Word: nuoc
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...fish still have their eyes and tails," he says, turning over a soupy mixture between his fingers. "But they'll all decompose soon enough, don't worry." Descending, he springs to another wooden vat and turns a valve, filling a snifter with a warm amber liquid. This is prized nuoc mam, fermented for more than a year. Bang holds the liquid up to the light, swirls it around, takes a sniff of the pungent bouquet, puts the glass to his lips-and gives a satisfied smile...
...Distilled fish remains might not strike everyone as a culinary delight, but don't tell that to Bang or anyone else on Phu Quoc Island. The spry septuagenarian is Phu Quoc's undisputed master taster of nuoc mam, the fermented fish sauce that is the heart of Vietnamese cuisine. This tiny island off the southern coast is famed for producing the best nuoc mam in the world. Nearly half of Phu Quoc's economy is dependent on nuoc mam, with 90 family-owned factories producing 10 million liters a year and passing their secrets down from generation to generation...
...dinner, students prepared 400 chagio, which are crispy Vietnamese egg rolls with ground pork inside. Also served were nuoc mam, a sweet and sour, somewhat spicy fish sauce, and banh cuon, which are soft, white flat noodles with Vietnamese ham, known as cha, placed...
...been spared mass panic, though nerves were frayed by the news from the north. The only clear sign of unease was the precautionary actions taken by many people. Hoarding pushed up the price of rice by some 10%. Housewives were stashing away three-month supplies of Nuoc Mam, the redolent fish sauce. Businessmen were transferring piasters from Vietnamese banks to the local branches of U.S. banks, hoping they would prove safer if the Communists came...
After two hours of this, the parties abandoned business to walk in the secluded rear garden and exchange small talk. The Vietnamese served cha gio, snacks of fish covered with thin rice wafers and dipped in the inevitable fermented fish oil, nuoc mam. Withdrawing to discuss the U.S. position among themselves, the Communists then returned to talk seriously, but often ambiguously, for another two hours. They kept complaining that the Americans simply did not understand their position. Says Kissinger: "They behaved correctly. Their personal behavior was impeccable, and I have great respect for them as individuals. They were tough, tenacious...