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December 2016
HANOI COFFEE CULTURE Hanoi is not only highly acclaimed for it’s coffee production but also for its vibrant coffee scene. The Vietnamese coffee is uniquely strong and delicious, but also the social aspect of spending time in cafes is a major part of Hanoi’s culture and for business meetings. People will spend hours in cafes in Hanoi with friends. It’s a regular occurrence in people’s everyday lives. Since coffee is such a popular “activity,” there are countless coffee shops on every street. This popular recreational activity has a dedicated street for local coffee drinkers in the Old Quarter named Nguyen Huu Huan Street.
spot for foreigners and Vietnamese alike and remains busy from early morning till late at night. This is the place for the famous egg coffee – try it hot or cold. Prices are extremely reasonable at 25 000VND for the egg coffee. Egg Coffee Recipe Ingredients 1 egg 1/2 cup of brewed Vietnamese coffee 3 or 4 teaspoons of sweetened condensed milk Directions Brew a small cup of Vietnamese coffee. Crack an egg and discard the whites. Put the yolk and the sweetened condensed milk in a small, deep bowl and whisk vigorously until you end up with a frothy, fluffy mixture which has increased in volume. Add a tablespoon of the brewed coffee and whisk it in. Pour your brewed coffee into a cup, then add the fluffy egg mixture on top.
Coffee production has been a major source of income for Vietnam since the early 20th century. Initially introduced by the French in 1857, the Vietnamese coffee industry developed through the plantation system, becoming a major economic force in the country. Vietnam is the biggest coffee producer in Asia and the world’s second largest one after Brazil. Every year, Vietnam exports around 90 percent of its production with a volume of around 1.3 million tonnes.
Cong Caphe 100 Xuan Dieu Street, Tay Ho, Hanoi 32 Dien Bien Phu Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi Cong Caphe is a local chain, referring themselves to “a hipster cafe & lounge of Vietnam” which it certainly lives up to. It’s a unique and cozy themed cafe. The decor is reminiscent of Subsidy Period Vietnam with propaganda posters decorating the walls. It has been creatively decorated with floral furniture and army green colors, which is widely associated to the country. The staff are dressed in army-inspired attire. Make sure to order their coconut coffee smoothie- it’s divine!
“We’re trying to make a difference in the lives of these children and to show To Chim Xanh or Bluebird’s Nest is a newly opened café but it has them that Nha Saneducation is important. At already gathered a large following. The cafe is Located down Alley 19 Ngo 462 - Buoi, Vinh Phuc Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi on Dang Dung Street in Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. To Chim Xanh appears Project Sprouts, we believe that to be perfectly placed in a small courtyard surrounded by local housing. Nha San is one of the most unique coffee shops I have found in Hanoi. As you sit on the second-floor rooftop, you are level with the local’s You enteris through covered into random possessionsbalconies where birdcages, laundry and flowerpots decorate the walls education onea small of courtyard the ways help old furniture to Buddha statues to kitchen pots and pans. It looks and railings. slightlypoverty abandoned butin you know keep on walking out of pure The ground floor of To Chim Xanh has a small library, most of alleviate thetoworld.” curiosity! Nha San is essentially an old wooden warehouse. It has high which consists of Vietnamese-language books; however, amongst the To Chim Xanh 13 Dang Dung Street, (Alley 19), Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
collection there were the odd English classics. Check out their site for workshops and activities. Oriberry 25 Xuan Dieu Street, Tay Ho, Hanoi 36 Au Trieu Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
ceilings, a random arrangement of seating and a 2nd floor loft which is a firm favorite. There are plug sockets hidden throughout so if you intend to get work done, scout out a seat near a plug. Just a note of caution, Nha Son is not an ideal place for a cold day unless you come wrapped up. There is not much insulation and it is quite drafty, but adds to its character and charm.
