(Our memory in Da Lat – a well-known highland for tourists in Vietnam)
A warmest greeting from me and our blog.
It’s my pleasure to have you visiting our blog. The name of the blog – " Little House" – is really a meaningful name for us. I have a small family, just me and my fiance. We both studied undergraduate in Singapore, at NTU. He studied Computer Engineering, and I studied Sociology. My fiance worked as an IT specialist for IBM Singapore for two years and he spent 6 years in Singapore. For me, it is for years. After my graduation, we chose to return to our home country to start our career. And now we are living happily in Hanoi, Vietnam, feeling that we are living more meaningfully each day. We have no background in culinary or photography. We just love eating good foods, love cooking them at home to try new tastes and flavors, and love taking pictures of them to add to our memorial porfolios.
We started this blog last year in August, firstly it was published in Vietnamese only. 4 months ago I began the English version of my blog. Since I was small living with my parents, I loved my mum’s cooking so much that I often stayed by her side in the kitchen, helping her out with simple things. When I had to part my family to study overseas, I still kept the habit of preparing meals myself. I like to cook not only for me but also for my friends. Since my first year at uni, I hardly ate out (and so I am completely a fool when trying to get something to eat at uni canteens or food courts).
However, my interest in cooking hadn’t reached to this extent until I met my fiance, who loves eating really much. Luckily, besides eating, he also has a great passion for photography and immediately, my dishes have become his objects for photo-taking. However, all of all, because of his sympathy with the hardship in kitchen that most women have to bear (and that’s why he often helps me out in the kitchen when we cook our meals), because of his hatred towards those "big men" who look down on women’s housework, I feel that my enjoyment in cooking is much shared and understood by him.
Those reasons gave birth to this blog, where we can share our love for food, cooking and baking with our friends and others. We like cooking dishes of different cuisines and really keen on learning food culture of other countries. And we also hope to learn from your experience and your comments are the precious rewards for us.
We can be contacted either at:
linhihi <at> kokotaru.com or mrlee1912@kokotaru.com
Ann on Mon, 4th May 2009 12:03 am
I enjoyed looking and reading your recipes this Sunday morning.
The stories/thoughts you provide are sweet and also take me back to my childhood.
The photography is beautiful. I hope you continue with this blog. And absolutely, finish your studies. I also hope, you little children (when they arrive)will enjoy spending time with you in the kitchen.
Sincerely, Ann Florida/USA
Kokotaru on Mon, 4th May 2009 12:56 am
Dear Ann, I am moved when reading your comment, which is very supportive to me. I’ve finished my study and I am looking for a job, or a new opportunity to turn a new leaf of life. My passion for cooking began with my early childhood’s memories of playing “cooking game” with sand, stones and plants with my childhood friends. Thanks for those things, with this passion, I can keep going with cooking good dishes for my family within the limited conditions. Now this blog has become my forever source of happiness. Thank you again for your sincerity.
edily on Wed, 6th May 2009 10:58 am
Cheers to all of your passions and efforts
Robert-Gilles Martineau on Tue, 19th May 2009 4:36 pm
Dear Friedn!
Greetings fromShizuoka, Japan!
Frankly speaking, and I mean it as a big compliment, I did not expect to find out such a young person with that kind of gastronomic knowledge until I clicked on your “About Me”!
Well, you are Vietnamese, that expalins a lot!
You are certainly lucky to have such an understanding fiance. he is wise beyond his age! the Old geezer that I am can assure you that he will get anything from you from no on!LOL
Take good care of yourself(ves)!
Looking forward to visiting again!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
Kokotaru on Tue, 19th May 2009 7:49 pm
Dear Robert,
Thank you for your generous praise. We have been sharing a lot of ups and downs in our life and I am happy to have him beside me sharing all those moments with me. When he read your comment, he browsed all blogs of yours and told me all interesting and respectful facts about you. And we really appreciate all that you have been sharing on your blogs. We surely will learn a lot from your life’s experience. Besides, I am glad to know that you are living in Japan. You reminded me of reviewing my Japanese soon before I start to forget them all
Robert-Gilles Martineau on Tue, 19th May 2009 8:05 pm
Dear Kokotaru!
