Tribute to Bánh Mì

Meat loaf and fried chicken don’t cut it. I love America as much as the next Joe, but typical American cuisine (excepting some regional specialties) is about as interesting as the steam trays at Hometown Buffet or the frozen food section at the super market.I'm something of a foodie and I love interesting, novel flavors and ingredients most of all. As it turns out, however, ingredients don't actually vary that much the world over as you might think. What makes food most unique is the particular combination of ingredients and the means used to prepare them.

Enter Bánh Mì, or the Vietnamese sandwich. These sandwiches are an interesting marriage of French technique, Chinese ingredients and Vietnamese know-how. They are a culinary mirror to Vietnam’s history of failed colonialism. These sandwiches feature a tasty combination of flavors--just enough meat (Vietnamese style deli meats and pâté), sweet pickled carrots, cool cucumbers, refreshing cilantro and spicy fresh green chilies. All this goes into a slightly toasted baguettine (small baguette) that has had some Vietnamese style mayonnaise spread on it. Vietnamese baguettes often have some rice flower mixed in to give them a lighter texture than their French counterparts.

In California there is an excellent chain of restaurants that sells these called Lee's Sandwiches which, interestingly, but not surprisingly, also features an in-house French bakery. They have some mouth-watering pictures on their web site too.

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I'm off to the beach for the day. If I suddenly stop posting it'll be because I was coaxed out to sea by a beautiful Siren. Don't mourn me; I'll be in a better place, especially if she has sisters!