Vietnam(-nom-nom-nom)

Vietnam joined the UN September 20th 1977.

Let's be honest.  There are HIGH expectations for this one.

The last dinner left me ready to bake, so when I found the recipe for Vietnamese mooncakes I was sold.  Who cares if they are traditionally eaten during the mid-Autumn festival?

I found a couple of delicious looking recipes, but upon further examination I noted that NONE of them were complete.  Listed ingredients that are never used, ingredients in the instructions that are not specified in type or quantity, incorrect ingredient types.  This is where I like to use the family secret my grandmother likes to call the "ah peuff" method (aka "winging it").

I got 90% done before I left to pick up my cousin.  We were driving to Tacoma for this one.  When I got there I was expecting to find the usual cooking frenzy, but instead everyone was just sitting around drinking wine.  Well, okay, not what I was expecting, but I could get into it.

Marine and I wrap up what we need to get done, and got out of the way.  Jenny and Amber finish up their combined dish.  Travis, who finished cooking much earlier in the day, admits that he's been eating his dish all day.  All the while 3 rambunctious dogs chased the reflecting lights off of every phone, watch, you name it.  Worse than cats.

THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD.  I mean, I admit we usually say that the meal that is in our mouths is the best one yet, but this time it was true.  We filled our plates and paused to take our group photo, but before Jenny to take second one most of us had already given up on smiling and were already focusing on eating.

The food was so good, it brought tears to Jenny's eyes.  Literally.  (She had to cough, but couldn't since her mouth was full, so started crying from the strain.)  I would have taken a photo but I would had to have stopped eating for that so...

The entire time I was so happy because I knew I would be taking leftovers home.  Which, by the way, I'm eating as I write these words.

Somehow everyone refrained from filling their plates with seconds.  I like to think it was because everyone was eyeing those beautiful mooncakes that have been sitting on the counter all through dinner.  I think the below picture conveys this idea really well.

(Celebrated April 13, 2019)