FOR DORIS HÔ-KANE, baking has always meant more than just creating beautiful treats. “It's always been so important for us to preserve our culture," says the owner and founder of the Brooklyn-based Vietnamese-American bakery Bạn Bè. "The easiest way to do it is through food."
On any given day, the offerings at Bạn Bè could include multicolored pandan waffles, mooncakes, bánh mì, tins of her signature bo butter cookies, or thạch rau câu, fruit jellies that Ho-Kane makes just like her grandmother did. Sometimes, she layers jelly made from agar, a gelatinous substance derived from seaweed, to make thạch rau câu dừa lá dứa, chewy confections with alternating tiers of pandan and coconut milk molded into a flower shape. If you're lucky, she'll have concocted her cà phê thạch rau câu flan, which features layers of flan and Vietnamese coffee-infused agar jelly molded perfectly into a Bundt shape.
Ho-Kane's desserts are inspired by the culinary traditions of her family, who moved to the United States from Vietnam as refugees. "They came over with nothing. The things that my family held with them were from memory, and those memories were all the desserts my grandmother loved to eat," she explains. The family settled in Dallas, in 1980, where familiar ingredients were in short supply. "We didn't have an Asian grocery store at the time, but she would make do with what she had."
This story is from the July 2023 edition of Food & Wine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 2023 edition of Food & Wine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Gilda Age - How to perfect the world's best bar snack at home
In the late 1940s, Rita Hayworth turned heads in Hollywood with her sultry, sharp-tongued, titular role in the movie Gilda. Hayworth's character also made a lasting impression further afield in Spain, at Casa Vallés bar in Donostia-San Sebastián, inspiring the creation of a pintxo-a tiny, toothpick-speared snack-that still bears her character's name today. The new pintxo was so popular that it was quickly adopted by other spots throughout the city. It is now Basque country's most iconic bar snack
Tasting Tasmania - Australia's stunning island state is home to stellar cool-climate wines, a vibrant dining scene, and the freshest air on earth.
Australia's stunning island state is home to stellar cool-climate wines, a vibrant dining scene, and the freshest air on earth.asmania smells fresh. Parks and wilderness cover 40% of the island, and much of the rest is farmland. Swept by the Roaring Forties-intense westerly winds that buffet the southern hemisphere- the atmospheric station at Cape Grim in the state's northwest corner regularly records the earth's most pristine air. Down here in Australia's southernmost state, not far from Antarctica, simply taking a breath is delicious. But that's not all that's delicious. Grapes retain mouthwatering acidity in the chilly, maritime climate of Tasmania (or Lutruwita, as it's called in palawa kani, the local Aboriginal language). Having loved Tolpuddle Vineyard's earthy Pinot Noirs, full of cranberry and orange-peel flavors, back in New York, I'd made a pilgrimage to the island for its wine.
Autumn Pairings - Our favorite sommeliers share their go-to dishes and wine pairings for when the weather starts to cool.
Our favorite sommeliers share their go-to dishes and wine pairings for when the weather starts to cool. Translating to "mashed eggplant," baingan bharta is a popular North Indian dish that combines grilled eggplant with ripe tomatoes, vibrant fresh ginger, and warm spices like cumin and cloves. Cut long, deep slits down each eggplant before grilling to help the centers steam and soften as the outside chars. Serve this smoky, spreadable dish warm or at room temperature with roti or naan.
Lowcountry Pickled Shrimp
Snappy pickled shrimp from North Carolina native Ben Barker are perfect for late-summer meals.
Beat the Heat!
What to pair with every type of spicy food
TAKE BACK SUNDAY
Chef Fermín Núñez's answer to the Sunday scaries? Porrón pours and paella for a crowd.
COOKING WITH GRAPES
GRILLED BRAISED, BAKED STEWED OR FROZEN THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A SNACK.
CITY THAT RICE BUILT
A hunger for rice laid Charleston's foundation. Could a love for the grainand the city that grew from it—be the way to a more unified future?
The California Wine Lover's Guide
55 bottles that will tell you everything about the past, present, and future of California wine
Beef Sukiyaki Pasta
In the hands of cookbook author Hiroko Shimbo, the flavors of beef sukiyaki become an easy weeknight meal.
