1 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Food Step. I'm Annies and I'm 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we're talking about fun. Yes, fun, 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: and I am someone who has pronounced it for many, 4 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: many many years. I was. I was really lucky to 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: be introduced to it by my friend Kate, who is Vietnamese, 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: and so she said it the right way. The first 7 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: time that I had it was pretty inevitable that I 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: was going to pronounce it correctly. And you went through 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: a bit of a fuff phase. Yes, yes, yes, one 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: might say that. After after that um first, which was 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: Downe in Tampa St. Peterrea, I think on a on 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: a road trip for pretty soon after that, a Vietnamese 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: restaurant opened up basically across the street from my apartment 14 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: in college, and it was it was over. I was 15 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: just like, well, this is the best thing and I 16 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: can get it all the time, and why would I 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: eat anything but fun? Well, I'm not sure, Lauren. I 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: unfortunately don't get it too often, just because it is 19 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: sort of far away. Yeah, most most of the good 20 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: spots in town are a little bit far up Beeford Highway. Yeah. 21 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: I used to My parents would visit us in our 22 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: old office in Buckhead and uh on Fridays, and I 23 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: um made it kind of a mission to introduce them 24 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: to food that they really could have cared us about. 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: I was trying to why didn't they're palette um and 26 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: I took them to somewhere on Beeford Highway, Chef Lea's, 27 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Lee's Bakery, Yes, Lee's Bakery, Chef Lose. Is that what 28 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: I'm thinking of? Oh, that's the possibility. There there's a 29 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: number of amazing Vietnamese places. There's actually another really good one. 30 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: This is totally Atlanta inside Baseball, sorry guys, but but 31 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: there's another really good Vietnamese restaurant in the same plaza 32 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: as Lee's Bakery, Cold Comb And Yeah, they've got amazing 33 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: grilled food. I super recommend it. Colm was on my 34 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: list because I had a list of all the international 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: places I wanted to take them to, and I still 36 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: have it because I always make lists. And Uh, it 37 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: might have been a different calm than the calm that 38 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: you were planning on taking to them, too, because there's 39 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: one or there was one around your neighborhood. But anyway, anyway, 40 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: all of this to say, we're talking about fuses. Yes, 41 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: so let's start off with our I was gonna say annual, 42 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: but that's not what it is at all. It could 43 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: be our annual fun question, what is it fun? Is 44 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: a Vietnamese noodle and soup dish that has served hot, 45 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: featuring thin, flat rice noodles and a transparent broth, frequently 46 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: flavored with a rich and aromatic stuff like beef, meat 47 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: and bones, onion, ginger, fish sauce, and soy sauce, and 48 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: then a bunch of bices, cinnamon, starns, coriander, cardamom, and cloves. 49 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: And it's typically topped with slices of rare beef immediately 50 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: before serving, and sometimes served alongside a tray of fresh herbs, lime, wedges, 51 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: hot peppers or sauces and other toppings and seasonings so 52 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: that every diner can customize their bowl. And the result 53 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: of all of this is this really warming soup and 54 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,839 Speaker 1: noodle dish with kind of spiced floral notes. That's that's 55 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: filling without feeling heavy and fuh. Is known as the 56 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: National dish of Vietnam. Used to be more of a 57 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: breakfast food in Vietnam anyway, perhaps specifically Northern Vietnam, but 58 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: nowadays it can be and is eaten any kind of day. 59 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, still the go to place could be sold 60 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: out by nine am. Uh, and it is seen as 61 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: a dish for the working people, for everybody. Yeah. Andrea Guienne, 62 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: who wrote the James Beard Foundation Award winning The Fall Cookbook, wrote, 63 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: fah is so elemental to Vietnamese culture that people talk 64 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: about it in terms of romantic relationships. Rice is the 65 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: dutiful wife that you can rely on. We say, fuh 66 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: is the flirty mistress that you slip way to visit. Oh, 67 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: I had no idea. Yeah. Uh. The noodles typically used 68 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: are a specific type bon fu. H so fu is 69 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: both the soup and the noodles, and around the world, 70 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: fu has been adapted to a lot of whatever you 71 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: can imagine, almost whatever