Customer Reviews:
Don't understand the hype.......2007-08-21
I am completely perplexed by the multitude of 5-star reviews for this cookbook. 35 of 37 reviews gave 5 stars, the other 2 reviews 4 stars at the time of writing this. Not a single other person out there was even remotely dissatisfied? Something seems wrong...
I'm not Vietnamese but I live near Little Saigon and eat there quite often so I think I have a pretty good grasp of the cuisine and how everything should taste. It's my favorite cuisine, and I have even learned to cook some of the dishes from friends, etc. I bought this book because I wanted to expand my repetoire, however, everything I have tried has come out tasting 'off'.
I found the directions in the recipes to be either misleading or not descriptive enough. Take the bu'n rie^u recipe, for example. The ingredients call for a large onion, pealed. In the directions, she just instructs you to saute the onion in a small skillet. Obviously you are not expected to saute a whole onion, however there is no mention as to whether you should quarter it, dice it, chop or mince it, etc. as you would expect in any other cookbook. Not to mention a large onion + shallots + crab won't even fit in a small skillet. That may sound picky but for a cuisine that is still considered somewhat exotic and unfamiliar to most Americans I think these kind of details are very important if the food is going to come out right.
The good aspects of this book are the descriptions of the culture, cuisine, and history of Little Saigon and it's people, which is really quite interesting. I just wouldn't recommend using this book to try cooking the food. I would suggest maybe trying the more detailed (albeit more difficult) "Into the Vietnamese Kitchen" cookbook for that.
In short, to^i kho^ng thi'ch sa'ch na`y.
Thank you!!!.......2007-07-09
I am an Indian who is married to a Vietnamese. I have always loved cooking and never have been afraid to try something different. I am always searching for authentic Vietnamese cookbooks in English and I have to say that this one is going to be my favorite. I thank Ms. Le for writing this book in such a detail and for her recipes.
Love it!.......2007-04-12
I like to try my hand at cooking foods I enjoy eating in restaurants and Vietnamese happens to be one of my favorites. I borrowed this book from the library and cooked several dishes, all which came out absolutely delicious. I liked it so much that after I returned the book to the library, I bought my own copy on amazon.It looks like I'll be able to recreate my favorite rice vermicelli, spring rolls, and pho dishes at home on a regular basis. For anyone who wants to try their hand at cooking Vietnamese dishes at home this one's a definite keeper.
Armenian man with a vietnamese food fetish .......2007-03-03
I've always had a thing for vietnamese food. I love everything about it, only problem is, I've just never been able to cook any of it. Born into an Armenian kitchen, the flavors, spices, and methods of cooking I've learned do me no good. I had resigned myself to eating out for vietnamese the rest of my life.
Then I saw an article in the March issue of Sunset magazine. A girl with dimples promising to teach me how to make vietnamese food. On a rare impulse, I bought The Little Saigon Cookbook (I think it hit a chord of sentimentality since I live in LIttle Armenia). The recipes are simple, fast, and delicious! I've now been able to make new friends and influence people using my new found cullinary skills. Thank you Ann Le!
Brings a piece of Vietnam to American kitchens........2006-10-15
Southern California's Little Saigon Restaurant serves as the inspiration for a cookbook of the same name, providing Vietnamese specialties geared to home cooks. From Braised Eggplant and Tofu in Caramel sauce to Traditional Spring Rolls and Whole Salted Fish with Lemongrass and Chili Paste, THE LITTLE SAIGON COOKBOOK: VIETNAMESE CUISINE AND CULTURE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S LITTLE SAIGON brings a piece of Vietnam to American kitchens.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
When Mai Pham--chef and owner of the renowned Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California--left her home and her grandmother in Saigon in 1975, just days before the city fell to communist rule, she never thought she'd see either again. Happily for her, she returned 20 years later to rediscover her roots and reconnect with her 100-year-old grandmother. Happily for us, she's written Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table, in which she shares that journey--and the vibrant cuisine of her homeland. She weaves a stirring tale of rediscovery; of visiting with cooks in market stalls and street cafés and home kitchens; and, perhaps most importantly, of rediscovering her "favorite food on earth," pho, the noodle soup often referred to as the national dish of Vietnam.
