Atlantic Super Stores in Prince Edward Island provide the means for a big, hearty, convenient, easy (and cheap) bowl of Vietnamese Pho for HG’s lunch as summer retreats and autumn brings cool and crisp days. The supermarket always has containers of Pho broth in stock (as well as Ramen broth and Thai Tom Yum.) Few things are better than watching the whitecaps from the wall of windows in HG/BSK’s oceanfront PEI paradise. That’s the visual delight. Pho is the culinary delight. Yo Yo Ma on the sound system is the auditory delight. HG heats the Pho broth to the boiling point. In another pot filled with boiling water, HG cooks rice vermicelli noodles (they are done in three minutes and get a rinse of cold water to stop the cooking). The noodles go into the pot with firm tofu, a few leaves of spinach (or watercress), bean sprouts. Flavored with sesame oil and chili oil. Topped with chopped scallions. Green tea to drink. With the Ramen broth, HG will add poached and shredded chicken breast. Tom Sum will get a few Tiger Shrimp (sorry, allergic BSK). Are these store bought broths the equal of those long simmered wonders in Vietnamese and Thai restaurants? Well, no. But, they are very good and HG will continue happy home slurping.
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