Bánh mì

InVietnamese cuisine,bánh mìorbanh mi(/ˈbɑːnmiː/,/ˈbæn/;Vietnamese:[ɓǎjŋ̟mì], 'bread') is a shortbaguettewith thin, crisp crust and a soft, airy texture. It is often split lengthwise and filled with meat and savory ingredients like asubmarine sandwichand served as a meal, calledbánh mì thịt.  Plainbánh mìis also eaten as astaple food.
A typical Vietnamese roll or sandwich is afusionof meats and vegetables from nativeVietnamese cuisinesuch aschả lụa(Vietnamese sausage),coriander(cilantro), cucumber, pickled carrots, and pickleddaikoncombined with condiments from French cuisine such aspâté, along withred chiliandmayonnaise.However,a variety of popular fillingsare used, likexá xíu(Chinese barbecued pork),xíu mạiVietnamese minced pork, andnem nướnggrilled pork sausage, to evenice creamwhich are more of a dessert. In Vietnam, bread rolls and sandwiches are typically eaten for breakfast, or as a snack.
Thebaguettewas introduced to Vietnam by the French in the mid-19th century, during theNguyễn dynasty, and became a staple food by the early 20th century. In the 1950s, a distinctly Vietnamese style of sandwich developed inSaigon, becoming a popularstreet food, also known asbánh mì Sài Gòn('Saigon sandwich' or 'Saigon-stylebánh mì').Following theVietnam War,overseas Vietnamesepopularized thebánh mìsandwich in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States. In these countries, they are commonly sold in Asianbakeries.
InVietnamese, the wordbánh mìis derived frombánh(which can refer to many kinds of food, primarily baked goods, including bread) andmì("wheat"). It may also be spelledbánh mỳin northern Vietnam. Taken alone,bánh mìmeans any kind of bread, but it could refer to the Vietnamese baguette or the sandwich made from it.  To distinguish the unfilled bread from the sandwich with fillings, the termbánh mì không("plain bread") can be used. To distinguish Vietnamese-style bread from other kinds of bread, the termbánh mì Sài Gòn("Saigon-style bread") orbánh mì Việt Nam("Vietnam-style bread") can be used.
Afolk etymologyclaims that the wordbánh mìis a corruption of the Frenchpain de mie, meaning soft, white bread.However,bánh(or itsNômform,餅) has referred torice cakesand other pastries since as early as the 13th century, long beforeFrench contact.
The wordbánh mì, meaning "bread", is attested inVietnameseas early as the 1830s, inJean-Louis Taberd's dictionaryDictionarium Latino-Annamiticum.The French introduced Vietnam to thebaguette, along with other baked goods such aspâté chaud, in the 1860s, at thestart of their imperialismin Vietnam.Northern Vietnameseinitially called the baguettebánh tây, literally "Westernbánh", whileSouthern Vietnamesecalled itbánh mì, "wheatbánh".Nguyễn Đình Chiểumentions the baguette in his 1861 poem "Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc". Due to the price of importedwheatat the time, French baguettes and sandwiches were considered aluxury. DuringWorld War I, an influx of French soldiers and supplies arrived. At the same time, disruptions of wheat imports led bakers to begin mixing in inexpensiverice flour(which also made the bread fluffier). As a result, it became possible for ordinary Vietnamese to enjoy French staples such as bread.Many shops baked twice a day, because bread tends to go stale quickly in the hot, humid climate of Vietnam. Baguettes were mainly eaten for breakfast with some butter and sugar.
Until the 1950s, sandwiches hewed closely to French tastes, typically ajambon-beurremoistened with amayonnaiseor liverpâtéspread.The 1954Partition of Vietnamsent over a million migrants fromNorth VietnamtoSouth Vietnam, transforming Saigon's local cuisine.Among the migrants wereLê Minh NgọcandNguyễn Thị Tịnh, who opened a small bakery namedHòa MãinDistrict 3. In 1958,Hòa Mãbecame one of the first shops to sellbánh mì thịt.Around this time, another migrant from the North began sellingchảsandwiches from a basket on amobylette,and a stand inGia Định Province(present-dayPhú Nhuận District) began sellingphá lấusandwiches.Some shops stuffed sandwiches with inexpensiveCheddar cheese, which came from French food aid that migrants from the North had rejected.Vietnamese communities in Francealso began sellingbánh mì.
