It’s a new year, and I have a new job – so I and my new Crock Pot (a Christmas gift from a lovely family in Edmonton) are going to be very good friends, methinks. But why stop at stews? One of the very first meals I made in my new appliance is a satisfying Vietnamese soup that’s perfect for the cold winter months. Our family loves an iconic Vietnamese soup: Pho. It is gradually gaining momentum as a mainstream meal in Edmonton, and the key components are tender meat, rice noodles, bean sprouts, fragrant herbs and, most importantly, an intensely aromatic broth. The secret to this version is to char the ginger and onion before slow-cooking. Continue reading →