Midweek Checkin
Versatile Viet shiso shrub recipe, 27th wedding anniversary
The world and weather seem to be throwing things at us in all directions. How are you staying calm and chill these days?
If you have Ever-Green Vietnamese, check out the no-churn sorbet recipe. Along with the Jackfruit Lime Sorbet in the main recipe, I snuck in four (4) bonus variations! Emily, a PTFS subscriber, made the lychee and ginger sorbet and served it a martini glass. The sorbet is very simple and employs canned tropical fruit plus an awesome hack.
Speaking of beverages, I’ve been checking in on my garden and there’s an excess of Vietnamese shiso. If you’re shopping at Viet or Chinese markets, you may notice bigger bunches due to the summer bounty. You can only eat so much of the herbs — even if you’re Vietnamese, so why not drink it?
Earlier this week, I made a Vietnamese shiso (tía tô) shrub, a tangy drinking vinegar that can be diluted for non-alcoholic mocktails and cocktails. It’s easy to make.
My first drink was a cucumber shiso shrub (above). You can do all kinds of things with the shrub recipe, including experimenting to make your own from another herb. Use the recipe and two short videos to preserve the summer and chill!
On Sunday, following a prompt from Leslie, I’m sharing my “little black dress” vinaigrette as an exclusive for paid subscribers.
Today is our 27th wedding anniversary! My husband and I had been engaged for about five years and my parents were relieved (ecstatic, really!) that we were finally getting married. We’d been living together in a Santa Monica, CA, rent-controlled apartment and decided on a DIY wedding. Handmade invitations, the Catholic church wedding for my parents, and a backyard reception. No traditional, conventional Chinese banquet, even when my parents tried nudging us as we approached the July 13 event.
I designed my modern Viet ao dai wedding outfit and my mom sewed it from Italian silk. She also made the children’s outfits and ao dai for the bridal party. I chose a beautiful lace for my veil, which my mom then designed. My dad chose a white suit that my mom had tailored to fit him extra well. Mom wore one of her signature ao dai made from silk sari cloth, which she purchased at an Indian shop in Los Angeles. The gold necklace and bracelet I’m wearing are family heirlooms brought from Vietnam.
We made some of the food, Mom also cooked, and we ordered vegetarian Indian takeout from nearby spot. Our French pastry chef friend, Christophe, made the wedding cake. Our best man Victor, a Beverly Hills hairdresser, did our hair and the flowers. A catering friend managed the bar and service staff. The neighbors, a professional lounge act, performed jazzy tunes. The wedding was bespoke, on the cheap, done with lots of community love and care. When the event was over, my mom paid me a compliment. “It was more than I expected.” My husband and I are still together.
What are we doing to celebrate? We have a dinner reservation at a seafood restaurant (it’s sustainable!) and then we’re going to a special evening event at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
I hope you and your husband have a lovely day! The martini glass I used was from a set I received as a wedding gift 21 years ago. That pic makes me smile so much, not just because the sorbet was delicious, but because of the process to make it. My right (dominant) hand is fractured and in a splint and my very left handed daughter was helping me use a very rickety can opener. Thankfully, lots of laughter was involved and no yelling. I’m looking forward to the vinaigrette recipe
Andrea, happy happy happy anniversary!!!! Love the pics and story you shared -- thank you!
Thank you, too, for the shrub recipe -- looks fantastic. Makes me want to drive up to the Viet market tomorrow. I love shrubs, and I love shiso, so 😍 And finally, can't wait for the little black vinaigrette on Sunday. Thank you for that, too!