If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam, check out Rick Stein’s Vietnam segment available on YouTube for your viewing pleasure. He does the highlights in Vietnam in the north (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay) and south (Saigon and Mekong Delta) so it’s a nice introduction to or perhaps as review of traveling in the country.
Who is Rick Stein? He’s a British chef and author of works like Rick Stein's Complete Seafood, one of my go-to reference works whenever I need step-by-step guidance on dealing with ingredients from the sea. Stein is not Anthony Bourdain in biting wit and sarcasm and definitely not addicted to the bizarre like Andrew Zimmern. Stein is gentle in his approach to Vietnam and tries to bridge the turbulent Vietnam War years to the modern Vietnam today, which is calmer and more modern times. That’s what his BBC audience is interested in. There may be yawner moments if the Vietnam War doesn’t touch you, but Stein also has snippets of food preparation, processing, and everyday life that is quite interesting. I was about to discount the show at the opening footage of the war and rice paddies but Stein pulled me in quickly.
On YouTube, you’ll find the show in 6 clips (the last one is kind of a throw away). I’ve provided a drill-down below so you can jump in when you want. Many thanks to bloggers Graham Holiday of Noodlepie and Cathy Danh of Gastronomyblog (she debuts in part3) for pointing me to this Vietnam segment of Stein’s Far East Odyssey.
Part 1: Mekong River, fishing farms (Vietnamese aquaculture) on the river
Overview of Vietnam with a focus on the mighty Mekong. Stein pronounces Mekong as “Meekong” which I block out. “Maykong” please. He visits fisheries on the Mekong river. He cooks a fish dish based in his kitchen. He relates the Vietnam War to Vietnam today with old film footage, and references to Vietnam War movies The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now. The first segment clip is at the beginning of this post.
Vietnam Part 2: Can Tho, Saigon
Stein discusses whether or not he wants to eat dog and other exotic meats. He visits the city of Can Tho outside of Saigon, does pho, and tours the Majestic Hotel of author Graham Greene’s beguiling Vietnam. He says how impressed that it’s much more modern than expected, and a sense of optimism. Focuses on pho noodle soup – perfect Southeast Asian food. His demo on making pho is rather lacking with pan-roasting the ginger and shallots (yellow onion is what most cooks use abroad). Love the British pronunciation of pho as “furr.” He adds WAY too much nuoc mam to his bowl and his interpreter tells him so! Go Viet girls.
Vietnam Part 3: Ben Thanh Market, Saigon, Viet expat Cathy Danh
The show continues with more wartime references. Stein visits Ben Thanh Market with Gastronomyblog's Cathy Danh who gives Stein an overseas Vietnamese perspective. Cathy was living in Saigon at the time. She’s now Stateside again! Cathy relates the importance of culture and food extremely well. She compares real Saigon with Little Saigon on California, and it dovetails with a similar discussion we had on this site earlier this year. Stein cooks a duck in orange juice based on a recipe by Cathy’s grandma.
Vietnam Part 4: Hanoi, Vietnam War-time food, Cha Ca La Vong restaurant, street food (bun cha grilled pork with rice noodles, banh cuon rice rolls
Stein talks to a northern Vietnamese war hero about what they ate during the Vietnam War. He also discusses the importance of dried fish to Vietnamese cooking, and how it’s made and preserved. Very cool. A Graham Greene cocktail with crème de cassis gets Stein through the morning. He also injects multi-faceted Noel Coward into the segment to further weave in western literary references Vietnam. Stein authentically eats his Cha Ca La Vong fish and noodles dish with briny shrimp sauce (mam tom). For the ‘local’experience, he and his friend sit on the small baby plastic stools to eat banh cuon rice rolls.
Vietnam Part 5: Hanoi, Cat Ba in Ha Long Bay
Stein discusses how culture and language are woven into Vietnamese foodways. I like hearing the Vietnamese guide speak about Vietnam. Her English is nearly flawless. In Ha Long Bay, they go to a clam farm, where the Viet folks call the bivalve oysters. Stein pronounces Vietnamese people as being resourceful and clever. The clam dish that Stein makes at home is more Chinese than Vietnamese but it looks delicious. Love the beer squirting onto the camera lens. The Vietnam segment ends pretty much here. Vietnam Part 6 segues into Bangkok.
After watching, what are your thoughts? Likes, dislikes? New insights?
