Thao Nguyen is a first generation Vietnamese American, who was raised up on her dad’s fast food treats and her mom’s traditional home cooking. As a broke college student, she sometime made money selling homemade springrolls and rice cakes using the recipes from her mom. The other year Thao re-visited Vietnam, a journey that brought her closer to her food and family. She brings you treats reminiscent of the homeland, prepared in the most home-down manner.

Ginkgo Porridge Street Hawking -
Most people may know ginkgo as the stinky fruit that drops all over Baltimore city streets, but may not know its edible and has been used in traditional Eastern cooking for a long time. This porridge is a recipe I learned from an older Vietnamese woman whom I happen to first meet as she was foraging and since that encounter has grown to be my good friend and a frequent host to my curiosity of our shared culture. Though the porridge as food is absolutely delicious, it is representative of a broader idea of understanding personal and community immigrant history as something to be shared, discussed, and hopefully a source of building bonds.