ingredients are available. Yeah, you've got 72 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: chicken breath, pork breath, vegetarian breathuff served with any number 73 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: of cuts of beef, depending on the cut, either pre 74 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: cooked in the case of like brisket, tripe, tendon, meatballs, 75 00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: or raw or rare so that it cooks in the 76 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: bowl right in front of you in the case of 77 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: something like flank steak um, or with slices of pre 78 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: cooked chicken or pork or seafood, or vegetables. The garnishes 79 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: can be just about anything, vegetables like bean sprouts or 80 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: thin sliced white onions or green onions, fresh hot peppers, 81 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: herbs like Thai basil, mint, cilantro or coolantro. Seasonings like 82 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: z in sauce, fish sauce, lime, which is chili saucer 83 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: oil for the purest like they're like, oh nah, none 84 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: of that. What did you have a favorite? Oh? Oh, 85 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: I like I like the rare beef with a little bit, 86 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: depending on the place, a little bit of brisket or 87 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: tripe or both, um and bean sprouts, halepeneous slices, lime, 88 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: and maybe a little bit of chili oil. You don't 89 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: want to ruin the broth. No, that's that's a chapsty. Yeah, 90 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: it's so. It's so delicate and nice simple mm hmmmm uh. 91 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: We tried to find some some numbers, but numbers are 92 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: hard come by, at least for well in general, but 93 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: also specifically in the US because um, there is a 94 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: data base keeping track of any restaurants there are. I'm 95 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: not sure where the numbers are coming from, but according 96 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: to this website, Houston had the most fun restaurants in 97 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,359 Speaker 1: the US as of two thousand nine. But if we 98 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: go state level, California is by far in the lead 99 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: by like there's nothing even if you're looking at the 100 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: nothing close at all. So it has seen um a 101 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: lot of growth, and it is becoming more common in 102 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: places that aren't big cities, which is which is cool 103 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: because it is delicious, But it is still it's a 104 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: bit smaller than I thought it would be. Honestly, in 105 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: the US in terms of nutrition. American balls of fu 106 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: are about like thirty larger than most bowls served in Vietnam. 107 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: Just by the way, I am not surprised me neither. 108 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: And other than that, okay, like it for all of 109 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: those things that we just listed that can be possibly 110 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: included in this soup, you know, nutrition wise, it's really 111 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: dependent upon what you put into it and how much 112 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: you eat, because there's no standard like serving a fun 113 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: except for like the capacity of your stomach. I just 114 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: went to a place smashing just how much fun that 115 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: could be for me. It looked it looked like a lot. 116 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: You looked a little bit afraid by yourself. Yeah, a 117 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: little worried and concerned. I might take that as a 118 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: challenge later. Oh no, oh okay, Well, moving on, the 119 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: basic broth and noodle and a little bit of meat 120 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: combo is pretty pretty low and fat and high and protein, 121 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: carbs and salt, so it'll fill you up and keep going. Um. 122 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: But picking your toppings wisely can make or break the 123 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: caloric bank. If that's the thing that you're concerned about. Yeah, 124 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: I'll say it is. It's usually more filling than I 125 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: expect it to be when I first look at it, 126 00:07:53,960 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: So that's good. Hopefully I've already thinking as if I'm 127 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: going to do this later, I need to make better 128 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: choices in my life. Oh. I mean, you know, people 129 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: are big into bone broth these days, and this is 130 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: essentially bone broth with some you know, rice noodles and beef. Sure, 131 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: it's a health food. That's a health food. And you 132 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: can turn anything into a health food. I am convinced 133 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: of that if you want it hard enough. Okay, So 134 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: that's the basics of fun. And we do have a 135 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: lot of history, a lot of pretty interesting history in 136 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: recent history. Oh absolutely. But first we're gonna take a 137 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: quick break for a word from our sponsor, and we're back. 138 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you us got a mysterious 139 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: past with unknown origins, and a lot of the early 140 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: history is oral, so difficult to find on the not 141 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: oral mostly not oral Internet. Right. Yes, um, some historians 142 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: do think that fu or a soup very much like 143 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: it was kicking around in small villages in the countryside 144 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: and what is currently Vietnam, specifically in the village of 145 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: Boncou like long, long, long, long long, before it moved 146 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: into the cities and got popular and spread. Yes, and 147 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: it's most likely tied to France. Oh yeah, though, this, 148 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: this full like soup was probably enjoyed before French colonization. 