The Markets of Hanoi - Part 1

Thanks to a warm, humid climate, Vietnam produces some of the most lush, most flavorful fruits and vegetables I’ve seen anywhere in the world. The markets of Hanoi reflect this beautiful bounty.

Since strolling through food markets is one of my all-time favorite things to do, I have a LOT of photos of markets. Here are some of my favorite pics of gorgeous Vietnamese produce. Enjoy!

Those little green orbs are betel nuts. Apparently, the betel leaf has a fresh, peppery taste. As my guide explained, women of the “older generation” like to chew on the leaves because they’re a mild stimulant, similar to tobacco or caffeine. However, chewing betel nut can stain your mouth and lips red.

The first time I heard about betel nuts was in a musical. Random, right? Well, if you’re a musical theater buff like me, you’ve probably seen South Pacific. Remember the song about Bloody Mary? The sailors commented on how betel nuts turned her teeth red.

Bloody Mary's chewin' betel nuts
She is always chewing betel nuts
Bloody Mary's chewing betel nuts
And she don't use Pepsodent!
Now ain't that too damn bad!

Snake fruit! Incredible. In some varieties, the outside looks scaly like snake skin. This variety is prickly like a cactus. It’s also quite sweet, sour, and juicy.

Can you guess what these are? Here’s a clue: 🐸🐸🐸