Pham begins with a chapter on dipping sauces, condiments, and herbs, which, she explains, are the true backbone of Vietnamese cooking. She explores culinary variations: the "rice bowl" of the southern peninsula and the French- and Indian-inspired foods of Saigon; the more robust style of the cooler central region of Hue; and the straightforward style of the mountainous north. And she shares the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food. Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef is at once salty (from the ubiquitous fish sauce), sweet from the fruit, and tangy and spicy from Chili-Lime Sauce. Ginger Chicken is bright with the flavor of ginger and spicy with dried chilies; caramel sauce adds body and an intriguing sweet and smoky element to the dish. And of course, one can't forget the beloved pho, which gets a whole chapter to itself. The traditional Hanoi-style Vietnamese "Pho" Rice Noodle Soup with Beef is fragrant with anise and ginger and thick with velvety noodles and delectably rare beef suspended in the hot broth.
Featured throughout the book are black-and-white photographs of the country and its people, stories of Pham's childhood, and enchanting tales of the history and people of Vietnam that, taken together, highlight a rich and vibrant picture of the ancient cuisine of this complex country. Helpful guides to the Vietnamese pantry and cooking techniques, along with a glossary, menu suggestions, and a list of resources for the more exotic ingredients make the book extremely useful to even the uninitiated. --Robin Donovan
Book Description
A land of vibrant cultures and vivid contrasts, Vietnam is also home to some of the most delicious and intriguing food in the world. While its cooking traditions have been influenced by those of China, France, and even India, Vietnam has created a cuisine with a spirit and a flavor all its own.
Chef and restaurateur Mai Pham brings to life this diverse and exciting cooking in Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table. Born and raised in Saigon before emigrating to the United States, Mai has often returned to her native land to learn the secrets of authentic Vietnamese cooking, from family, friends, home cooks, street vendors, and master chefs. Traveling from region to region, she has gathered the simple, classic recipes that define Vietnamese food today: Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef, Stir-Fried Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies, Caramelized Garlic Shrimp, and especially pho, the country's beloved beef-and-noodle soup. With more than 100 recipes in all, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table offers home cooks the chance to create and savor the traditional flavors of Vietnam in their own kitchen.
Filled with enchanting stories and stirring black-and-white photos of life in Vietnam, Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table provides a captivating taste of an enduring culture and its irresistible cuisine.
Customer Reviews:
If you want a simpler Vietnamese cookbook,.......2007-09-01
then you should buy Andre Nguyen's "Quick & Easy Vietnamese: Home Cooking For Everyone". Andre Nguyen's book is for beginners or for homecooks who want to put food on the table fast because he simplified the recipes, and it also has great photos for every recipe. Andre Nguyen's book has few ingredients for all the recipes, and the ingredients are easy to find in a Vietnamese market or other Southeast Asian markets. I bought both Andre Nguyen's book and Mai Pham's book. Mai Pham's "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is a great book because the recipes are truly authentic, but they are also more complicated because they require more ingredients. Other reviewers mentioned that "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is not for them because they are not hardcore cooks who want to slave over the stove for hours, and I know what they are talking about. I can sympathize with their problems because there are so many ingredients they have to deal with. For me, however, "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" is special because I want to learn how to cook these Vietnamese recipes authentically, meaning taking more time and effort rather than using short cuts. It's important to me because I'm Vietnamese, and I want to learn and preserve Vietnamese cuisine as authentically as possible for future generations. I love Mai Pham's "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" for its cultural values via authentic Vietnamese recipes. Learning to cook from Mai Pham's book may be a daunting task for beginners, so they might want to try an easier book such as Andre Nguyen's "Quick & Easy Vietnamese: Home Cooking For Everyone". Since I own both books, I use them both and I love them both. When I'm too tired to tackle the more complex recipes from Mai Pham's book, I just cook from Andre Nguyen's book. For most beginners, Andre Nguyen's book will probably be used more often.
just like the restaurant!.......2007-08-23
Great book! Easy to follow instructions, gives background info about the ingredients, and everything tastes great. The only complaint that I have, is that the book is not glossy, so it is easy to destroy if it gets wet.
