Pho Pad Lo Mein Roll

"Mom, I'm having a problem with the Asian people".

"Beg pardon?"

Kate nodded in agreement, "I know, I always think F.U. when we eat Thai food".

"I'm sorry?"

In less than 20 seconds they had rocked the core of my Asian soul. The always effective old adage "but some of our best friends are Asian" was not going to erase what I had just heard.

My usual tactic is to blather on incessantly, creating great confusion while accomplishing little. Showing great restraint, I let this conversation continue, uninterrupted.

"Exactly. The only one I think I always get is Japanese", said Mary.
"Japanese is easy, sushi, and sometimes noodles. But F.U., I love that, and I can never remember what that is", answered Kate.
"F.U. is Vietnam, that one I know", from the now Asian food confident Mary.

"Kate, by F.U. do you mean Pho, the soup?"

And she did. The problem, it seems, is not with Asian people but with keeping track of what Asian people eat, and in what country.

Tomorrow we dim sum, and as a refresher, that's China guys. Happy New Year!