Vietnamese food varies greatly depending on location, season, and personal preferences. However, if you travel anywhere in Vietnam, you will see the bánh mì. This is a Vietnamese sandwich that can contain a variety of ingredients, but it is usually made on a baguette and is filled with meat, pickled vegetables, herbs, chilis, and pâté. Pâté is traditionally a French spread made from animal liver and spices. Most often, bánh mì is eaten for breakfast, but you can find people selling them from small carts on street corners at any time of day. Interestingly, the bánh mì is one of the few Asian dishes made with bread rather than rice. This is because in the 1800s Vietnam was colonized by the French who brought with them a tradition of eating bread and pate. This sandwich carries with it a lot of history, and while this is not the space to delve deep into Vietnam’s complicated past, it is a history that is remembered every time someone eats a bánh mì.
In my time in Vietnam, I have tried many different bánh mì with many different fillings. But I have two favorites. The first is bánh mì thịt nướng. This type of bánh mì has grilled pork patties, pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, chili sauce, and mayonnaise.