Hulananni says
Wonderful....we've been to VietNam 6 times and can't wait to go again.
Andrea Nguyen says
Six (6) times? Shazam. That's fabulous. I know, the clips make you want to pack up and get on a plane.
maggie says
Thanks for posting this Andrea! Yet more evidence of the global reach of Vietnamese food. I appreciate Rick's approach too - as you said, gentle. And like you said, for a specific audience. There were a few things I wondered about though - like the way that he ate cha ca seemed a bit funny to me. I think he needed a bit more guidance on how to eat these things. I loved the "quick pho" lesson and the fish recipe with tomato/chili sauce recreated at home.
Andrea Nguyen says
Maggie, I definitely agree with you. Stein needed assistance with eating the cha ca fish and the banh cuon. It was uncharacteristically lacking grace.
thuy says
I never seen a westerner eat durian and smile.
Stein ate the cha ca better then Zimmern did.
Lan says
I was intrigued by the duck recipe since I've never heard of it before.
I loved Cathy Danh's response to Stein's question about whether or not Vietnamese immigrants wish to move back to Vietnam. Privacy is definitely something I would have a difficult time giving up.
James Walker says
Hiya,
Instead of just mocking his way of eating Cha Ca how about some advice for the uninitiated on how to eat it properly? 🙂
jai says
Andrea,
This series is really well done. I'm curious about
his reference to "pot au feu". Does pho predate
the French?
Jai
Andrea Nguyen says
Thuy -- you've not seen my friend James Oseland, editor in chief of Saveur and one of the judges on Master Top Chef, eat durian. We've gone to Little Saigon in the O.C. and James has bought durian and eaten it in the car and on the sidewalk. I had one portion and he ate the rest of an entire durian!
Lan -- I've not seen braised duck legs like Cathy's grandma's but there are so many recipes out there that I've not seen.
James -- You're right. We're not being fair in mocking Stein, though he should have been coached better so that he could provide info to viewers. Okay, to eat cha ca, you make small little salad bowls and then drizzle in the sauce. Or, you soak the fish in the sauce and then add the flavored fish and sauce to the bowl. Stein admits to his foibles and that adds to the realism and charm of the show.
Jai -- There's a theory that the term "pho" is a riff from "pot au feu" but it's not been proven. Pho was developed around the turn of the 20th century as a result of the French slaughtering cows for their biftek, leaving the Viet locals with the chewy, unwanted leftovers. Viet chefs were in turn, delectably resourceful.
Simon says
I love Rick Stein, BTW did you know that nearly all the No Reservations episodes are on You Tube? The Travel Channel seem fine about it, too:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArcApex
I'm very grateful to this guy as we don't get No Res here in the UK.
Lauren says
Thanks for sharing this. Would never have heard of the guy. Took inspiration from his tomato sauce he made for the fish for tofu instead and it was close to what I remember having in Vietnam.
Lisa says
Thanks for the you tube links, I had never heard of Gordon Stein but enjoyed this series a lot. I love Vietnamese food but have not yet been to Vietnam.
CTT says
Regarding Jai's question about Rick Stein's reference to "pot au feu," I would refer Jai and others to a very interesting article titled "What the pho?" on Nguoi Viet2Online, http://www.nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=68518&z=49
Helen @ World Foodie Guide says
This was an episode from a rather good series, which I watched recently. Rick Stein's manner is inoffensive and he doesn't pretend to know things and seems genuinely interested in local culture, even if he sometimes gets the pronunciation wrong! I'd recommend foodies watching the entire series if you can get hold of it, and there is an accompanying BBC book of the same name, with all the recipes.
Andrea Nguyen says
Lauren -- the tomato sauce is really nice.
CTT -- thanks for the Nguoi Viet piece. If anyone is interested in more information, below are links to related posts on this site:
History and evolution of Pho: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/10/the-evolution-of-pho.html
Chef Didier Corlou's pamphlet on pho: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2008/10/pho-by-chef-didier-corlou.html
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts!
mycookinghut says
I really like Rick Stein's Far East Odessey!!! I have been waiting it over and over again and I think I really want to go to Vietnam!!
Andrea Nguyen says
My cooking hut, thanks for the comments. Stein does do a nice job in painting a picture of Vietnam today.
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marlon says
Took inspiration from his tomato sauce he made for the fish for tofu instead and it was close to what I remember having in Vietnam.