The Love of Pho!

Jessi Hersey
3 min readSep 30, 2022

Picture this: the smell of beef broth wafts through the air, intoxicating your senses. The people around you, seated comfortably at tables or the counter, slurp on their noodles and exhale happiness. They are enchanted by the taste of pho — a dish with so much complexity in one bite. Chewy noodles, beef strips, fatty beef. A flavored broth, tailored to your liking. Optional sides like jalapenos, basil, lime, and bean sprouts.

I consider myself a pho lover. It serves as the perfect comfort food when I just need something warm and soothing for my soul (besides writing). The word “pho” is pronounced “fuh.” This dish first made an appearance in 20th century Vietnam; since then, pho has achieved global stardom for its delicious, layered flavors.

The dish honestly feels limitless. While I do vegetarian pho on a rare occasion, I usually tend stick with traditional beef pho. Some days, I even like to accompany my pho with a cup of green or Thai tea. Perfection.

Picture taken by Jessi Hersey

Now, why am I writing about comfort food? Simple answer: in tough times, food can nurture your soul. Pho is my go-to, while others may prefer fried chicken or mac and cheese as their comfort dish. It’s good to have that comfort meal, as long as it’s not an everyday occurrence and you’re staying healthy — whatever that looks like for you. I have personally been exploring places near me that I love, including Pho…

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Jessi Hersey

Queer Neurodivergent author on Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames." animal lover, and believer in inclusion. 🌈🐾