The Origin of Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) – Food History 101

Welcome to Food History 101. Today we're going to explore the origin of pho. Since Vietnam has a long and diverse history of colonial occupation, a number of countries have had an influence on Vietnamese cuisine, most notably China and France. The birth of pho can be traced back to the popularization of beef in Vietnam, which began in the 1800s and can be attributed to either of the aforementioned countries, depending on who you ask. Up to that point, Vietnamese cuisine mostly favored shrimp and pork, and some say there were non-beef variations of pho that were enjoyed in Vietnam even before this time. These soups were said to have been made with noodles in chicken or pork broth. When it comes to the pronunciation of the word pho, the tug-of-war between French and Chinese attribution continues. Some say pho was adapted from the French dish pâte à four, which is a beef stew made with vegetables. Thus, its name came from the French word fou. Others say the name comes from the Chinese word fen, referring to rice noodles. Thanks for watching. If you like this video, be sure to subscribe or check out our Fusion Food blog for a pho quesadilla recipe at julieho.com forward slash oddpair.