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.

While looking into the mirror, have you seen the baldness in your scalp? Are you confused and desperate on what to do? It's natural to feel the need to do something about it. All you have to do is tell your friend or go to a doctor. Due to low finances, some people buy an over-the-counter chemical-based hair loss products. Here are the reasons why they tend to buy these products on impulse.

• They claim to be effective.
• They say the healing effects are felt quickly.
• They are widely available.
• They appear to be cheaper.
• They claim to be safe.

Sounds tempting, though, be wary enough that once you delve into the nitty-gritty of these products available to allegedly promote hair growth, you’ll see why they may not exactly be a perfect fit. These are some of the negative possibilities when you use chemical treatments:

• Serious side effects like tightness in the chest, difficulty in breathing, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), and swelling of the hands and feet. These are actually some of the possible side effects of the hair loss drug Minoxidil, which is said to cease hair loss and promote hair growth. 

• Most chemical products say they can “treat” alopecia, but reading the fine print will lead you to discover that it actually just slows the progress of hair loss. Little is said as well about these chemical treatments actually promoting hair growth.

• These products or “treatments” usually contain a variety of chemicals that may or may not cause allergic reactions. It pays to check the labels. Some chemical-based products may actually be presenting the side effects as the main effects. Let the internet help you on your personal research.

There may be safer and effective alternatives out there, but NOVUHAIR is a stand out among the rest. It has 19 natural ingredients—standardized herbal extracts, essential oils and co-factor nutrients that work in synergy and have been clinically proven to help stop the progression of hair loss, aid in stimulating hair growth, and reduce excessive hair shedding.

NOVUHAIR is available in the Philippines at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide, Seafood City supermarkets and other Filipino/Asian stores in the USA and online at www.novuhair.us and at BeeOrganic in Kuwait. International online orders are also possible through regaloservice.com. For more information, you may visit www.novuhair.com or contact hotlines 4136570 and 09228830575.

Don’t make yourself fall as the next victim of the trap. Be smart, choose natural.