Cooking in Vietnam

The cooking classes I took were rat ngon or in another language muy subrosa.

Fresh, fresh, fresh - the greens were gathered from the garden we toured before we began chopping and the shrimp that was included in the spring rolls were swimming in a basin at the market before we cleaned and chopped them.

We also selected herbs at the market and the rice pancakes we made right there in the class.  Such lovely delicate dishes.  There was only one glitch in all the foods to which I was exposed in Vietnam.

In Northern Vietnam they serve dog!  As I was riding on the road from Hanoi to Han Lon Bay we passed a man on a motor bike with a milk crate carrying about six 20 pound dogs.  I asked the guide where the dogs were going.  His response: To the restaurant.

Needless to say, I was very distressed.  No, I did not eat dog while I was traveling.  What I ate was lovely, fresh, and delicate.  Just keep breathing.