A story of mythical origin, secret recipes, and spread through refugees.
[This is an entry in the [ASIAN FOOD] Series where @TheNoodleShop spotlights the history and cultural significance of Asian food.]
There is something magical about noodles and soup, as arguably every culture in Asia has some form of it — Vietnam amongst them. Pho rivals very few other true Asian cuisines which have made a cultural stamp around the world, it’s extensive reach is right up there with Boba and Sushi.
The initial history of the famous Pho dish goes back to a rural region called Nam Dinh, near present day Hanoi. The late 1800’s brought a time of much turmoil in Vietnam, as French colonization drove new research and investments across much of its land. Even tho Pho probably originated from the Nam Dinh province, it didn’t fully catch on as a national dish until it reached Hanoi in the early 1900’s. So much of its creation is undocumented and spread word of mouth that many suspect the name “Pho” is derived from the French word “Feu,” meaning fire — the warmth and fire you get in your stomach when the broth trickles down your throat and into your stomach. It is important to note that prior to French colonization, the Vietnamese rarely slaughtered cows for meat purposes, which not only makes up some of the main ingredients in Pho but also the broth itself.
It wasn’t until the 1930’s that Pho was officially declared a national dish in Vietnam, stirring multiple competitions along the way which led to the many variations we see on the menu today including flank, and even chicken. In the mid 1900’s, Vietnam spiralled into civil war diving the north and the south. Prior to this, Pho was mainly a northerner dish where the noodles were kept simple and the focus was on the broth. But as people fled south, they took their secret ingredients with them to explore new flavours. South Vietnam has a completely different climate than up north, which results in different spices, herbs and vegetations — and thus Pho evolved again. The next time you are in a Pho shop and reach for the brown or red sauce, remember that sweetness and spicy-ness weren’t added until…
