Author: La Vie Partagée

Inspirations for Fall Decorating

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The gathering of family and friends starts this season. I want to share some of my favorite Autum decor, from table settings to door wreaths, that can help make your reunions unforgettable. Color When hosting a dinner party, we want our table to look amazing. The key is to pick a color scheme and create contrast around it. For example, if you choose orange as a main color, deep greens and blues will complement it and make the color jump off the plate. If you choose light colors, then dark browns and gold will make the lighter colors shine.  Another color option is purple, which is a great alternative to the red, green and gold for the season. Candles Candles are this season’s favorite as they create a warm ambiance. You can add some spices, various nuts and leaves around them to enhance the cozy vibe. Wreaths Wreaths are another fall decor I see everywhere. They are hung on walls and doors. My suggestion would be to create your own palette with the inspirations above. I love how deep blues …

Crab and Asparagus Soup / Súp Măng Cua

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Súp Măng Cua or Crab and Asparagus Soup is a traditional bisque usually served at dinner parties or wedding banquets. It is an easy soup to make that looks very classy once you get the hang of it. This is the go-to soup whenever my mom needs to make it for any parties. Guests rush to get a bowl before the pot is gone. I use real lump crab meat which makes a huge difference in this recipe. Many recipes use fake crab meat or canned crab meat, which is still good, but nothing tastes better than fresh crab meat. This recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 30-35 minutes to prepare. Ingredients 2 cups of fresh lump crab meat (frozen section or from a can if fresh crab meat is not available). I bought mine at Costco.  ½ of a whole chicken (rinsed so there are no impurities) 1 can of asparagus spears 3 eggs 4 cloves of minced garlic ½ of an onion 1 whole shallots, minced ½ teaspoon of sesame oil 8 tablespoons of tapioca starch …

Chè Ba Màu / Tri-Color Dessert

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Chè ba màu is is a staple dessert available anytime of the year. You can easily find it at a Vietnamese restaurant. It is a dessert comprised of yellow mung bean, red beans, and green gelatin strips served with ice and topped with coconut milk.  It is usually a time consuming dessert to prepare because you have to make all three components.  In this recipe, we will make the mung bean and gelatin from scratch. We will use canned kidney beans to make the red component.  The recipe does use a lot of sugar but you will only need about 1 to 2 spoons of each component for 1 serving. This recipe makes approximately 6 servings, rated medium, and can take over an hour depending on how fast you cook and multi-task. Ingredients: 2 cans of dark kidney beans  1 can of coconut milk 2 cups of dried split mung beans or 2 cans of cannellini beans (if you can’t find dried split mung bean) Approximate 3 cups of sugar total for the recipe 1 tablespoon …

Must Do’s: Must Eats in Hanoi

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Hanoi is the northern gastronomy capital of Vietnam that puts its own stamp on popular dishes such as pho.  Our contributor, Amy Dao, compiled a list of Hanoi specialties and local favorites. You will notice a variety of soups as Hanoi is colder than the hot and wet weather in the central and southern regions that people associate with in Vietnam. I hope you get to venture out of your comfort zone and try these delicacies. 1. Hanoi Tumeric Fish with Dill / Chả Cá Lã Vọng) Restaurant:  Thănh Long Resturant (31 Dường Thành Street, Old Quarter / +84 (04) 3824 5115) This is Amy’s favorite dish. It is especially delicious with a mixture of dill, vegetables and spiced fish. 2. Hanoi Style BBQ Pork with Rice Vermicelli / Bún Chả Restaurants 1: 47C Mai Hac Đé Street, Hanoi Restaurant 2:  Nem Restaurant (123 Biù Thi Xuân Street, Hanoi) 3. Hanoi Style Fried Crab Spring Rolls with Rice Vermicelli (Bún Nem Cua Bễ) Resturant 1:  47C Mai Hac Đế Street, Hanoi Restaurant 2: Nem Restaurant (123 Biù Thi Xuân …

Braised Pork Belly with Eggs / Thịt Kho Trứng

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If you ask anyone about their favorite home cooked Vietnamese dish, braised pork belly with eggs or thịt kho trứng will be among the top of that list. There is something very satisfying about diving into a bowl of pork belly and pouring the sweet and salty sauce all over the rice. This recipe is a guaranteed home run for any meal and is very simple to make.  The tricky part is making sure the caramel turns the right dark color without burning.  Once you get the hang of it, it is as simple as waiting for the pork belly to fall apart before you dig in. Ingredients 1.5 lb of pork belly (approximately 3 pieces) 6 hard boil eggs 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 peeled whole shallot 4 large slices of ginger ¼ cup of sugar ½ tablespoon of rock sugar 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 3 cups of coconut water 1 tablespoon of soy sauce 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder ¼ of cup of fish sauce 2 tablespoons of vinegar salt …

Big Box Scout: Mad About Plaid

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If you have not noticed lately, plaid has become the pumpkin spice of prints. You can find it on cups, throws, pillows, drapery, upholstery, and everything in between every Autumn. Plaid made a strong comeback since 2009 and has become a mainstay for the foreseeable future.  There are many ways to incorporate plaid into your interiors and I have selected a few inspirations below. Plaid is a popular fabric choice for cabin style interiors.  However, there is a way to make your space glow and be stylish without it looking like a recreation of a log cabin. Check out the  fabulous variation in colors and patterns.  You can mix and match to make the space appear more interesting. Plaid as Drapery Plaid in a Children’s Room Big Box Scout Report I went to my favorite local big box stores and found the coolest options with affordable prices.  The selections are numerous at various price points.  Here are some of the items that caught my attention at Target, West Elm, and CB2. 1. Target      2. West Elm …

Watercress and Beef Salad with Pan Juice Vinaigrette

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One of my favorite vegetable dishes that my mother whipped up in no time is sautéed beef over a bed of pickled onions, tomatoes and watercress.  She combines the pan juice with the pickling juice to create a refreshing vinaigrette that beckons to be poured over a steaming bowl of rice.  Over the weekend, I asked my mother to help me recreate this quick and easy dish for our readers.  With Fall in full swing, this is a refreshing dish to incorporate vegetables in your next meal. This recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 15-20 minutes to prepare. Ingredients 1 lb of beef such as sirloin that would be good for sautéing 1 bushel of watercress 2 ½ teaspoons of soy sauce Sugar Salt Pepper ½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder  ¼ cup of vinegar 1 large tomato ½ of a yellow onion thinly sliced ¼ of a yellow onion diced 1/4 of a red onion diced 2 cloves of garlic sliced 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon of olive oil  1 stalk of scallion for garnish 1 …