After theFall of Saigonin 1975,bánh mìsandwiches became a luxury item once again.During the so-called "subsidy period", state-ownedphởeateries often served bread or cold rice as a side dish, leading to the present-day practice of dippingquẩyinphở.In the 1980s,Đổi Mớimarket reforms led to a renaissance inbánh mì, mostly asstreet food.
Meanwhile,Vietnamese Americansbroughtbánh mìsandwiches to cities across the United States. In Northern California,Lê Văn Báand his sons are credited with popularizingbánh mìamong Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese Americans alike through theirfood truckservices provider and their fast-food chain,Lee's Sandwiches, beginning in the 1980s.Sometimesbánh mìwas likened to local sandwiches. InNew Orleans, a "Vietnamesepo' boy" recipe won the 2009 award for the best po' boy at the annual Oak Street Po-Boy Festival.A restaurant inPhiladelphiaalso sells a similar sandwich, marketed as a "Vietnamesehoagie".
Since the 1970s,Vietnamese refugeesfrom theVietnam Wararrived in London and were hosted at community centersin areas of London such asDe Beauvoir Towneventually founding a string of successful Vietnamese-style canteens inShoreditchwherebánh mìalongsidephở, was popularised from the 1990s.
Bánh mìsandwiches were featured in the 2002PBSdocumentarySandwiches That You Will Like. The wordbánh mìwas added to theOxford English Dictionaryon 24 March 2011.As of 2017,bánh mìis included in about 2% of U.S. restaurant sandwich menus, a nearly fivefold increase from 2013.On 24 March 2020,Googlecelebrated bánh mì with aGoogle Doodle.
A Vietnamese baguette has a thin crust and white, airy crumb. It may consist of bothwheat flourandrice flour.
Besides being made into a sandwich, it is eaten alongside meat dishes, such asbò kho(a beef stew),curry, andphá lấu. It can also be dipped incondensed milk(seeSữa Ông Thọ).
Abánh mìsandwich typically consists of one or more meats, accompanying vegetables, and condiments.
Accompanying vegetables typically include fresh cucumber slices or wedges, leaves of thecorianderplant and pickled carrot anddaikonin shredded form (đồ chua). Common condiments include spicy chili sauce, sliced chilis, seasoning sauce, and mayonnaise.These sandwiches can even be filled withsearedtofu.
Many fillings are used. A typicalbánh mìshop in the United States offers at least 10 varieties.
The most popular variety isbánh mì thịt,thịtmeaning "meat".Bánh mì thịt nguội(also known asbánh mì pâté chả thịt,bánh mì đặc biệt, or "special combo") is made with various Vietnamesecold cuts, such as sliced pork orpork belly,chả lụa(Vietnamese sausage), andhead cheese, along with the liverpâtéand vegetables like carrot or cucumbers.
Other varieties include:
Nowadays, different types ofbánh mìare popular. For example,bánh mì queis thinner and longer and can be filled with various ingredients just as normalbánh mì.
Prior to theFall of Saigonin 1975, well-knownSouth Vietnamesebánh mìvendors includedBánh mì Ba LẹandBánh mì Như Lan(which opened in 1968).
In regions of the United States with significant populations ofVietnamese Americans, numerous bakeries and fast food restaurants specialize inbánh mì.Lee's Sandwiches, a fast food chain with locations in several states, specializes in Vietnamese sandwiches served on French baguettes (or traditionalbánh mìat some locations) as well as Western-style sandwiches served oncroissants.Phở Hòa, a Vietnamese-American restaurant chain primarily specializing in pho, also offersbánh mìas part of its menu.InNew Orleans,Dong Phuong Oriental Bakeryis known for thebánh mìbread that it distributes to restaurants throughout the city. After 1975,Ba Lẹowner Võ Văn Lẹ fled to the United States and, along withLâm Quốc Thanh, foundedBánh mì Ba Lê.TheEden Centershopping center in Northern Virginia has several well-known bakeries specializing inbánh mì.
Mainstream fast food chains have also incorporatedbánh mìand other Vietnamese dishes into their portfolios.Yum! Brandsoperates a chain ofbánh mìcafés called Bánh Shop.The formerChipotle-ownedShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchenchain briefly soldbánh mì.Jack in the Boxoffers a "bánh mì–inspired"friedchicken sandwichas part of its Food Truck Series.McDonald'sandParis Baguettelocations in Vietnam offerbánh mì.