Greetings again!
You learned Japanese!
You had better refresh it! I can guarantee you it will open doors one day!
Take good care of yourself(ves)!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
Kokotaru on Wed, 20th May 2009 9:34 am
Surely Sir. I really like Japanese, so I am not going to waste what I’ve learned so far. All the best!
Robert-Gilles Martineau on Wed, 20th May 2009 9:56 am
Cheers, my young friend!
Please call me Robert-Gilles, not sir!LOL
Robert-Gilles
familybaker on Thu, 9th Jul 2009 11:49 pm
I would like to display one of your recipes in my shop to encourage people to buy Asian ingredients. May I please have permission to use the recipe and photo? Black sesame seeds with tofu.
Kokotaru on Fri, 10th Jul 2009 10:16 am
Yes, we are fine with that. You can use the photo and recipe. Hope your customers will like this.
HL on Tue, 25th Aug 2009 9:41 am
Hi, was browsing through Tastespotting when I came across your blog. Good work & great pictures! I am living in Singapore too, hope you enjoy staying in our little island
VIna on Tue, 25th Aug 2009 3:02 pm
Linh oi, this is beyond what I have imagined. The blog is very well designed and the dishes look so yummmy
This is really inspiring, will try to cook more this coming year. :* Best of luck to both of you 
Dieu Huong
Kokotaru on Wed, 26th Aug 2009 1:39 am
@HL: Hi, I spent for years living there, but now, after finishing my study, I returned to my home country. Yet I’m glad to know you.
@DH: I’m really happy to see you here. But you see it’s time to re-write this page
)
Thuy-Ai on Sat, 29th Aug 2009 3:53 am
Impressive! Keep good work and cook. Reading your blog makes hungry
Kokotaru on Sat, 29th Aug 2009 9:51 am
It is one of the most pleasing praises for those who love cooking and take pictures of the foods – make people looking at them feel hungry
pixen on Sun, 13th Sep 2009 11:17 am
Will visit your couuntry one day…when my kid grow up enough to behave
Love your blog and recipes. D keep them rolling as I love Vietnamese food also. It’s difficult to find Vietnamese cuisine back home in my country and even in Europe most Vietnamese, Thai or Cambodian restaurants are not as good as home cook meals!
Kokotaru on Sun, 13th Sep 2009 11:29 pm
I’m glad to hear that. And I also agree that home cook meals always have their own special flavors and characteristics. But I hope to have more chances to experience ethnic restaurants to have some comparisons too.
XinXin on Wed, 11th Nov 2009 1:11 pm
I’m from singapore. So glad to chance upon your website. I love the nice photographs of the delicious looking foodies. I will be visiting vietnam this december can’t wait to enjoy the delicacies in vietnam
… Do continue the postings its really enjoyable reading this blog =)
Kokotaru on Fri, 13th Nov 2009 12:25 am
Hi XinXin, it’s so nice to know you’re from Singapore. Hope that you’ll have an memorable and delightful trip in Vietnam
Phương on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 12:30 am
You are great! I like you and your stuff here alot!
I’m learning how to cook and here is an amazing place that I’m gonna look in more often.
Thank you again!
fei on Sun, 7th Mar 2010 12:10 am
I just wanna say thank you to your many great recipes. I printed many out and they have become common dishes in my kitchen. Yes, the pictures are great too!
Would you have vegetarian recipes to share?
Dave Werner on Wed, 12th May 2010 4:29 pm
I hope it’s OK to contact you here, We came across your blog and We’d like to invite you to appear on our Foodie site – Foodierama. Have a look at http://www.foodierama.com and send us a note on our contact form or through the email in this comment if interested. Thanks and sorry to intrude , Dave
Theresa on Sat, 5th Jun 2010 12:17 pm
Thank you so much for all the efforts you have put into your blog. It’s cute, I love the beautiful pictures and the delicious recipes. I can’t wait to read future posts. =D