New Day: New Beginning

    • France 2025- Lyon

      One week down. Seven more to go. I’m counting the time enjoyed here, not the weeks left. It has been one big item of my bucket list to spend 2 months in France, so here I am. CDG is still a big awful, confusing airport to maneuver. The walk from the plane to the baggage… Continue reading

    • Cà Tím Nướng Mỡ Hành – Roasted eggplant with scallion oil

      I never liked this dish when Mom made it. It’s gooey and doesn’t look appetizing; yet Mom loved it. I kinda like it now, Tina likes the taste but not the look. Ingredients: Preheat oven to 400°F The eggplants will be roasted whole. Prick them with a fork so they don’t burst. Roast at 400°F… Continue reading

    • Giô Ngoai 2025

      It has been 5 years now since Mom passed. I feel so hollow thinking about it. It’s almost like it was today. Like the line “Aujourd’hui, maman est morte” in Camus’ L’ Etranger. I thought of Mom a lot the night before. I thought of things I didn’t do with her and for her, things… Continue reading

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    • Xôi – Sticky Rice

      I could never claim my dishes to be authentic, because I always find ways to simplify a recipe. Easier for me back then when I was raising a family and working. Easier for me now when I prefer working in the garden or traveling or reading. Traditional Sticky Rice preparation involves soaking the rice overnight,… Continue reading

    • Chicken Pho

      Every vietnamese family has its own recipe for Pho, with the basic ingredients being charred onions and ginger. In VN, these would be charred over hot charcoals. Here, I char them over the gas or electric stove at medium heat, or in the oven toaster at 400 degrees. The trick is to set them at… Continue reading

    • My ladybug babies just hatched !

      How many times a day I tour my garden? Several. Several times in the morning, several times before sunset, and several times in between :). So that’s several of several times. My routine is to look, inspect from far away, inspect closed up. I checked on my Asian pear tree most because it had fireblight… Continue reading