Complex. Spicy. Flavorful. Northern Vietnamese food has a way of igniting each and every taste bud. Spicy pho breakfasts, crunchy banana flower salad lunches and arrays of richly seasoned chicken, duck, fish and mixed vegetable dinners – there was no way I could leave this region without taking a bit of the magic with me.

With this in mind, I enrolled in a cooking class at the Hmong Mountain Retreat in Sapa, Vietnam. Set among spectacular limestone mountains and tiered rice terraces, the Hmong Mountain Retreat is truly love at first sight. In an impressive outdoor kitchen, I learned to delicately roll spring rolls, slice and marinate banana flowers, saute chicken with a garlic and chile mixture and make sweet rice pudding.

Stunning photos, recipes galore and even a few new friends - what a way to spend an afternoon!