Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng) and Salt Coffee (Cà Phê Muối) are probably two of the most popular specialty drinks that hailed from Vietnam, bested only by the legendary and globally adored Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Sweetened Condensed Milk (Cà Phê Sữa Đá).

But for me, I’m more fascinated about the widely different circumstances under which the two luxuriously tasting (but very affordable) drinks were created, and how they encapsulate both the complex geopolitical history of Vietnam and the resilience and resourcefulness of her people.

Ask anyone Hà Nội native, and they will tell you that there is no better cup of Egg Coffee found outside of this ancient city, where the creamy, custardy drink was invented. As the story is told: in 1946, as the city was suffering from widespread shortages of resources as a direct result of the intensifying French-Indochina War, a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel named Nguyen Van Giang had to find a substitute for the dwindling milk supply that is an essential ingredient in Cà Phê Sữa (milk coffee).

Giang innovated by whisking an egg yolk with sugar to create a rich, creamy custard that perfectly complements the dark bitterness of the Robusta beans. The rest is history. From that point, Egg Coffee became as synonymous with Hà Nội as Pizza Margherita instinctively evokes the name of Naples.

But whereas Egg Coffee was born out of hardship and tragic circumstances, Salt Coffee hails from a much more lighthearted and romantic origin. A perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy, and bitter, Salt Coffee is widely credited as the brainchild of Ho Thi Thanh Huong and Tran Nguyen Huu Phong out of their small coffee shop in the heart of the majestic former Imperial City of Huế in 2010 - a time when Vietnam was on the cusp of exponential economics growth after thousands of years of devastating destruction from colonialism and civil war. Aided by social media, Salt Coffee became a viral sensation and grew into a popular drink among young, modern coffee lovers.

Vietnamese often refer to Huế as “Huế mộng mơ,” or “dreamy Huế,” and the philosophy behind Salt Coffee stays true to its birth city’s romantic reputation. It is believed that Ms. Huong’s inspiration for Salt Coffee came from her favorite online love story, and thus much like love, Salt Coffee needs the perfect harmony of bitter, salty, and sweet to be complete.

And as I was slowly sipping my first cups of Egg Coffee and Salt Coffee - sharing the company of friends and family atop of a sun soaked balcony overlooking the vibrant, bustling streets of Hà Nội - I couldn’t help but contemplate and admire the resilience and resourcefulness that were the driving forces behind the two vastly different drinks in front of me.

One born out of tragedy. The other, crafted 6 decades later upon the foundation of that tragedy, but arising out of love, as a symbol of hope and optimism in a new world.