"Just like mom makes it!" as stated by my husband!.......2006-11-19
My Mother-in-law (MIL)is Vietnamese which makes it difficult for us to find a great Vietnamese cookbook since we're always comparing it to her cooking. We wanted a cookbook that featured authentic dishes. And being that I'm hispanic it was really hard for me to replicate instictively what I saw my MIL make in her kitchen. But after getting this book...Wow! The dishes truly tasted the way they were supposed to! I know some reviewers have stated that the recipes are too time consuming, but you can always "modernize" a bit if your in a rush (Ex. She tells you to make the coconut milk from scratch. Very Time consuming! But just substitute for a good asian brand of canned coconut milk and the results are VERY close, specially if you're in a time crunch. That's what my MIL does!). The first time I made a recipe from this book my husband couldn't believe I had made it myself! It's true that you would need a pretty good asian/vietnamese market nearby for best results but I've done slight modifications when needed and still had a tasty meal at hand.
This is a great book to have in your library. You might not use this book every month but it has the BEST truly Vietnamese recipes I've ever tried. If you're not concerned about the authenticity of a recipe then you might prefer a different book that is "easier" but probably more suited to our american palates than the vietnamese...
great cookbook.......2006-02-19
aesthetically pleasing book with interesting background information on the dishes and good recipes. more pictures of the actual dishes would have helped, especially for those that you are not familiar with, but the easy to follow step-by-step directions made up for the lack of pictures
A Must Have Vietnamese Cookbook.......2006-01-11
Only received this book today and as yet have not attempted any of the recipes, however I have given it a good read and found myself totally immersed with the information related to cooking in Vietnam, the recipes themselves and the authors personal experiences. I am very much looking forward to cooking the recipes....this is my third Vietnamese cookbook...you will need to have a good Asian supermarket nearby, which thankfully I do..two infact. Good step by step guides will help you and unlike Japanese the more exotic ingredients really are'nt that hard to find. Add this one to your cookbook colection.
Amazon.com
One page of deliciousness after another is what you'll find once you crack the cover of Diana My Tran's The Vietnamese Cookbook. Tran has a couple of qualifications above and beyond her Vietnamese heritage as underpinnings to this book: She has two impatient children and a very busy career. Time, then, is of the essence. And yet, she wants to pass on to her children the food of their culture--while living in the U.S.
So from the many dishes of her own childhood in Saigon Diana My Tran has simplified technique while making use of the available foods in an American supermarket. The results are quickly prepared, flavorful renditions of Vietnamese classics that give the cook the sense of what Vietnamese cooking is all about. As Tran points out, part of what it's all about is low-fat cooking with lots of vegetables--a veritable diet book.
Tran divides her book by rice, sauces, appetizers and salads, soups, main dishes, and desserts and beverages. She mixes lemon juice and lemon zest to create the Lemon Rice she serves with chicken and seafood. There's also a recipe for sticky rice with peanuts. Her sauces include such standards as Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce and Sweet and Sour Soy Sauce. Among the appetizers you will find spring rolls, both fried and fresh. Also, Shrimp Mung Bean Rice Cakes. There's a Papaya Shrimp Salad as well as a Lime Steak Salad. The wonderful Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo) is represented. Main dishes include Ginger Chicken, Honey Roasted Quail, Sesame Spareribs, Caramel Shrimp, Lemongrass Fish, and Vietnamese Crab Cakes.
