My entire educational period was powered by second breakfast— homemade sandwiches wrapped in a wax paper. Between two slices of fresh bread generously covered with butter, my mother usually squeezed a leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato, cheese and ham. Occasionally, whenever my father got a rabbit from his hunter friends, she baked the pâté. Such sandwiches were special not only because of a delicious home-made meat and liver spread but also because horseradish and cranberry jam accents enlivened the midmorning treat. Plus in lieu of two slices of rye, the pâté was hugged by a crisp baguette.
I didn’t think any sandwich could ever beat that taste until my very first bite of bánh mì - a Vietnamese take on the French classic. Unlike a simple yet delectable baguette au pâté which combines a freshly baked symbol of France with a thick slice of rustic pâté de campagne and little cornichons, a Vietnamese sandwich explodes with all sorts of delights.
The foundation is warm light bread with a delicate crust. It is like biting on a crunchy cloud carrying lots of intriguing ingredients. A thin layer of mayo-butter spread hits first before all the tasty fillers are revealed. A classic Vietnamese sandwich (đặc biệt meaning “special combo”) features pork, duck or chicken liver pâté as well as headcheese and ham or bologna. This may sound like familiar territory until the veggie additions kick in. A few slices of fresh cucumber put next to hot chili suddenly brighten the next bite. And what are these white and orange matchsticks? Sweet and sour julienned daikon and carrot drained from their vinegary concoction add another punch. The sandwich is topped with a dash of soy sauce and a spring of citrusy cilantro. Those last two notes bring the Asian eats to mind.
Bánh mì, a transnational marriage of Western with Oriental cuisine, started feeding my imagination. What if instead of pâté I fried up some blood sausage and balanced it with a beet relish? Could this sandwich handle a garlicky kiełbasa and wild mushrooms in vinegar? Or trips with pickled mustard greens and chives? Living in the vicinity of Yum-Mì Sandwiches—one of the best Vietnamese places in Orlando—I decided to explore the taste of the original bánh mì (on the picture above) before moving onto my own creations. Soon I realized how hard it would be to beat their yummy menu but I will try.
“What's your ethnicity?” asked a haughty American gentleman shortly after I had moved to the States. His question struck me during a brief conversation about our country club's chili cook-off contest of which I had a privilege to be a judge.
I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how to respond. Up until then I had never thought of myself as ethnic. I come from a country that, just like the U.S., shares Western cultural tradition. Perhaps my interlocutor was curious to know my religion, although our casual chit-chat didn’t seem to go past the mystery of cooking a hearty chili. My mind desperately tried to come up with a precise answer, speeding through all sorts of data.
I am a tall, blond, fair-skinned, green-eyed woman. He couldn’t possibly be asking my skin color because he could see me.
Did I look weird? I have high cheekbones and sparse eyebrows. These, according to my father, I inherited from our Tartar ancestors. But aren't we all a mix of different gene pools?
Aha, I got it. I speak English with a bit of an accent. Which intonation prevailed? Polish, French, Spanish? There is a little Russian in there too.
Finally, I found the answer was to focus on food. Cuisine distinguishes nations more easily than looks or the melody of someone’s voice. I, for instance, was born in a country where soups rule. There are gentle spring vegetable soups with fresh dill and cold summer soups made of strawberries. Meaty winter season broths will keep you safe from the frostiest frost. Milk soups greet you in the morning. Beet soups put you to bed at night. Yes, I am from a soupland! Am I not?
After the awkward moment of silence, I told the gentleman: “I am Polish”. And I asked him about his favorite foods. I found out he was a big fan of a chicken soup and pickles but never heard of sour pickle soup which is the recipe I've chosen to share here today.
