Update coming soon, but in the meantime: Stay true to yourself

I would like to thank all the people who have been visiting my blog from 2011 (the year I created this blog) until today. I have not posted anything on my blog for more than 3 years, for several reasons. One of the reasons is that I have found a new job which is my first job in Canada. Although I had more than 11 + years of extensive work experience in my field in Europe, the job market in Canada is very different....If you do not have a degree from a Canadian University or work experience in Canada, it is very difficult to get a job in the field you used to work back in your country (with similar level) because Canadian job market is so different and the skill or knowledge you have gained from your country may not be applicable; And even if it is applicable, sadly what I found out is it is usually not based on your skill or knowledge but landing a job is really based on networking and connection.
Many people I have met in Canada gave me a lot of advices in order to get a job...I have heard from creating a LinkedIn account, changing my name into a more Canadian name, to taking an entry level job or applying for a position in a totally different industry. I have considered those advices and whenever I thought to follow one of those advices, the one thing that prevented me to do was this 4 words: "stay true to yourself".
So I did not change my name, I still have a very difficult name to pronounce, I did not settle for an entry job, nor a position in a totally different industry...but yes, I did create my LinkedIn account, which I thought I would never do when I was in Europe. I recall whenever my colleagues in Europe told me to create a LinkedIn account, I would reply them "over my death body"....Again this experience reminds me the proverb "never say never". I found a job in the same industry I used to work in Europe, a position that can be seen as equivalent to the one I used to have in Europe (so horizontal move) and I really enjoy doing my job.

As you may understand, with a new job (first one in Canada), I had to show a stellar performance and this means putting more time at work and less time at home, and no time for updating my blog.
OK...this blog is not about me finding a job in a new country but it is about recipes, so what I want to say is I apologize to any followers or people visiting my blog, for not having any new post since 2011. Now that I have settled down and have a bit more time, I will try my best to update my blog regularly, so just be a bit patient and come back often to my blog. I promise I will put really nice, rare as well as creative recipes.
In the meantime, I put below few pictures of the dishes that my mother has been recently cooked. Her cooking is really the authentic Vietnamese cuisine and she also stays true to herself and her roots.
It is funny because whenever we are traveling with my mom, or whenever she visits me in Canada and I bring her to a Vietnamese restaurant, she will have a lot of comments or critics and will say how she will cook better. Sometimes she will even tell me how to cook the Vietnamese meal that we are eating at the restaurant. Of course we (I and my friends) all know she cooks better than the Vietnamese restaurants that have adjusted their cuisine slightly to accommodate to the local flavor, but we try to tell my mom that it is normal as those are restaurants who are trying to make profit and most owner are not really Vietnamese. We also try to make her understand that it is sometimes nice, just to go to eat without needing to cook and wash dishes. But OK, although I may not agree with most of the things my mom say, I do agree that her cooking is much better than the best rated Vietnamese restaurant.  I think if you taste my mom's dishes, you would probably also complain about the Vietnamese meal you are eating even at the highest rated restaurants. I think the reason why my mom's cooking is really good is also because of those 4 words: stay true to herself.
She did not want to compromise to loose the identity of her dishes, she did not accommodate to any local flavor. She cooks as if she is still in Vietnam.
Long story short, I think you get the point of this post: stay true to yourself no matter what you want to undertake, then you will be successful.
OK, here below are the dishes my mom has recently cooked and she often cooks those dishes more as appetizer than  main courses.
If you are interested in the recipe of any of those dishes, you are welcome to contact me; otherwise just be a bit patient and I will post the recipe in the next few coming posts.
Enjoy it!
 

Tau Fu, Eggplant, Chili filled with shrimp

Banh Beo

Banh Beo with sauce