The Vietnamese Cookbook is an easy way in to this wonderful culinary world. Let your palate be your guide. --Schuyler Ingle
Book Description
In The Vietnamese Cookbook, Diana My Tran transforms many of her complex traditional dishes into new simpler versions - tailored to the fast pace of America and the freshest ingredients from our local supermarkets. In Vietnam, a traditional meal consists mainly of rice accompanied by a salty dish of seafood or meat, vegetables and/or a composed salad. Diana invites you to create your own memorable meals with more than 100 tantalizing recipes for authentic Vietnamese sauces, appetizers, salads, soups, main dishes, desserts, and beverages. Combine the tempting healthful food with Steve Raymer’s magnificent photographs of Vietnam, and you’ll truly taste the exquisite flavors of this age-old country in all its beauty and richness.
Customer Reviews:
practical and delicious.......2006-05-04
i am vietnamese and since i never had the priviledge to learn directly from my mom how to cook.. i picked up this book just to give it a try. within a few weeks, i have tried most of the recipes particularly the main dishes. not only are they quick recipes with only 4 to 5 steps max, the dishes require simple ingredients, obtainable and cheap.. not only that but all these dishes have turned out to be delicious.. i feel like i can compete with my mom's great cooking. lol. i absolutely love this book. it's a must have!
Very detailed guide for very traditionally Vietnamese dish.......2005-10-17
I like the book after just skimming through some of the pages. I know to cook some of them before and I think it matches the way it was taught in there. I believe this is an excellent book for those who really want to know to cook traditional Vietnamese dish especially the dish from the Northern Vietnam.
Great everyday Vietnamese cookbook .......2005-02-26
I come from a Vietnamese family but was raised in a small Wisconsin town. Growing up, my mom would make Vietnamese dishes along with standard American fare. Although the supermarkets in the area did not have available all the necessary ingredients to make authentic Vietnamese dishes, my mom found comparable replacements. I never cooked that much to begin with, but when I got older and lived away from my folks, I wanted to try my hand at Vietnamese cooking and found this book while I was a student in Washington DC. I've tried many of the recipes in this cookbook and found them easy to follow and the results tasted quite good. Also, I thought it was especially helpful that the author used ingredients that could be found almost anywhere in the U.S. and explained or had pictures of what some of the ingredients were (I had never seen actual lemongrass until I moved to DC!). So, I recommend this book to anyone interested in trying out Vietnamese cooking.
easiest Asian cookbook ever.......2004-04-03
At the time I bought this book, I bought 2 other Asian cookbooks. I've never even opened them as I have tried recipe after recipe from The Vietnamese Cookbook. The recipes are dead easy, delicious, and the ingredients are easily obtainable. And...most of the recipes are low fat. What more could you want?
Delicious and easy cooking.......2004-02-07
I love this cookbook! It is very easy to follow and descriptive. The recipes are quick and they turn out great. I look forward to making something new each day from this cookbook. I definitely recommend this cookbook to others who want to try Vietnamese cooking for themselves.
Book Description
INTRODUCTION
Vietnam is a country of natural beauty with a coastline of sandy beaches stretching about 2000 miles (3225 km) from the northern to the southern tip of the South China Sea. Along the coast, fishing is the main livelihood. The majority of Vietnamese people are Kinh race people (87%) with the
remaining of 53 different ethnic minority groups. For more than 2000 years, the country has been subjected to a near continuing series of foreign occupations from China, France, Japan, and America. One consequence of these occupations is the lasting influence on Vietnamese cuisine. Among Vietnamese
dishes, perhaps the best known in the West is Pho, a noodle soup. Another is the deep-fried spring roll called Nern in the north, and Cha Goi in the south. Rice is a staple food used as a side dish, or a main dish when combined with other ingredients, such as beef, pork, chicken, or seafood.
Vietnamese dishes consist of many different blends of herbs and spices. Most dishes are not fiery hot, nor greasy. Seafood and vegetarian dishes like An Chay are very popular. Today, Vietnamese cuisine is gaining increased international attention due to the fact that it is quite healthy.