149 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: The the method of charging your onion in ginger before 150 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: you added to the broth was probably French influenced, and 151 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 1: some speculate the word fu itself is a derivation of 152 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,719 Speaker 1: the French word for fire, for possibly spun off from 153 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: French beef stew. Fire here denotes a long time the 154 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: pot spent over flames, not spice. Uh. The name Alexandre 155 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: de Road comes up a lot in this discussion. He 156 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: was a Frenchman who developed a translate of Vietnamese written 157 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: language to a Latin alphabet, and also Pondamy bond me 158 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: Mine blown, I never thought about it. Der Rhodes was 159 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: working on this translation in the sixteen twenties through the 160 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: sixteen fifties as part of an early missionary effort for 161 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: the French Catholic Church in Vietnam. Previously, Vietnamese had been 162 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: written in a variation on Chinese characters, but through missionary 163 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: and monetary and military intervention, the area was colonized and 164 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: conquered by France over the next couple hundred years. In 165 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: the north you have Buck, and in the south you 166 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: have Phenomenum. More on how that came to be in 167 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: a moment, and I am oh, I just hope everyone 168 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: appreciates the restraint of not making pun after pun after 169 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: It's it's a real effort I'm putting in. It's a 170 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: fistical effort. I'm watching her do it right now. A 171 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: lot of things had to come together to make fun 172 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: and probably a lot of these things came together near Hannoi. 173 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: For as long as Vietnam has existed, the center of 174 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: power almost interrupted, uninterrupted, excuse me, has been Hannoi. And 175 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,679 Speaker 1: that didn't change when France took over Vietnam and incorporated 176 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 1: it into French Indochina. From nineteen ten A Rio Jair, 177 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: a colonial administrator, commissioned a multi volume collection of art 178 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: to capture what life was like in French Indochina, and 179 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: one of the pieces depicts a fu vendor. And one 180 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,599 Speaker 1: thing here is that before the French arrived, the Vietnamese 181 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: people in the north didn't slaughter cows, or or they did, 182 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: but not that often because beef was expensive and most 183 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 1: people couldn't afford it, and also because cows were used 184 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: in rice patties. French tastes would begin to change that, 185 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: but the French generally only wanted particular cuts of beef 186 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: right and since money was scarce, the Vietnamese didn't want 187 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: to waste the bones and other parts of the cow 188 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: that the French would throw away, and one of the 189 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: ways they'd use it is by boiling it. One version 190 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: of the story is that the butchers had to sell 191 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: beef souper cheaply because the locals weren't really buying beef 192 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: because they didn't have a taste for it, and street 193 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 1: vendors saw an opportunity to swap out the more expensive 194 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: water buffalo meat in their soups. At first, the soup 195 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: was mainly popular with the Chinese in Vietnam, but by 196 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty you could find the dish and fush shops 197 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: all over Hanoi, and that Chinese population in Vietnam were 198 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: also a huge influence on FUH because in the in 199 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 1: the meanwhile, FA was evolving. The Chinese five spice type 200 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: spices were commonly added by the nineteen twenties, and rare 201 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: beef slices rather than just straight up boiled beef by 202 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty. Mm hmm. And here's another story of maybe 203 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: how fu got its name, and has to do with 204 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: competitive street hawkers. The Vietnamese name for beef and it'll 205 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: soup took too long to call out, so vendors shortened 206 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: it to fun, possibly because fun, which is sort of 207 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 1: what it should have been shortened into, miss herd or 208 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: mispronounced means excrement. Ah. So yes, I can see how 209 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: you would want to avoid shouting that out when you're 210 