Vietnamese iced coffee is delicious paired with Banana Tree's Vietnamese food. Get one at your favourite Vietnamese restaurant in Soho or find the recipe here.

The ritual of coffee is a beautiful, magical thing. From the gentle sound of the water boiling to the rich, fruity, chocolatey aroma that wafts from the steeped grounds, coffee brewing is a deeply sensory experience that drives true espresso enthusiasts to obsession. Still, the flavor of coffee isn’t for everyone – naysayers often suggests that it’s too bitter or acidic for their liking (crazy, we know).

Fortunately, the Vietnamese have invented a coffee drink that will satisfy the tastes of both coffee fanatics and cynics alike. Ca phe sua da, literally ‘coffee, milk, ice,’ is easy to prepare and even easier to drink. It’s made by combining a rich dark roast coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice, resulting in a beverage that tastes more like a milkshake than your typical morning brew.

Coffee skeptics needn’t be concerned about bitterness or acidity when it comes to ca phe sua da: the coffee lends just enough of its flavor to give the drink complexity, but the sweetened condensed milk adds a creamy hit of sugar that really steals the show. Plus, serving it over ice further mutes any harsh notes from the coffee – it’s science!

But just because ca phesua da is ridiculously drinkable doesn’t mean that coffee snobs can’t enjoy it, too – the beans used to make a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee are undeniably strong and aromatic, and the sight of sweetened condensed milk gracefully swirling through a glass of thick black coffee is enough to bring a tear to any barista’s eye.

Ca phe sua dua is excellent any time of day. Its buzzy sweetness makes for a great afternoon pick-me-up; true coffee lovers have been known to sip it for dessert in place of a decadent pudding. However, our favorite way to enjoy this special drink is alongside an array of authentic Vietnamese dishes like the ones at Banana Tree. There’s nothing like slurping a steaming bowl of pho and cooling down your mouth with a Vietnamese iced coffee between bites.

While you aren’t likely to find this drink in your neighborhood coffee shop, it’s worth a trip to your favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Chelmsford to order one. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you could even roll up your sleeves and try your hand at making ca phesua da for yourself.


The classic preparation for ca phesua da calls for the phin filter, a Vietnamese drip coffee maker similar to a tiny French press. You can use whatever coffee maker you have on hand a pinch, but for the full experience, look for a phin filter. We also recommend choosing a Vietnamese or French dark roast. You want a coffee strong enough to sing through the sweetness!

Once you try ca phe sua da, it’s likely to become the only thing that’s able to get you out of bed in the morning – though you may just find yourself craving some pho for breakfast, too.



150ml strong brewed coffee, preferably a Vietnamese dark roast
3 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk (or to taste)
Ice

In a glass, stir together the brewed coffee and the sweetened condensed milk. Pour into another glass filled with ice, serve and enjoy.

Happy Holidays! What are your plans with your family? Is it going to movie or watch a theater plays? Why not bring your family to a magical stage production? I'm sure it'll make your family happy and excited especially the kids.

Make Christmas magical this year with Cirque Dreams Holidaze! Holidaze is a multi-million-dollar live stage production with never before seen performances, over 300 costumes, 20 of the world’s best acts, the finest singers, original music and seasonal favorites. See snowmen, penguins, reindeer, gingerbread men, Santa and more!



See Cirque Dreams Holidaze from Friday, December 1st through Sunday, December 3rd. Tickets range from $29-$69 and can be purchased from Olympia Entertainment, The Fox Theatre box office and TicketMaster.

For more information, visit: www.cirqueproductions.com

Performance Schedule:

Friday, December 1                 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 2            3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 3              2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Enter to win two tickets to see Cirque Dreams Holidaze at 7:30pm on December 1st in Detroit at the Fox Theater! Giveaway is sponsored by Olympia Entertainment.

Disclosure: Stingy, Thrifty, Broke and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact ninamcclain (at) stingythriftybroke (dot) com.

I know it's late for the Halloween. But, I'd like to share these short stories that happened in my life almost 40 years ago. These happened in different stages of my life. This is my real, my Halloween tell-tale short stories. It's up to you if you believe it or not.

When it comes to a woman, how do you define it? I think everyone has a number of responses in defining a woman. But, how about defining a Michaela Woman who has a standard and value of its own in terms of fashion and integrity.

A Michaela woman is focused and hard-driven. She is modern, powerful and knows what is worth it. Like Michaela, she opts for products she can be proud of. She prides herself with its range of trendy but practical, stylish but fashionable range of women's products (apparel, bags and pouches, wallets, umbrellas, footwear, and more) - all of them of superior quality, but are reasonably priced, eco-friendly, and competes with more expensive designer brands. Now on its 12th year of success, proving that humble hard work while aiming for the practical and the fashionable; it perfectly appeals to the Michaela woman's need for simple, but dignified and reliable products.

Professional Italian designers conceptualize each bag so that they're unique, exquisite, and of top notch quality while promoting the use of natural leather and other high grade raw materials. It also takes into great consideration the brand's preference for timeless look. Each bag is a joy to look at and to hold, a blend of utility and taste. It is in this manner which makes the bags appealing to buyers in Europe, the United States, and ASIA, particularly in Hong Kong and in the Philippines. Also, MICHAELA knows that their target market both have elegant tastes and have learned from life experiences - hence the brand's focus on a timeless, dignified design combined with utility and unmistakable quality just fits the shoe.

Since the company’s beginnings in 2005, with the first MICHAELA boutique at Juan Luna street, Binondo offering their first line of lady’s bags, Goldnines International Co., Ltd., the company behind MICHAELA, has expanded operations into the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Fast forward 12 years later, it is now among the staple choices for women’s bags and other women’s items.

“The "in" thing will not always be equal to value for money, and both the brand and the MICHAELA woman understands this. That's why, over time, Michaela has become a metric for Filipina fashion - the product lines adapt to change but set the trend, come out with noticeably fashionable designs, but always highlight quality build and durability alongside a dignified look,” Julie Yeo, Vice President, Goldnines International Co., Ltd.

Just as the MICHAELA woman knows what she wants and will continue to thrive, so, too, with the MICHAELA brand. Right now, MICHAELA can be found in all 103 major department stores in Metro Manila and provincial booths. Metro Manila alone has 25 MICHAELA boutiques. Sarah Geronimo, who everyone in the archipelago knows at a glance, is the brand's ambassador, and continues MICHAELA's inertial presence. The brand is also starting to expand into men's products, starting with apparel and belts.


The MICHAELA 12th Anniversary Revolution happens on September 30, 2017, 11am to 7pm, at the Event Center of Robinson's Place Manila. Joining the celebration will be Sarah Geronimo and Jak Roberto; Michaela’s official endorser and brand ambassador. The event will also feature Alex Baltazar, Theo, DJ Vinzon Verdan, Jedidiah Maigue, and the Power Movers Dance Company.

On the other hand, if you want a personalized clothing labels for your brand, check this out. These labels are made of good quality which is a Damask polyester yarn. While the ribbons are made of silky polyester satin ribbon. You can choose from woven clothing labels, printed clothing labels and a custom ribbon. Customized cheap personalized ribbons.