By Huong's visa was approved. Mai called me Thursday morning, which is unusual because Mai does not call in the morning — she considers phone calls before 10 AM to be an emergency protocol. But she called at 8:15 and said, "Huong is coming." Three words. Her voice was shaking. I said, "When?" She said, "June." I said, "June." She said, "Bobby, my sister is coming to America." And then she was crying, which Mai does not do on the phone, which she does not do in front of people, which she has done exactly three times in my presence in forty-nine years: when Huy died, when we landed in Saigon, and now.
Huong will fly from Da Nang to Houston via Hanoi and Tokyo. She'll stay for three weeks. She'll sleep at Mai's house, in the spare bedroom that has been a sewing room for forty years and is about to become a guest room for the first time. I offered to help Mai prepare the room. She said, "I already started." Of course she did. Mai has been preparing for this visit for forty-eight years, whether she knew it or not.
Told the family. Everyone had the same reaction: shock, then tears, then logistics. Lily said, "We need to cook something Vietnamese from Da Nang." James said, "I'll make something too." Emma said, "Ava needs to meet her great-great-aunt." Tyler said, "I'll take time off." Linh said, "I'm handling the airport pickup." The family machinery, the same one that mobilized for weddings and babies and a trip to Vietnam, is now mobilizing for an eighty-year-old woman from Da Nang who hasn't seen her sister since 1975.
Made a celebratory dinner: bún chả Hà Nội — the Hanoi grilled pork noodles — because Huong is from central/northern Vietnam and I want to practice dishes from her region. Grilled pork patties and belly, sweet-sour fish sauce broth, rice noodles, herbs. It's the Obama-Bourdain dish, the one that put Vietnamese food on the international map. I made it with the care of a man who is practicing for a performance. When Huong comes, I will cook for her. I will cook Vietnamese food from her region. I will show her that her sister's family kept the flavors alive, even here, even after everything. The food will say what words can't.
The bún chả broth I made that Thursday night—sweet, sour, fragrant with fish sauce and vinegar—reminded me that the best Vietnamese cooking is built on that same bright, pickled balance. I want Huong to taste something familiar the moment she sits at our table, and practicing that sweet-sour profile in every form I can is how I’m getting ready. These quick pickled beets carry that same spirit: simple ingredients, a brine that sings, and the kind of color on a plate that feels like a celebration before anyone even takes a bite.
Pickled Beets
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling) | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh beets (about 6 medium), scrubbed and trimmed
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the beets. Place beets in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 25—35 minutes, until a knife slides easily through the center. Drain and let cool until you can handle them comfortably.
- Peel and slice. Rub the skins off the cooled beets using your hands or a paper towel—they should slip right off. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds or cut into wedges. Transfer to a clean glass jar or bowl.
- Make the brine. Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine. Add the sliced red onion to the jar with the beets if using. Pour the warm brine over the beets, making sure everything is submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then seal and refrigerate.
- Chill and serve. The beets are ready after at least 1 hour in the refrigerator but develop best flavor after 24 hours. They will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Serve cold or at room temperature as a side, salad topping, or alongside grilled meats.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 95 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 310mg