Anita Hummel, Project Sprouts Founder
Oriberry in Tay Ho (there’s one in Hoan Kiem as well) has a coffee bar downstairs and an indoor space upstairs that overlooks Tay Ho Lake, which has a relaxed setting which is ideal to meet up with expats that now call Hanoi home. Clearly a local spot frequented by a lot of regulars, cozy, friendly and a great welcome to anyone in need of good coffee in relaxed surroundings. Staff will frequently come upstairs to replenish drinks and bring water to you. There are power plugs everywhere, which makes it a great place to get an afternoon of work done. On the ground floor of Oriberry, beautiful china tea sets are sold! Oriberry source its high-quality, premium coffee from local and indigenous farmers across Vietnam, working throughout seven provinces and with over ten different ethnic minority groups. Lutu Lata 39 Hang Cot, Hang Ma, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Lutu Lata is a quaint, intimate coffee shop in the bustling Old Quarter of Hanoi. The rooftop is a great place on a warm day to enjoy a bowl of “chè”- a sweet desert soup served over ice. While there is an indoor section which is comfy at Lutu Lata, their rooftop is perfect and has a beautiful view of a temple across the street. Cafe Giang 39 Nguyen Huu Huan Street, Old Quarters, Hoan Kiem The man who invented “ca phe trung,” which is Hanoi’s famed egg coffee, started Cafe Giang. While the cafe is no longer located at its original location, it is still reminiscent of the minimalist coffee shops in the previous era in Vietnam. It is situated in the very popular coffee street Nguyen Huu Huan. It’s bare walls and simple décor echoes how the cafe would have looked like in its original spot. This is not a place to bring a computer to get work done! The cafe is a social gathering
GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
The Festive Season is a good time to start thinking about helping other people. Giving warmth, love and hope. That’s what this season should be all about. A time to share our good fortune with our neighbors in need and especially in this, our host country. Each of these charity projects offers unique distinctions, allowing you to choose the donation most appealing to your personal spirit of giving.
Quilting is perfect as an employment activity. Mekong Quilts employ women in communities northeast of Ho Chi Minh City (Duc Linh, Tanh Linh and Ham Thuan Nam in Binh Thuan Province) and Long My in the Mekong Delta. Mekong Quilts also offers employment opportunities to Cambodian women through a similar project located in the village of Rumdoul, near the Vietnam and Cambodia border.
You can give the gift of warmth, hot meals and safe haven this Christmas by supporting the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation Christmas Campaign.
All profits generated from the sale of our products are reinvested into the community through Mekong Plus (NGO): scholarships for children, agricultural training and micro-finance programmes, etc. The profits from the sales also benefit the poor communities in which they live.
Your kindness will enable a hungry street kid to have a nutritious meal, a child in remote Vietnam to have a warm jacket this winter, and a child rescued from slavery to be given safe haven. Share the joy in this season of giving through www. bluedragon.org. Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation is a grassroots charity serving children in crisis throughout Vietnam. Blue Dragon kids are street kids, children with disabilities, and children who have been trafficked. We rescue kids from danger and slavery, reunite them with their families when we can, and provide all the services needed for recovery and growth.
For more information contact info@mekong-plus.com
Share the joy of giving this season, visit www.bluedragon.org
As an all-volunteer organization, Project Sprouts is committed to helping disadvantaged students in Northern Vietnam by providing some of the much needed tools for education. All donations received will go towards our mission to provide educational tools and warm clothing for the
upcoming colder months to the impoverished schools and students in the rural community of Muong Khoa, Son La, Vietnam. Contact Details
visit www.project-sprouts.com “It is a privilege to give when you info@project-sprouts.com have a strength, whether it is time, money, skills or a talent.”
Nada Offner, Project Sprouts President NEW: Maison de Blanc Bakery & Dessert Cafe 5 Tay Ho Street, Hanoi (Turn left at 77 Xuan Dieu) Maison de Blanc is set to become a popular outdoor area for families and friends to enjoy their signature teas and coffees in spacious surroundings. Maison de Blanc which recently opened in November with its highly acclaimed baker from Korea is set to become a firm favorite to many living in the area. The indoor area is multi leveled with nooks to spend a quiet afternoon working or surfing the net. The bakery section will be offering great Christmas delights to savour or to package as gifts. Open from 8.30 till ten every day.
Hanoi Pet Rescue is dedicated to raising community awareness about issues concerning animal welfare in Hanoi. Abused and abandoned pets are rescued given a health check and given medical treatment if required. These pets are then fostered or taken in by a new family.
As a fundraiser Hanoi Pet Rescue will be selling their 2017 Calendars at: Better World 8 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Contact Details 012345 24650 tramcuuhomeo@gmail.com