It's fun to have something to take home- whether it's some new knowledge or skill, or something tangible for your home.
Lantern- Making
How about a lovely souvenir to take home ? In Hoi An our group will go to a small lantern-making factory where they will learn a little about the history of lantern-making . Then, with the help of the attentive and patient staff, they will make a lovely and stylish silk lantern to take home and enjoy. It is not difficult, and many of the materials are already prepared. The colours of the rainbow- and then some are available for your own creation. Most popular are golden yellows, reds and pinks, and blues and turquiose. The silk is self-patterned. The lantern can be "deflated", so that it can travel more easily.
Silk lanterns - Vietnamese-style- are beautiful and practical souvenirs and gifts. They can travel flat, and are not too expensive. Once home, they can be hung along curtain rails, on patios and verandahs, and look wonderful around a barbeque or in shrubbery.
Red Bridge Cooking School
Vietnamese food is delicious. Tasty, light, with liberal use of vegetables and herbs, it is also very good for you. The Red Bridge Cooking School is 25 minutes by boat from Hoi An Old Town. The School- and Restaurant- is set in lush surroundings.
The cooking day starts in the Old Town, at the Hai Scout Cafe. After a drink, guides take small groups ( 2 or 3 people), to the food market which is close by. As well as food there are many gadgets available which will h=make life easier when you return home. For example, marvellous tools to make garnishes, and cutting and chopping tools which don't have blades! Then, it's time to take to the boats. If you are lucky, you may be allowed to steer the boat briefly. Then we arrive and it's time to have a tour of the garden and meet the teacher. Lessons are conducted outside, every person has their own set of implements. The teacher demonstrates and then the students are expected to replicate what has been shown. As you can imagine, there are some hilarious moments, and the lessons are conducted in a light-hearted manner.
Delicious morsels are consumed on the spot, and then more substantial dishes are kept and then served for lunch, again in an outdoorsy setting. Then more and more dishes are served.
Back onto the boat- travelling a little lower in the water maybe- and with a sheaf of recipes in hand the happy new cooks head back to Hoi An along the picturesque Hoi An river.
Books to read: SECRETS of the RED LANTERN:
stories of the heart by Pauline Nguyen.
Has recipes by Luke Nguyen and Mark Jensen,
plus heart-warming tales of the Nguyen family.
Published by Murdoch Books Australia, 2007.
