|
| SHORT
BREAKS COOKING : VIETNAM |
COOKING
VACATIONS |
 |
VIETNAM
.
. . the land of the noodle crazy population - breakfast,
lunch and dinner
 Vietnam
is bordered by China in the North and by Laos and Cambodia
in the West. Three quarters of the country is occupied
by mountains and tropical forests. The weather in the
southern part of Vietnam is tropical whilst in the north
it has the monsoon which brings a hot, rainy season
from mid-May to mid-September and a warm, dry season
from mid-October to mid-March.
The
country is an eclectic mix of old and new from Hanoi
in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Hanoi
the capital city of Vietnam has a lot to offer to its
visitors and residents alike. It is quieter than Ho
Chi Minh City but there are more green spaces and eighteen
beautiful lakes such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake and
Truc Bach Lake to discover. The most attractive part
of Hanoi is its centre, around Hoan Kiem Lake and the
Old Quarter. Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) remains
the economic capital of Vietnam, its cultural diversity,
which remains, makes this an undeniably rich city.
Much
of the countryside remains unchanged. From the Mekong
Delta to the green patchwork of rice paddies to the
soaring mountains in the north which tower over tiny
villages where life continues much as it has done for
centuries, to the South China Sea and the three thousand
chalk islands in Ha Long Bay this is a country not to
be missed.
Vietnamese
food varies from region to region. Rice and noodles
are staple foods and are served with nearly all meals.
The most popular dishes are nema rán (spring
rolls), bún thang (noodles with sliced
pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp), shellfish
steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among
common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste,
fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crab meat, lobster
and oysters.
| : :
Cook
East |
| One
of the delights of a holiday abroad can be
experiencing the real cuisine of the region
in the actual cultural setting. For many of
us the cuisine of a region can be just as
novel and interesting as the landscape or
the guilded temples. Even the most casual
cook can be intrigued by the selection of
ingredients, preparation and cooking of the
meals, particularly when the results can be
so satisfying. Cook East has a range of informal
classes with cooking schools well suited for
complete beginners as for people who view
cooking as a satisfying hobby. A hands-on
exploration into the cuisine of a culture
is an ideal way to gain insight and greater
immersion into that destination. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