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: trying to get someone to buy food. So fuh showed 211 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: up in a Vietnamese language dictionary and nine whatever the 212 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: case may be. And all of this that we're talking 213 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: about is what has come to be known as fun buck, 214 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: which is traditionally just broth noodles and a bit of 215 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: meat for the topping. The emphasis of the dish was, 216 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: and for lots of folks still is on the clarity 217 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: and the flavor of the broth and the sort of 218 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,719 Speaker 1: contrasting two of the noodles and the beef. It's a 219 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: preparation that's revered for its simplicity. Yes, um, And here 220 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: we come to a bit of government interference that led 221 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: to led to some fun changes and innovations. Perhaps depends 222 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: on who you ask, But first we're going to stop 223 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: for another quick break, for a word from our sponsor, 224 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: and we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. Okay. 225 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: In probably due to a government restriction prohibiting the sale 226 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: of beef on Mondays and Fridays to make sure not 227 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: too many draft animals were killed for food, chicken was 228 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,119 Speaker 1: added to the fu pot and it caused quite the outcry. 229 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: Many people called it fake fu full fuh if you will, 230 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: But eventually the hullabaloo blew over and people accepted chicken 231 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: fuh as a preparation and as a form of protest 232 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: to French occupation. Poet two Mole wrote an ode to 233 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: fah in nineteen thirty four, and here is a bit 234 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: of it translated, don't downgrade for by labeling it a 235 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: humble food. Even the city of Paris has to welcome 236 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: fah compared to other international foods. Of note, it is delicious, 237 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: it inexpensive, and is often crowned the best living in 238 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: this world. Without eating fah is foolish. Upon death, the 239 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: altar offerings should include it. Now go savor or you 240 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: shall crave it. He is correct. Now I crave it? 241 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I kind of have to go savor it. 242 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: This this is one of my serious cravings episodes. Oh 243 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: absolutely to bub. But first, back back to Vietnam in 244 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: the past. The French last control of Vietnam to Japan 245 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: during World War Two, although the French administrators were allowed 246 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: to remain a little. After the war ended, Vietnam split 247 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: into North and South Vietnam. Hannoi remained the capital of 248 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: Communist North Vietnam, while Democratic South Vietnam made Saigon its capital. 249 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: Thousands fled from the North to the South, bringing with 250 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: them their recipes for fu. Ingredients were more readily available 251 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: in the South and the south. Southern Vietnamese started adding 252 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: some of these ingredients to fu, so the Southern Fu 253 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: Pnom was born with the addition of herbs as garnish 254 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: and being sprouts, a bit more hoison and fish sauce, 255 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: and a little bit of rock sugar. The nineties fifties 256 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: were a tumultuous time for Hannoi and North Vietnam at large, 257 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: and Fu was no exception to this. The Communist Party 258 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: was nationalizing businesses. The USSR sent aid, including potato starch 259 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: and wheat flour, and FU was restricted by the government 260 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: as it was seen as a waste of rice. But 261 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: you could still find some of the real deal if 262 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: you knew where to go. From Souon Fong's Al Yai, 263 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: My war, my country, My Vietnam. Little by little the 264 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: rules were overlooked to deceive controllers. The street merchants placed 265 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: a small basket of those shriveled up noodles on display, 266 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: but the fu, the real stuff, was underneath. It was 267 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: almost as good as it had used to be, and 268 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: hardly more expensive than the substitute we all passed on 269 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,160 Speaker 1: our list of secret addresses. I would like a bowl 270 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: of soup with potato flower noodles, we would say out loud, 271 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,479 Speaker 1: just in case any state officials were hanging around the 272 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: merchant would understand immediately, but then the fu had to 273 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 1: be downed very quickly to keep the unfortunate man or 274 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: woman from having his or her equipment seized, as well 275 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: as a fine to pay. Um and apologies to any 276 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: Vietnamese words that we were picturing. Yeah, oh, we're trying. 