Pho

He said he was going to a restaurant to get pho. I asked what pho was. He said, “Uh, it’s like a noodle soup…. They say it's the nectar of the gods.” Most normal people would’ve replied with something like “oh” and moved on, pushing it out of their short-term memory and into the dark recesses of things that go under the category of “I know I’ve heard of it, but I have no idea what it is”. But I am not most normal people. No, I am the cat that curiosity has yet to kill, and so hours later, when I returned to the world of internet access, I looked it up. I browsed websites and recipes and even a YouTube video, taking it all in with eager eyes, helped along by some Mika and Dave Matthews for background music.

So, my findings on Pho:
Firstly, it’s pronounced fuh, but with a slight curl at the end, kind of like you’re asking a question (“fuh”? are you serious?). It is the national dish of Vietnam- and not just a symbol, like our silly American state birds or flowers (what is New York’s state bird, anyway?), but a nationally loved and honored dish, eaten at every table. This simple beef and noodle soup is an art form to the Vietnamese: the stock itself is carefully crafted from beef, beef bones, sometimes chicken bones as well, and a distinct mixture of roasted ginger, anise, onions, and cilantro. After that, the seasoning depends on who’s making it, since many families or individuals have their own secret combinations for the perfect stock. When the stock has reached perfection, the boiled beef is left in and simple rice noodles are added. In some restaurants, especially those in the US, the diner gets to choose which specific seasonings to add, along with toppings and other ingredients. In its home country, cooked or raw beef is often an option, sometimes accompanied by chicken or even chewy beef tendon instead. Whenever beef was on short supply, pork pho was made. But pho is always available in Vietnam, and now it has become an international delight, found and enjoyed all around the world.

Post-script Notes:
•The YouTube video, narrated by a convincingly foreign accent named Kai, was quite entertaining. I now know that if I’m making Pho and I see any froths build up in the broth, I am to carefully spoon them out every ten minute or so.

•I say it is now an international delight, but I’m just saying that because that’s what everyone else is saying. This is the first I’ve ever heard of Pho, obviously, and I’ve never tried it myself. I’m hoping my original source will get back to me with details on how it was.

•New York’s State Bird is the Bluebird. Its state flower is the rose, and its state tree is the sugar maple (we’re so original here in NY). To top it all off, our state song is “I Love New York”. Who would’ve thought?

Last and most important note:
•When I first said “I’ll have to look that one up”, I wasn’t intending to write a 500 word essay on it. It just sort of happened... I guess I’m bored, or I just always need to be doing something that feels useful, or I’m just mostly insane. I suspect the third choice is most likely, or D) All of The Above.