This book is an introduction to a new generation for a delicious journey through Vietnamese cuisine. While the combination of flavors may seem experimental to some, they will result in a savory experience. All ingredients used in these recipes can be found in supermarkets, natural food stores or in
Asian food markets. It is our pleasure to share these quick and delicious Vietnamese recipes with you. Enjoy the good nutrition that comes with it.
Customer Reviews:
Quick, easy, and delicious........2007-09-01
This book is excellent for beginners who want to cook Vietnamese food. The author, Andre Nguyen, is a Vietnamese chef who owns a Vietnamese restaurant, so he knows how to cook very well. The recipes have only a few ingredients that are easy to find in a Vietnamese market or other Southeast Asian markets, and they taste delicious. This book along with Diana My Tran's "The Vietnamese Cookbook" are two of the easiest Vietnamese cookbooks to cook from for beginners or homecooks who want to put food on the table fast! The major difference between this book and Diana My Tran's book is that this book seems to include more "restaurant-esque" recipes. Diana My Tran is not a chef, and she includes Vietnamese recipes that she cooks at home in her book. The recipes in Andre's book are simple but at the same time "sophisticated", meaning you won't be embarrassed serving them to guests. I bought serveral copies as gifts. If you want 100% authentic Vietnamese recipes which will take hours to prepare, then this book is not for you. But if you want delicious Vietnamese recipes that have been simplified for beginners or for homecooks, then this book is definitely for you. I highly recommend this book for its quick, easy, and delicious recipes. This book also has great color photos of every recipe, so they're very helpful. I really, really like this book. I hope Andre will write another one. One last thing...there are many recipes in Andre's book that are not in Diana My Tran's book and vice versa. It would be a good idea to buy both books because I like them both.
Lots of pictures!!.......2007-07-06
I'm Viet but I was born in America. I only learned how to cook a couple of Vietnamese dishes from my parents but I have been looking for a good cookbook. This one is my favorite so far! There are pictures of every dish AND step by step pictures! SOOOO helpful! And because there are pictures of each dish, I recognized almost all of them even if I didn't know exactly what it was called.
This book is PERFECT for me (the amateur cook wanting to replicate Vietnamese homecooking for my own family)!
5 STARS!!
Great, Quic & Easy Cookbook.......2007-05-22
I used 4 recipes from this book so far. All were easy to make and very delicious. I can't wait to make the rest
The best Vietnamese cook book yet........2007-04-09
I have gone through many expensive Vietnamese cook books and have not used a single recipe out of them because they're difficult or "it's not the way my mom made it." This book show pictures of the ingredients so you know what to look for in an Asian store and pictures of the end product. If I don't know the name of a dish I can look at the picture and recognize it. I tried learning from my mom but as everyone knows most women from Vietnam don't measure, it's a little of this and some of that. So some of the time my recipes are just right and other times they weren't. My mom would try to explain what a certain ingredient was but would not know the English name for it. This book explains it all. Very easy to follow recipes and they turn out just like "the way my mom made it."
Great Book!.......2007-02-09
I've tried about half of the receipes in this book and it taste great! I love the simple instructions and pictures of all the items you need to make the entree. Wish all cookbooks were like this! Although I have to say they used the wrong wrap for making the eggrolls. The one they pictured isn't ideal for deep frying.
Book Description
From the author of the popular Quick & Easy Thai come these 75 oh-so-delicious recipes for every level of cook. Though it shares certain culinary traditions with its Asian neighbors, Vietnamese cuisine is entirely distinct, focusing on a bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs for signature clear, bright flavors with contrasting notes of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Creamy chicken curry is paired with the zesty tang of lime juice and the heat from ground pepper and chilies. Crisp, fried fish is served with a puree of pineapple-chili sauce. Delicate, rice paper wrapped summer rolls merit a rich and savory soybean dipping sauce. From snacks and soups to grilled meats and seafood to the essential noodle dishes and desserts, Quick & Easy Vietnamese presents the full spectrum of Vietnamese cooking at its most simply delicious.
