Trung Vit Lon

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Trứng Vịt Lộn

Good for you!! Healthy food!! Makes you feel better!! All descriptions I heard about Trứng Vịt Lộn, incubated duck egg.

Sometime the egg is served shell and all. You are given a small spoon and you make a small hole in the top of the egg. Then add a little salt or other seasoning and dig in.

Mine was served with no shell, naked in all its glory. You got a full view of all the beginnings of life. This little treat included all the veins, heart, organs, beginning feathers, eye balls and head with the start of the little beck.

I just dug in, kept my eyes open and enjoyed this Vietnamese treat. It wasn’t bad at all, matter of fact, better than just a plain old hard boiled egg.

Now, if it gets rid of that backache…

To the Vietnamese there is nothing strange about these kinds of foods. You just need to know how to cook them.

The top five in strange foods for foreigners to taste are: crickets, dog, duck embryo, field mouse and king cobra. I have only eaten dog and duck embryo so I have a few more treats left.

One of my first jobs on the farm was taking care of the chickens. Two unpleasant jobs in that endeavor was carrying water to the chicken house which seemed a mile away and gathering eggs from hens that wanted to “sit” on the eggs. I had a phobia about touching feathers so sticking my hand under those feathery friends was unpleasant for me. Plus, the hens were always in a defensive mode and would peck my hands.

The chickens and ducks in Vietnam are field range birds. They aren’t raised in cages so they produce an egg with a large yolk that is very dark and tasty. Not like the pale, watery yolks we buy at our supermarkets.

Bánh Chưng Rán

Another tasty street food that is a fried rice paddy with chunks of meat and fat. It is served with pickled vegetables.

Gà Ngải Cứu

Chopped greens with two raw eggs mixed in, fried and it makes a tasty omelet.

All three treats can be bought for about 35 cents each

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Photos

Rice wine alcohol
Homemade

Alcohol stand
He looks like he has been sampling his own product.

Comments

[Loannie]

long time no see
Uncle Kent!!! How are you doing these days? Will come to visit you as soon as possible. Loannie

[Anita]

yum
I'll guess you have a yearn for a good ol' burger, right?

[ken lerman]

Tasty Treats
Kent come home. We miss you. You've been in Nam too long. Ken

[anonymous]

eggs
Interesting news about the food. I'm not brave enough to try all those things. Like you, I did not enjoy reaching under a pecking hen to gather eggs on the farm. Camilla

[JACKIE]

hope you are well
are you still in Vietnam or back home, the eggs look very appetising but will take your word for the taste he he take care speak to you soon

[Oskar]

BAH
this is DISGUSTING!

[Huy Duong]

nice to see your post
im a vietnamese and im very pleased you enjoyed trung vit lon. Most westerners do not enjoy it very much because of the unappealing sight of the half matured duck embryo. I am rather amazed when i read that you ate dog meat. I would think it unbearable for westerners to even try this dish as it is a most beloved pet animal in the whole world.

[Elaine Head]

Nice to read about another Veteran's return to Vietnam
Hello Kent Just discovered your blog and am really enjoying your posts from Vietnam. My husband is also a veteran and we return to Vietnam annually to do volunteer work. Catch our blog at http://ebtovietnam.blogspot.com. Would love to correspond to exchange stories. Elaine