I've got hate-mail

I've received criticism before.

I understood that when I chose to start blogging I was putting myself up for it. It's a very public forum and food generates some very passionate discourse. As they say, "one man's meat is another man's poison." Not sure where women fit into that idiom but no doubt they have their own significantly more complicated one!

Anyway, in the four years that stickyrice has been inhabiting its tiny, cruddy corner of the blogosphere, my dozen or so loyal followers have kept me honest, correcting me on the detail and giving me a subtle tongue-lashing if I push the wrong buttons here and there. I appreciate it. As an expat commenting on a foreign cuisine and culture, I do try to tread fairly carefully. I don't actively seek to patronise or belittle the locals nor do I want to be branded a wanker by those from other shores.

But it's happened. While in my inbox this morning I opened an email entitled 'great blog', only to be greeted with the following vitriolic spew:

"it's always so much fun to listen to a pretentious, self-important
expat brit try to work out his colonial complex by fawning over
primitive cultures.  wake up.  no amount of sycophantic swooning will
ever change the fact that asians will eat anything that doesn't crawl
out of the bowl before they can get a chopstick into it.  asian
cooking is the truly the antithesis of food as art.  the emperor isn't
wearing any clothes and for all your pretending to the contrary, pho
is not ambrosia from the gods--it's thin noodle soup.  get over
yourself."

I'm loathe to admit that it's quite articulately expressed vitriolic spew. I also love the fact that my critic has simultaneously managed to attack me, pho, Asians, Asian food and, just for good measure, the Brits. And all that in under 100 words, which must come close to some kind of Guinness Book Record for concise but sweeping invective.

What I am just a tad confused about is why this magnificent tirade wasn't posted in the comments for all to see? Not enough pluck, eh? A bit shy maybe?

Well, John Cain (I believe that's your name?), in the spirit of a public forum in which I am the main contributor, allow me the right of reply. Firstly, I feel sorry for you, your family, friends, colleagues and even acquaintances...in fact, anyone who comes into even passing contact with you. You are obviously a deeply unhappy person.

Secondly, fuck off!

And just for the record, John - not that I'm the slightest bit patriotic - I'm an Aussie, arsehole!

Comments

[Anne Le]

John Cain sounds like a Brit stuck in the miserable Great Britain rain. He probably prefers heavy salty potatoes and meat, which thankfully isn't on any Asian menus! He does sound jealous and unhappy (probably because of his poor diet). I know I am every time I open up your blog and see all the amazing experiences you are having on a daily basis.

[John Mc]

Fuck off, indeed.

[Steve Jackson]

err Anne Le -I'm not sure you're helping the situation by adding to the stereotypes.

But yes, he does sounds like an arsehole.

[Crazy Cake Lady]

lol, nicely done. I don't know why people bother to spew hate like that. It's so unneccesary, especially when those energies can be used for something good and productive.

[Marta]

Good on you! I'm travelling to vietnam shortly and I can almost smell taste all this delicious Vietnamese food when I read your posts. I'm a blogger as well and some people just have nothing better to do than criticise. oh well!

[Spike]

I think all bloggers must know the feeling you had when you read that comment. As a blogger, I tell myself to expect garbage comments but every now and then, one will get to me, and it's not always logical as to which one cuts through. I still get quite indignant over it. It's my "house" and you're a guest, please keep your feet off the coffee table and use a coaster.

I do sort of know where this guy is coming from, in both good and bad ways. I've lived in Hong Kong for 12 years and I hit these periods where I get absolutely fed up with Cantonese cuisine. It's always the same. No one advances it. It doesn't have the complexity of Escoffier.

And then I hit my positive moods. It's fresh, it's nutritious and often quite reasonably priced and it rocks the taste buds. And if it's relatively new to you, and you're sharing with the world, where's the issue?

If Asians will eat anything and westerners won't (not true, of course), then couldn't one say that Asians have more respect for life and ingredients by not letting anything from the animal that died for their dinner go to waste? Poor cultures have spent hundreds if not thousands of years figuring out how to make these bits tender and tasty and that's an accomplishment worthy of respect.

And in terms of Asian cooking being the antithesis of art, one word: Japan.

[Yvonne]

Just a few words to say that as a French Vietnamese (blogger too, but nothing to do with food) who loves Western and Asian food, it's a real pleasure to read you.
Keep up your good work. You "passion" is extremely stimulating.

YN

[Riz]

I've come to view occasional random aggressive e-mails/comments as par for the course and find a good course is just to delete and forget. They don't deserve the the time of day!

Oh, also, for some reason I'd always thought you were a local with an amazing grasp of the english language ... thanks for clarifying!

ps - By the way, I recently bought French roast chicory coffee in the UK as a Vietnamese substitute. It kind of works but not quite - you just can't beat the real thing.

