By The video call with Huong. Sunday at 3 PM Houston time, 3 AM Monday in Da Nang (Huong insisted she didn't mind the hour; she said she doesn't sleep much anyway, a trait she shares with Mai). The whole family gathered at Mai's house: me, Linh, Emma with Ava, Lily and James. Tyler and Jessica were on a tablet screen propped on the counter, waving from their living room in Midland.
Emma set up the laptop (as predicted, I was useless). The screen connected. Huong appeared: a small woman, weathered face, bright eyes, sitting in a room in Da Nang that was lit by a single lamp. She looked at the screen and said, "Mai." Mai leaned forward and said, "Huong. This is your family."
And then Mai introduced everyone, one by one. "This is Linh, my daughter. She is a doctor." Linh waved. "This is Bobby, my son. He cooks." I waved. "This is Emma, Bobby's daughter. She is a nurse." Emma waved, holding Ava. "This is Ava, my great-granddaughter." She turned Ava toward the screen. Ava grabbed at the laptop and tried to eat it, which Huong found hilarious — she laughed with a sound that was identical to Mai's laugh, which made everyone in the room stop breathing for a second. "This is Lily, Bobby's daughter. She is opening a restaurant." Lily waved. "This is James. He is Lily's partner. He is from Nigeria." James waved and said, in Vietnamese that he'd been practicing for two weeks, "Chào bác." Huong put her hand over her mouth and laughed again. Mai said, "He speaks Vietnamese." James said, "Badly." Huong said, "Better than most Americans."
They talked for an hour. Huong asked about the food. Mai said, "Bobby makes pho." Huong said, "Does he make it like you?" Mai said, "Nobody makes it like me." Huong said, "I make it differently." Mai said, "I know. Yours is wrong." Huong said, "It is not wrong. It is Da Nang." They argued about pho for five minutes while the entire Houston contingent watched, grinning. The pho argument is the love language of Vietnamese sisters. It requires no translation.
No recipe this week. The food was the family itself, displayed on a screen to a woman in Da Nang who is coming to eat with us in four weeks. The meal is being prepared. The table is being set. All that's left is the arrival.
Since there’s no recipe this week—the family was the meal—I found myself thinking instead about the table we’re setting for four weeks from now, when Huong lands and Mai finally gets to sit next to her sister instead of squinting at a laptop screen. When that day comes, I want something cold and a little festive on the counter, something that doesn’t require a ladle or a debate about broth. This Coffee Punch has been our go-to for gatherings that deserve a toast: it comes together ahead of time, it serves a crowd, and it has that quiet sweetness that feels exactly right for a room full of people who haven’t been in the same room yet.
Coffee Punch
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes (plus chilling) | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 quarts strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
- 1 quart chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
- 2 cups whole milk, chilled
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Ground cinnamon or cocoa powder, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sweeten the coffee. While the brewed coffee is still warm, stir in the granulated sugar until fully dissolved. Add vanilla extract. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Whip the cream. In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Assemble the punch bowl. Pour the chilled coffee and milk into a large punch bowl. Add scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream directly into the bowl — do not stir completely; let them float and slowly melt into the coffee.
- Top and garnish. Dollop the whipped cream over the top. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon or cocoa powder if desired. Serve immediately while the ice cream is still partially intact for a mix of temperatures and textures.
- Serve. Ladle into punch cups or tall glasses, making sure each serving gets some of the melting ice cream. Stir gently in the glass before drinking.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 85mg