Vietnamese, French-style, a multicultural delight

REALCUISINE | Julianne Glatz

Comingling of two cultures can occur in any number of ways, some positive, others negative. It may be through immigration, trade or proximity. Sometimes the mechanism is invasion and conquest. But even when the cause produces cruelty and repression, the comingling of cultures’ cuisines can create a silver lining in an otherwise horrendous cloud, producing delicious offshoots everyone enjoys.

That was particularly true during the French colonization of Vietnam. France’s presence in Vietnam and much of what was then known as Indochina began as early as the 17th century. Through much of the 19th century and until after WWII, France ruled Vietnam with an iron fist. But even though the Vietnamese resented their French overlords, they eagerly embraced French foods such as bread (especially in the form of baguettes), crêpes, pâtés, sausage and ham. Here are two Vietnamese street foods favorites – of mine as well as the Vietnamese – with distinct French influences.

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