We were lucky enough to order a good cup of Saigon Style Vietnamese Iced Coffee during our first few days in Vietnam. Sasha doesn’t even like coffee and couldn’t get enough. As we’ve headed further away from Saigon, it has become harder and harder to find a good one.

"It's so special. It's so Vietnamese."

For our friends in DC, prepare to be subjected to experiments attempting to recreate an authentic concoction. Luckily, we think the recipe is pretty simple. The only thing we’re not certain we can recreate with authenticity is the coffee itself, since Vietnam grows its own. For those of you who want to try your hand at making a cup, this is our starting recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup of freshly-brewed very strong coffee
1 glass packed with crushed ice (cubes are not as tasty)
1 heaping tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk
1 hot day

Directions:

Put the milk in first to create layers. Then add ice and finally the coffee. Serve in a tall glass with a spoon. Before drinking, stir.

It’s the sweetened condensed milk that we think makes the magic happen.

One pre-stir, one stirred. Photographed ice cubes are not the correct consistency..