoon of Accent in 2 tbs of water and topped it with 2 more tbs olive brine. Use the solution as you would brine for a dirty martini. Subtle but noticeable.