Gadzooks, we’ve had incredible conversations about Vietnamese herbs and MSG. Many people have shared insights and experiences. Check out last week’s tour of my garden and the MSG basics, if you missed them. Hundreds of folks subscribed in the past few days; who knew herbs and MSG would attract so much interest? If you’re new to PTFS, know that I currently send out 2 posts a week: a shortie multi-subject dispatch on a weekday (typically Thursday) and a longer single subject dispatch on Sunday for you to simmer on. This post is free for everyone so feel free to share and comment away!
In the video, where was I shopping? At Thien Thanh Supermarket in San Jose. In Southern California, I’ve bought Viet herbs at Dalat Supermarket in Garden Grove (cash only). In New Orleans, check with the Veggi Farmers Coop stall at farmer’s markets throughout the city. If you live near a Little Saigon, ask around. The nail salon ladies likely know how to find plants. Make the most of that mani-pedi time!
Who have I purchased plants from on Etsy? I’ve had great experiences with The Bodhi Tree Boutique in Florida. The handsome and healthy la lot (Piper sarmensotum, Piper lolot) plant on the dedication page of Ever-Green Vietnamese came from that vendor. I re-potted the plant after the shoot and it’s still healthy!
How do you source plants for your herb garden? Do share your ‘secrets’.
“Do you save seeds?” someone asked at a book talk this week at Book Shop Santa Cruz. My response was this: I practice what my late father taught me. At the end of each growing season, I let a few herb plants go to seed, scatter the seeds around the garden bed, and cover them with a thin layer of soil. Finally, I hope Nature blesses me next season.
And speaking of Dad, gardening, and MSG — he experimented with using MSG as a fertilizer. Seriously. Check out his MSG-fed chile plants in 2020:
My dad taught me how to garden and in the last phase of his life, he lived downstairs in the family room near the kitchen. My mom made sure to have Dad’s bed situated so he would be able to gaze out at his garden and appreciate all that he had nurtured and cultivated during his time on this Earth.
He passed in 2021 and always loved Father’s Day because he loved being a Dad. People who’ve known me for a long time know my father as Bố Già (Old Daddy).
For the language curious: How to pronounce Bố Già
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I hope you get to celebrate your Bố Già with extra gusto this weekend on Father’s Day!
Aloha from Phu Quoc
In 2014, I visited my Red Boat Fish Sauce friends on Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. They toured my husband and me around, and in one village, a man named Minh approached us. He knew we were tourists and implored us to help find his sister, Thu Thi Vo, who had moved to America in the 1970s. That resulted in a missing person’s post on my website and people pitched in to find her whereabouts. There was no action until late 2022.
Then, through a strange series of circumstances, I helped Minh meet his nephew, John, and his nephew’s fiancé, Lori. To add to the wonderfulness, John and Lori live in Hawaii, but when Ever-Green Vietnamese launched on April 25, Lori happened to be in San Francisco visiting her brother who lives near Omnivore Books where my book launch was. She attended the launch on behalf of John. The universe blesses us in many ways, and since that event, there have been numerous other surprises during my book tour.
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Last week, John emailed with the subject line “Aloha from Phu Quoc”:
Aloha Andrea,
Lori and I arrived on Phu Quoc island yesterday. When we arrived at our accommodations, Minh was waiting for us. We spent the afternoon visiting with him and sharing what we know about Thu. His English is quite good so we did not have any problems talking.
He’s very saddened that I don’t know anything definitive about her current whereabouts. He did seem to conclude she has passed away. We shared many pieces of consistent info about her, we also learned more about the rest his family & his and her youth which was enjoyable for all of us to talk about.
Lori and I are happy to have met him. We also met his wife and saw his 99 yo father but he was sleeping the entirety of the visit.
Here is a photo Lori took of us together. This is from Minh’s residence.
Minh said he spoke to many US visitors over the years to ask for help finding Thu. He did not remember/recognize you when I showed a photo, but he said he is 70 and his memory is not so good. It seems you might be the only one who followed thru with the effort. He understood what you did when I explained it to him.
Maybe these photos will remind you of your visit to Phu Quoc.
John had been to Vietnam a few times and looked for his relatives but it wasn’t until this trip that he had some closure. [Update: After reading this issue, John generously shared more details about his family in comments below!]
3 Things to Consider:
Dijon mustard is in short supply in Colombia! People are bringing it in their suitcases from abroad. This is a fun read from the New York Times. (My gift link makes the article free to you for a limited time.)
I wanted a relaxing, somewhat escapist movie to watch. The solution was Delicieux (Delicious), a beautifully made comedy/drama about France right before the revolution in 1789. There’s a talented chef, vengeful widow, wicked Duke and gorgeous food involved. (It was free on Amazon Prime video.)
The Taste Podcast has some pretty amazing conversations going on, including one with Jenny Rosenstrach, a cookbook author, brilliant recipe writer, and the brains behind Dinner: A Love Story — the book, brand, and engaging newsletter.
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