277 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: We we've we've looked them up. I promise, Yes, there's 278 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: a look of sincerity and fear in Lauren's eyes. Goodness, 279 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: the Chinese and the USSR through their support behind communists 280 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: North Vietnam, and the US put their support behind South 281 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: Vietnam and what became the Vietnam War, lasting from nineteen 282 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: sixty three to nineteen seventy three, eventually ending with nineteen 283 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: seventy five fall of Psaigan. During that time, a seven 284 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: table restaurant called a fu band or piece noodles literally 285 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: served as the base of operations for a Viet Cong spicell. 286 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: Since meat was scarce, fuh at the time often came 287 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: without it and was called fun without a pilot, and 288 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: this was a reference to the US drones photographing North Vietnam. 289 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 1: Not only that it was often served with a baguette 290 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: and cold rice, but also fried breadsticks that did become 291 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: a fun tradition in the city. With the fall of Saigon, 292 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: Vietnamese left their country in droves, spreading across the globe, 293 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: and many made their home in the United States, and 294 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: many others still became boat people for over fifteen years, 295 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: and fuh spread with the Vietnamese. Most of the refugees 296 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 1: were from South Vietnam or had been from South Vietnam 297 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: since the nineteen fifties when they were refugees from North 298 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: Vietnam exactly um and this made the southern style of 299 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 1: Vietnamese for the more well known of the two pockets 300 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: of Vietnamese immigrant community started opening Vietnamese restaurants with fun 301 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 1: on the menu, introducing it to a larger audience. And 302 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: now you can get instant fuh. I've definitely made that 303 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: at home. I have as well. There's I mean, there's 304 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 1: also all all kinds of iterations of out there. There's 305 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: like fuh cold noodle salad, deep fried fun noodles, fresh 306 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: fu spring rolls, fu fried rice. So there's a fun cocktail. Oh, 307 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:26,439 Speaker 1: I'm very intrigued by cocktail. I couldn't figure out what 308 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 1: was in it, but it exists. It exists. And I 309 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: want to drink one. Yeah, I feel like that'd be 310 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: sort of a bloody Mary type savory drink. Maybe, yeah, 311 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: like a bone broth cocktail. Oh man, Okay, we just 312 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 1: went to another place. This episode has been full of place, 313 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: full of fuh and mispronunciations of absolutely. Stay tuned for 314 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 1: at least one of those after after this next bit, 315 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: which is listener man, nice, I'm conducting an orchestra of one. 316 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: Sometimes it words. Sometimes it's like, well, you know, that's 317 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: part of the journey, that's part of the fun it is. 318 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: Kit wrote in, I just listened to your hot dog 319 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: episode the other day and wanted to write in, I 320 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: know you were focused on American traditions for the fourth 321 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: of July, but wanted to let you know a bit 322 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: about hot dog culture and other parts of the world. 323 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: I'm an American expat living in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I'm 324 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: a post graduate studying applied psychology with a bit of 325 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: behavioral economic zone in. I'm also an amateur drink historian 326 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: and maser a ka Mead Brewer. But what drew me 327 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: to finally right in was hot dogs. You see, while 328 00:20:55,320 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: hot dogs are a thing in America, they're weirdly so 329 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: understood here in the UK. I had to grin upon 330 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: hearing your episode because I had just witnessed the special 331 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: Taste of America into cap in my local grocery store, 332 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: which featured a variety of quote American foods for the 333 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: not celebrated here holiday. While the American style pancakes and 334 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: pancakes syrup were funny enough, it was the cans upon 335 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 1: cans of hot dogs that get me every time. That's right, 336 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: canned hot dogs. Here in the UK, hot dogs come 337 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: either jarred, are tented, not in cryopases. In the States, 338 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 1: they're often made with chicken instead of pork or beef, 339 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 1: and they're almost always branded as American style, even though 340 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: they're a bit alien to most Americans. If you want 341 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: a true hot dog here, you have to head for 342 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: a Polish grocery store. But there are other parts of 343 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: the world that really put the USA to shaying when 344 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: it comes to hot dogs. The Danes eat the most 345 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: hot dogs per capita in the world, and they really 346 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: