FABULUSH

There’s no doubt that I love being Vietnamese; its rich and vast Asian culture and history with the influence of French fabulousness.  The fusion provides the best of both worlds and lets me appreciate the French without being an asshole.  I kid, I kid…  Anyhow, the sweltering heat lately has made my morning coffee ritual completely unbearable.  Gulping down a hot cup of joe in 100+ degree heat only makes my body an internal sauna, and let’s face it, that’s not how I’d like to start my day.   So what’s a girl to do to beat the heat and still get a morning caffeine kick?  A Cafe Sua Da, the sinfully delicious Vietnamese Iced Coffee, comes to the rescue. Each sweet sip brings me back to the nostalgia of being a little girl watching my Daddy drink a tall glass while eating Pho; all the while trying to keep my sticky fingers out of that sweetened condensed milk.

The history behind it all is that during wartime and with Euro influence, everyone had to tighten up those purse strings and make ingredients last longer.  So chicory root was added to coffee grinds in order to stretch the coffee supply, and today the Chicory Root Coffee blends are very well-known for their distinctive and bolder flavor.  Many swear by using only Cafe du Monde coffee (you’ll see the infamous yellow canister in many Pho shops), but your favorite blend of medium ground coffee will easily hit the spot as well when in a pinch.  Those with a sweet tooth and sugar addiction will easily fall in love with the sweetened condensed milk addition, which sets the Cafe Sua Da apart from the French Cafe Au Lait.

Café Sua Da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee) Recipe

Ingredients and Equipment needed:

• 2 Tablespoons of Café Du Monde Chicory Root Coffee (or any good medium ground coffee)
• 2 Tablespoons of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Boiling Water
• Vietnamese Coffee Press, a single cup brewer
• 2 Glasses – 1 filled with ice cubes
• Spoon

In the empty glass, add the sweetened condensed milk to the bottom and if you totally lick the spoon clean, I won’t judge.  Place the Vietnamese Coffee Press atop of the glass with the condensed milk and add the coffee grounds into the press.  Tamp down and screw on the lid tightly to get a slow drip after you add boiling water to the press.  Cover the press and let the brewing magic happen.  Depending on how you like your coffee, the ratio of coffee to condensed milk will differ.  Stronger?  Brew more coffee than milk, and for you sugar fanatics, you’ll have a lighter coloured coffee due to the condensed milk ratio.  When you’ve decided on how much of a caffeine kick you want, remove the press, fold the condensed milk into the coffee and pour over the second glass of ice.  Then sip, smile and thank the French for invading Vietnam and making culinary history.

[Birthday Week Kickoff - Fresh Dungeness Crabs, Carmenere, Mango Mochi, and Cookies & Creme]

For as long as I can remember or care to remember, I’ve celebrated my Birthday (February 5th) as a Birthday Week. Seven days filled with loved ones, wishes, cakes and candies, and oh so many hugs and kisses. Before you begin to think I’m some egomaniac, it’s not about the gifts or just little ol’ me me meeeee. But more so that people’s schedules never align, someone’s working or out of town, and that my birthday always falls around the Superbowl and Chinese New Years.

So every year like tradition, I have different themes for each day, varying each year as my tastes and likes change as I age like a fine wine. There’s always a dance party if not several, sometimes a sleep over, potluck dinners as of the last few years, karaoke is a must, pinata busting is a favorite, cupcakes and champagne, several young years of a fishing competition, intimate family celebrations, Superbowl Sunday, models and bottles, Asian festivals, etc etc etc. Yet each year is different and unique, but reminiscent of years prior.

My birthday becomes a reunion of family (blood and acquired), a celebration of life, and reminders of why I’m thankful for each person in my life. This year, I’m turning 26 and in a bit of a whirlwind situation. A certain someone made arrangements for us to go to Tahoe to get out of town to go skiing. Now, instead I have an ultimatum to literally get out of town.  You can’t rain on my birthday week parade…

(Dewars Discovery "Build Your Own Blend" Tasting)

Sifting through my e-mail inbox, I received an invitation from an editor to a Dewar’s Scotch event. Thinking this may perk J in attending with me due to the alcoholic nature, and I’ve gone to my fair share of liquor branded events in Miami,why not give it a go?  Oh geez, I forgot how things change when we’re in a recession.

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All my friends know me for a few things, specifically my sweet cheeks, sweet tooth, and sweet ass baking skills. Usually, I like to take creative license and try to venture out on recipes. However, this time was a bit different and my beau vehemently wanted Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies straight up Mom style. After enough pestering, I followed Mama Gallagher’s recipe to a T and let me tell you they are amazingly perfect the way they are.

So bake your little heart out, then curl up on the couch with your lovey, and wash these down with a tall glass of milk.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups Flour
2 cups Oatmeal
12 oz Chocolate Chips
1 cup Shortening
2 Eggs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Hot Water
1 cup Walnuts, chopped
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl or a KitchenAid, cream sugars (brown & white) and shortening together until nice and fluffy. Add eggs in one at a time and beat until light. Then add the vanilla and hot water in, mixing well. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda, then add into the mixture until combined. Next, add in the oatmeal, again mixing well until combined. Rip open the chocolate chips (try not to snack on too many) and the chopped walnuts (optional if you don’t like nuts, but fantastic with them – trust!) and mix those babies in.

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or butter it down. Spoon out hefty tablespoons of dough (about 1″ round) and round into a ball. Press down and flatten just a tad. Pop them in and bake for 12 minutes. Once they’re fresh from the oven, place on cooling racks. Enjoy!