[Sarge]

Sir,
You were way to polite with that man.
I did not do Vietnam during that previous unpleasantness - I was at a bomber base in Thailand. SE Asia has the best food in the world! Alas, with two tours of duty in South Korea -I cannot say the same for them.
Great blog. I visit you daily.
Oh, we Americans prefer to use the term, "asshole". Same thing I imagine.

Sarge
Indianapolis, In

Sarge
Indianapolis

[Kha Dang]

Maybe John Cain has a dirty mouth. If he clean his mouth maybe he can get a better taste of Vietnamese foods.

[ryan]

so wrong, pho is ambrosia from the gods. It's what I want for lunch.

[Francine]

I'm Vietnamese and I think your blog is great. The fact that you live in Vietnam and write passionately about the food, I think the guy who left you that note is a moron. I go to your blog because I'm so envious that you are enjoying all the food there :)

[zee]

writing a blog is like producing a magazine or making a product. it was never meant for EVERYONE! dude, if it's not the "product" for you, then move along.

only really negative people choose to expose themselves to content that is obviously "not for them" and then complain about it. umm, as an adult, surely you have a choice.

as for me, i think i am part of your target market, and i "fawningly" await new content! ;-)

p.s. yeh, when i first had pho, i wasn't that enamored. but now it's like really nice toast and jam. yeah, it's simple, but i want it the way i want it.

[BERNIE]

Holy cow, in this case, Holly kangaroo, this is food blog. Let's talk about food.there is an old saying "in death and in food we are all brothers", so no body "f*ck no body off, all rite?

[Delong]

Great site.

Don't worry about the hate mail. Many people do not understand Asia.

I am an American, who first went to Asia in 1967: Vietnam War. I feel in love with Asia.

Since then, I have been to 31 Asian cities, to Japan two times, Korea five times, and China nine times. My wife is Chinese, ex-PLA.

I am returning to Vietnam in September, going to Saigon, (which I have been to three times before, in 1968) Quy Nhon, (where I was stationed in the US Army) and Hanoi, which I have never been to.

Yes, Asians eat anthing!! So what?? They do not waste. I eat almost anything.........at least once! Asian food is so exciting. Quite a challenge for some westerners who grew up on meat and potatos.

I am looking forward to exploring your site and getting some tips on food in Vietnam prior to my return in September.

Keep up the good work.

[Lucie J.]

It's one of those things where you could say - it's so bad, it's good. I actually found it quite hilarious to think that there is someone out there with a mind that is narrow enough to come up with a letter like that. Love your blog. Keep it up.

[Mike]

Keep up the good work. Great reply to that hater.

[Hal Medrano]

Oh Ghod, that guy's letter was absolutely hilarious!

You know where we, your loyal readers, all stand. Keep showing us where to sample the best thin noodle soups and all the other tasty morsels Vietnam has to offer - whether or not they crawl out of the bowl!

:-)

[bibliochef]

Wow. I have a blog myself and have never received such venom. While i admit to not being a big pho fan, I like Asian food (I am not Asian or of Asian descent myself) and this is just racist, stupidity of a high order

[Ian]

I love Asian food and am a proponent of all for which you stand!

[chef4cook]

I enjoyed your reply to that poster. Fuck Off is my favorite retort!

[Archana]

Wow! I love ur reply! This is the first time I am visiting your blog and the first thing i saw was the first entry and ur reply.

Cheers!
Arch

[Annerly Cooper]

Oooo ... Sticky! You were WAAAAYYYYY too nice! You know me and I'd have given him a mouth full of m*tha f*cka's and then some! Only have one thing to say to that dumb a$$ .... CLICK ... as in onto another webpage!

[Sticky]

I must say I'm overwelmed by the response to this and that it was not my intention to engender all this lurve! Thank you! I really was not that offended by the criticism on the personal front - I'm pretty thick-skinned and, as I said in the post, I do try to keep myself nice, so kind of knew that I didn't really deserve it - I just thought it was amusing more than anything else, except when the blatant racism became evident. That I can't tolerate.

My Mum did say she would have preferred that I hadn't used the f-word but I find for some situations, it is the only word and I quite like a good swear every now and then! Hope I didn't turn anyone away with my obscenities.

Thanks also to those who emailed me with some kind sentiments, particularly the Vietnam Vets who feel so passionately about this country. I feel privileged to be able to live here during more peaceful times than they experienced.

And, Annerly Cooper, my darling, I wish I had co-operated with you on the wording of my response! X

Again, thanks everyone.

[Lilly]

lol Sorry I'm late to the party, but that was pretty funny. That fellow was what we in California would call a "douche bag." And to think he was calling YOU pretentious and self-important. hehehe Poor guy. He has a wonderful grip on language, but just the fact that he grouped all asian cuisine into one simple chunk just shows how ridiculously uneducated he is on the subject. Some of the cooking styles are about texture, not looks. Some are very carefully prepared with presentation as a chief concern. And some of these cultures are the oldest in the world and the SOURCE of various refinements we enjoy every day. Ugh. I could go on.

John Cain, you superficial bastard, get over your own self.