know how to make them. At every street corner and 347 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: many shops, you can get a big, plump hot dog 348 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: with your choice up up to a dozen sauces, including 349 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: room alds. My favorite has always been curry ketchup, served 350 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: up on a fresh baked baget or a crusty bun 351 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: and topped with crisp fried onions if you like. And remarkably, 352 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: one of the best hot dog experiences you'll find is 353 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: at seven eleven. They're using fresh, local ingredients and tapping 354 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,360 Speaker 1: your hot dog to order. It's a wonderful and expensive 355 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: lunch for a student. Are just on your lunch break 356 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: from work. In Norway, hot dogs are often taken to picnics, 357 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: held in a thermos full of hot water and sard 358 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: rolled up in thin potato crepes called liftsa I probably 359 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: must pronounced that. Apologies, also delightful with curry ketchup. I 360 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 1: just thought you might like a little international culinary tour 361 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: of hot dogs. Yeah, yes, there were pictures involved, and 362 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: I loved the American style pancakes. Really cracked me up 363 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: with the syrup. I'm sure like we do the same thing. 364 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: It's kind of hilarious how when we're like, try this 365 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: American themed thing and Americans are like, what that is 366 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: not a thing? What? My hot dogs in a can 367 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: be outraged? Alexandria wrote I love your show and it 368 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,400 Speaker 1: really makes my hour long commune every day much more enjoyable. 369 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: Thank you. I really enjoyed the Cotton Candy podcast last 370 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: week and have my own stories of selling concession in 371 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: high school marching band, though thankfully we did not have 372 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: a cotton candy machine. However, I was surprised there was 373 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: no mention of dragon Beard candy. Dragon Beard candy is 374 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,479 Speaker 1: a hand pulled sugar floss dusted in rice flour and 375 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 1: wrapped around a filling traditionally coconut, peanut, and sesame, but 376 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 1: now you can find modern feelings as well, like chocolate, 377 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: rice crispies, freeze dried fruits, and even pop rocks. During 378 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 1: a stint teaching English in Japan right after college, I 379 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: took advantage of my close proximity to travel in Asia 380 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 1: and saw this candy in both Taiwan and Korea. In Taiwan, 381 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: I just saw the prepackaged version, which I purchased as 382 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: to bring back to my coworkers. However, in Korea I 383 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: got to see a street vendor makes some fresh The 384 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: process is amazing and I definitely recommend watching a video. 385 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 1: It is really cool. Yeah. A lot of people wrote 386 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: in wrote in about this, I think I've never seen 387 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: the process of it being made. But the more I 388 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: think about it, I think I did have that. Oh yeah, 389 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: when I was in Asia, because it's sort of like 390 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: a little like bird's nest looking thing. Yeah, I think 391 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:35,239 Speaker 1: I just didn't realize that that that was cotton candy. Um, 392 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: it was good. I liked the filling. Um, I enjoyed 393 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: it more than cotton candy. Here. I think you enjoyed 394 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: most things more than cotton candy here. I do appreciate 395 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: everyone who wrote in outraged on my behalf. That was 396 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 1: a I'm gonna afford these emails to my old band 397 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: director see see how dare you have? How dare you? 398 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: And well, yeah, he would probably be like, who are you? 399 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: Who are you? What? What? Even though the band only 400 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: have thirty people? All right, getting riled up again? You 401 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 1: are you are? It's gonna be okay. Thanks to both 402 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: of them for writing in. If you would like to 403 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: write to us, we would love to hear from you. 404 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: Our email is food Stuff at how stuff works dot com. 405 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: We're also on social media. You can find us on 406 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: Facebook and Twitter at food stuff h s W. Also 407 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: on Instagram at food stuff we do hope to hear 408 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: from you. Thank you as always to our amazing super 409 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 1: producer Dylan Fagan who who might be Kylo Wren. Thanks 410 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: to you for listening and we hope that lots more 411 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 1: good things are coming your way. In the North you 412 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: have faux Bach and in the South you have a 413 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 1: phone numb and more on a how that came to 414 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 1: be and what that meant. In a moment, you definitely 415 00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 1: just said foe.