Pho-tastic!

My best friend of almost 30 years (PJ) is mixed like me, but her heritage consists of American and Vietnamese. The daughter of of a military vet and a fiery Vietnamese woman, PJ epitomizes the best of both worlds. Loyal and trustworthy, hard-working and a fantastic cook, PJ is one of the people I credit my love of food.

Aside from being the best friend a person could have, one of the best gifts PJ ever gave me was pho. The cure for whatever ails ya, pho will always be my comfort food. Anyone who is a fan of that distinctive creamy meatiness of beef marrow will simply fall head over heels for pho.

We've managed to find a pretty good pho place in Ashburn, Virgina called Pho Bistro. We go so much the owner and staff know us and our order: Pho Gau for me and Pho Bo Vien with a side of Tai for my fiance Keith. Here are a couple of photos from our latest pho fix.

I've written several articles on the subject and will continue to sing it's praises till the day I die. For a more clinical description of pho, here is an excerpt from a paper I wrote on Vietnamese cuisine from culinary school. Enjoy!

"Just like the United States, cuisine from this country of over 76 million people is heavily influenced by geography. Vietnam is located at the easternmost edge of southern Asia, bordering the South China Sea. Along the eastern border of Vietnam lies Laos and Cambodia, and in the North is China. Two major river deltas, The Red River Delta in the north and the Mekong Delta in the south, are separated by a mountain range in the middle. This makes for three distinct regional types of cuisine: the hearty soups of the North, the regal dishes of the center, and the spicy and exotic South.

Northern Vietnam is similar to the Northern part of the US in that the climate is cooler
and much drier than the rest of the country. It is here that the Chinese influence, focusing mainly on stir-frying, the use of a wok and chop sticks, rice dishes and noodle based soups, are most evident. The cool climate does not lend itself to a variety of herbs and vegetables and therefore the food tends to be milder yet hearty. Simple and satisfying dishes such as crab and asparagus soup (Mang Tay Nau Cua) hail from Northern Vietnam but none as famous or as coveted as Hanoi Beef Soup or Pho (pronounced ‘Fuh’).

Pho is a beef broth based soup poured over a healthy heaping of flat rice stick noodles (Banh Pho). Typically a restaurant food, Pho comes with a variety of meats, which is chosen by the customer, such as rare beef (Tai), meatballs (Bo Vien), fatty brisket (Gau) or well done beef (Chin). When the soup arrives at your table, add the meat immediately so the broth can cook the meat to the perfect temperature.

Every bowl of Pho will be accompanied by a plate of garnishes including bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, Serrano chili slices, lime wedges, and basil. Pho has become popular throughout Vietnam and is sometimes referred to as the national soup. Although there is no official evidence of the origin of Pho, legend has it that Pho was invented when Vietnamese chefs recreated the famed French dish Pot au Feu for their then colonial rulers. Still others believe that the heavy Chinese influence in North Vietnam is what inspired this soul satisfying pot of soup. Nevertheless, debate rages on over steaming bowls of Pho throughout Vietnam to this day."

Comments

[CBontheMV]

For those in the Centerville area, Pho Bistro also has a location down there in the Giant Shopping plaze. It's about 3 stores down from Ciro's...the best NY Style Pizza I've had in VA. Mmmmm, slices.