“Pick a hand,” he’d say, putting out both fists. My father either didn’t quite understand the game or didn’t want any of us to walk away empty-handed because he always had something in both hands.
Every little treat was an education. American candy seemed easy to decipher because it was invariably multicolored and tasted of artificial sugar. I remember one of my grade school friends introducing me to “Fun Dip,” a type of candy manufactured by the Willy Wonka Candy Company that I ate by scooping up colored sugar from a packet using a sugar stick and sucking on it until it all dissolved. The sugar stick was also meant to be eaten, but I found it to be chalky and unappealing. The ’80s were a much more carefree time; given everything we know about sugar now I would absolutely not give this to a child today.
The sweets from the Asian grocery store seemed much different. One of my favorites was called “White Rabbit” which looked like a white Tootsie Roll, but was wrapped in a translucent, edible rice paper and had a satisfying sweet milky flavor. Another memorable treat was “Haw Flakes,” dark pink sweet discs made from Chinese hawthorns that tasted like fruit leather, except they had a crumbly texture. Hawthorns are viewed as medicinal in China, able to settle upset stomachs and cure bruises. I was the kind of child who would slip a Haw Flake disc in my mouth and then make the sign of the cross because it reminded me of taking communion in church.
My absolute favorite treat was xí muội, Vietnamese preserved plums the size of marbles that were simultaneously salty, sour, and sweet. They were sometimes covered in a red dye that would stain my fingers while I nibbled at them. Their unique flavor was also used in a refreshing drink simply called soda xí muội — a mix of sugar, soda water, and two or three of the preserved plums topped with ice. It was my drink of choice during the rare occasions that my parents took us out to a restaurant to eat cơm tấm, a popular Vietnamese rice dish usually served with grilled pork and a fish sauce vinaigrette.
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