By Victoria Liao

The known history of Vietnam began around 12,000 BC, when the indigenous people of Vietnam settled in the Hong River Valley. They sustain life through wet rice farming, herbs, plants, fish and meat. These foods were the early base of the Vietnamese diet. After Vietnamese harvested wet rice farming, “Pho” came along. “Pho” is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, a few herbs, and meat primarily made with either beef or chicken. The dish was created in Northern Vietnam in the early 20th century. “Pho” is a popular street food in Vietnam and it gradually spread all over the world.

This is a Vietnamese restaurant called “Nam” opened by immigrants from Vietnam. They serve Vietnamese and Cambodian food. This is one of their foods from their menu and it’s called “Fresh roll with shrimp and pork”. Thai basil leaves are added to this dish. It is a cultivated Asian variety of sweet basil known for its spicy flavour and its ability to withstand high cooking temperatures. We can learn about the immigrant experience through food by giving a taste of their culture food. Specifically, Vietnamese restaurant has a lot more meaning to where it all started than just a restaurant. We can learn that Vietnamese came a long way from war and harvesting to inventing their own specialized dish that became popular to the rest of the world.

Citations:

https://www.citypassguide.com/en/travel/vietnam/food/blog/understanding-vietnams-history-through-food

https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Thai_Basil_3025.php