Ann Mah's newsletter / March 2021
March 2021 newsletter
Hello!
One of the things that's surprised me most about Hanoi are all the flowering trees and bushes throughout the city. As the weather warms slightly, they're starting to burst forth with blossoms of pink and lavender and perfumed clouds. I especially love the pomelo flowers, which smell heavenly, like a mix of jasmine and orange blossoms. Sometimes I find myself walking around and sniffing the air like a dog, which must look very odd.
We have had a quiet few weeks as Hanoi has weathered a small Covid outbreak. Thankfully, contact tracing, testing, and quarantines have prevailed once more and I'm happy to report that as of this week school is back in session and restaurants are open again.
As for me, I've entered the hermit stage of writing my new book. This means I rarely leave the house, eat a lot of toast (because I don't have time to cook) and neglect my family. But – as I've said every month for the past six months – I'm nearly finished...! :)
Here's what else I've been up to...
What I've been eating
–Chouquettes are sugar-studded puffs of choux pastry and they're a Parisian bakery specialty, a little treat often handed out to small kids. Well, since we can't go to the chouquettes right now, the other day we made them come to us with David Lebovitz's recipe. And they were heavenly!
–Speaking of choux dough, you can learn all about it with La Cuisine Paris's new live video classes. Or if choux isn't your thing, perfect your quiche lorraine, chocolate tart, macarons, and/ or all manner of French classics so you can cook like a Parisian from your very own kitchen.
–I'm convinced that the best way to clean out the crisper is the Minchilli family's torta rustica, which mixes whatever-you've-got-veggies with ricotta, an egg, and some parmesan into a savory tart filling. Because the recipe uses only one egg – and doesn't really need that much parmagiano – it's almost healthy :)
–There's something about a lockdown that makes me want to bake with yeast (?). In the past few weeks I've made King Arthur Baking's cinnamon rolls – "perfectly pillowy," they're the recipe of the year – Smitten Kitchen's chocolate babka, and the sourdough focaccia from David Atherton of GBBO fame.
–These jalapeño cheddy sticks take an insane amount of time and use enormous quantities of ingredients, but there's something compelling me to try them. Recipe via The Kitchn.
What I've been reading
–Lauren Willig's Band of Sisters tells the true story of a group of Smith graduates who form a volunteer corps in France during World War I. I really enjoyed this novel – it's got swashbuckling adventure, a romantic Normandy setting, and characters you'll love.
–Anti-Asian racism and attacks are on the rise. This illustrated strip from the New York Times relates the recent experiences of Xi'an Famous Foods, one of my favorite NYC restaurants. Already hit financially by the pandemic, they're now closing early so their staff can travel home from work more safely. In recent months, two staff members have been assaulted while commuting, one in broad daylight.
–The other day I ate a Sri Lankan egg hopper and I've been thinking about it ever since. A hopper, if you don't know (I didn't), is a thin crêpe of lightly fermented rice batter cooked in a deep pan to form a bowl, with an egg nested at the bottom. It's delicate and crunchy on the sides, and spongy and eggy at the center. This video from a Sri Lankan street food stall made me hungry.
–In case you missed it, the American ambassador to Vietnam dropped a rap video in honor of the lunar new year and it's lit. Hardcore dadcore!
See you soon!
This month I'm looking forward to a short trip to Da Nang, a historic port city in central Vietnam, famous for its beautiful beaches. I'll report back on Instagram, so please join me there!
Thank you so much for reading – I'm grateful for your support.
See you in April!
Ann
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