Our cooking class in Hoi An had the following components:

1. a huge selection of Vietnamese-style breakfast/brunch items to try out
2. a morning bike trip out to the market gardens of Hoi An that included:

• a visit to a kumquat orchard (and later a taste of this intense citrus fruit, and how it’s prepared)
• a visit to a bean sprout ‘garden’
• an organic herb garden
• a place where they make the famous (and secret) Cau Lao Noodles
• only one collision between a bike and a motorcycle, and it wasn’t me!

Al & I on our bicycling tour of Hoi An’s market gardens; behind us are rice paddies that were being prepared for the first season in December. There are two rice crops every year in Hoi An which is located halfway between the north and south of Vietnam. Saigon in the south has three crops a year; Hanoi in the north only one.

3. Back at ‘The Market’ there were more tastings and demos before the classes took place:

• how they make rice flour and different types of noodles
• coconut pudding with coconut cream and toasted sesame seeds as a snack (yum!)

• ‘weird and wacky foods’ such as jelly fish, silk worms, pork belly and snails

4. Then the cooking class taught by Ms. Vy herself!

“Crispy, crunchy, chewy, silky, soft, sweet, sour, hot, bitter, salty.” In rapid fire, Ms. Vy listed off the ten things that are needed to create a perfect Yin Yang balance or harmony in any Vietnamese dish. ‘Silky’ could also be described as smooth, slippery or creamy (if that helps).

This is what she strives for in every dish, and the result is a totally sensory experience.

• Vietnamese Salad Rolls (aka Fresh Spring Rolls)
• The Famous Cau Lao Noodle & Pork Dish
• Vietnamese Pancake, a Savoury Crepe-like Treat
• the  famous (and secret) recipe for White Rose Dumplings (plus another tasty dumpling)

5. And finally home-made ice cream for dessert — I had passionfruit!