In a recent interview with BBC, Carlson recalled that she first arrived in Hanoi in 2019 at the invitation of some of her new friends who teach English in Vietnam.
At that time, she was traveling around Asia and just intended to spend a few months exploring and experiencing the life and culture of the S-shaped country.
However, her love for Vietnamese food and visits to places across the country made her decide to stay in Vietnam instead of returning to the US, particularly during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through her blog on TikTok and Instagram named Plates of Hanoi (now changed to The Fat Passport), Carlson creates content in English to show foreigners and tourists her food-relating experiences in Vietnam.
When spending three years in Vietnam, Carlson and her friend traveled to the corners of Hanoi to find the best food in town.
One of Corrin's first videos that went viral on social media during Hanoi’s social distancing was about “pho”.
In the video, Carlson wears a facial mask like a local and talks about how vendors put “pho” in bags to take home, bringing a new perspective on “pho” that is already familiar to foreigners when served on the street in beautiful bowls and plates.
Thanks to her charming and humorous way of talking, the American actress received 5 million views and a lot of comments from all over the world. She said the video not only gives a new perspective on “pho” but also gives viewers a look at COVID-19 in Vietnam and how people are living.
She said that besides famous Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi, bun cha, and coffee, many other dishes should be known more and her choice is “banh cuon” (a steamed rolled pancake).
Now, when she is no longer in Hanoi, Carlson still misses Hanoi and “banh cuon”, she told BBC.
She said that street food in Vietnam offers a lot of choices. It is fresh, takes no time to prepare, and is healthy.
Street food is a great thing about Vietnam that people don't find in many parts of the world, she said, adding that she ate street food at least twice, even three times a day while in Vietnam.
Vietnam brings her great experiences with its cuisine, thus the food blogger would like to spread her love for food to everyone and encourage them to try Vietnamese dishes.
The American actress also shared her plan to return to Vietnam in the future, and make more content about Vietnam. She said she will eat her favorite dishes again and try some new dishes.
