Our time together at dinner was when we could really be present with one another.

It was a place free of distractions; where all that mattered were the people sitting around the table.

Together we relished in those uniquely crisp edges and tender centers.

Family sitting down to dinner at a table with bowls of pho

Simply Recipes / Madie Goodnight

The dinner table was also the place where my dad introduced us to the Vietnamese foods he loves.

Dinnertime is where we not only indulged in the respective dishes from each cuisine, but blended the two.

We add things like crispy tofu, soft-boiled eggs, or avocado.

By instilling a tradition of eating dinner together, my parents taught me about the importance of connection.