Coffee often seems to be the lifeblood of Vietnam —
well, along with beer, tea, rice and pho. You really can’t walk far without the
tempting aroma of coffee greeting your nostrils, and a hit of the particularly
strong brew is enough to keep you going for hours.
Coffee was introduced into Vietnam by French
colonists in the late 19th century. Vietnam quickly became a strong exporter of
coffee with many plantations in the central highlands. The beverage was adopted
with regional variations. Because of limitations on the availability of fresh
milk, the French and Vietnamese began to use sweetened condensed milk with a
dark roast coffee. Today, Hanoians like to drink coffee in the morning time. In
fact, sitting on small chair in pavement with a glass of coffee becomes the
popular image of Hanoian. Travelers who visit Hanoi also like trying this
delicious favour as the locals do.