Customer Reviews:
Very Disapointed!!.......2007-07-26
Bought this book because of it's good reviews and high star rating. The layout and instructions of this book are easy to follow and pleasant on the eyes (vibrant colors and good quality pages). However none of that matters if the instructions are all slightly off (recipes that called for medium-high heat for 20 minutes was in actually 1 hour on high heat while covered in order for the meat to be cooked enough to eat. Resulted in good enough looking food but tasted off and not at all "authentic" vietnamese. I've grown up on Vietnamese food and TRUST ME you do not want to use the foods made from this cookbook to represent what Vietnamese food should taste like. My mom laughed and suggested I throw out the cookbook and finally accept her traditional method of Vietnamese cooking (a dash of this and a glob of that measurements) instead. I wonder if I can still return this book since it will definately be unused and collecting dust on my shelf!
A great and authentic starter to Vietnamese cooking.......2007-03-09
Though I grew up in the states, my family is of Vietnamese descent and I travelled (and ate) my way through Vietnam, especially Hanoi. This book was my first attempt at making Vietnamese food at home and boy am I impressed at how AUTHENTIC it is to what I ate in Vietnam and in local Vietnamese restaurants. I'll think twice about eating out now that I know how easy it is to make at home.
delicious but not as quick as I'd hoped.......2006-12-13
Let me first say that the bar was set very high: McDermott's Quick and Easy Thai is a masterpiece.
These recipes are also delicious, and the ones I've tried have been easy. However, they're not nearly as quick and easy as the ones in the Thai book.
What makes them not so quick? In a word, ingredients. Most recipe has lots of them, so there's a lot of measuring/chopping going on before you cook.
Also, if you're a European American like me, you don't have these ingredients lying around, so a trip to an Asian market is a necessity, at least to stock up in the beginning.
But don't let this deter you! Make fish sauce and lemon grass part of your standard staples, and McDermott does have an excellent section on ingredients, how to find them, and which are most important.
The recipes also have notes on what to do if you can't find something: suggestions for substitutions or just leaving things out (though again, not as many as the Thai book.) These recipes are delicious and have complex flavors, so even if you leave something out it'll still be good.
So to sum up, this is a great cookbook, but if you want to enter the world of SE Asian cooking, go with McDermott's Quick and Easy Thai first.
Really love this cookbook.......2006-08-16
I have been looking for a good vietnamese cookbook for awhile. I checked this out at the library and fell in love with it so much I bought it to add to my collection. The fish in caramel sauce is marvelous. There is a recipe for meatballs that is great too. I'm still working my way through the book.
Quick and Easy!.......2006-03-12
I love Vietnamese cuisine, and this book allows me to easily incorporate it into my everyday diet. The ingredients are easy to find in chain grocery stores and I can use ingredients I buy in multiple recipes, making the book economical. I recommend preparing your own chicken stock (have it on hand in freezer). It improves the taste of the recipes. I grow my own Vietnamese herbs in the summer, and the book will give me lots of opportunity to use them on the fly. I have also lost a little weight cooking from this book because the dishes are flavorful (be sure to use the Everyday Dipping Sauce) and healthy, and replaced microwaved and canned meals. Many books may be more in-depth, and not every dish is absolutely fantastic, but if you need something for the busy weekdays, this is a good choice.
Book Description
STC is reviving Nicole Routhier's award-winning classic, The Foods of Vietnam, in a paperback format, to satisfy the appetites of the broad audience that is attracted to Vietnamese cuisine.
Opening with the fascinating history of Vietnam's cuisine, Routhier then offers 150 of her favorite traditional recipes. A comprehensive glossary of ingredients, equipment, and techniques provide the background necessary to prepare these dishes. Award-winning food photographer Martin Jacobs presents stunning close-ups of fresh spring rolls, warm beef salad, and more.
Customer Reviews:
It is helpful , but not the final solution.......2007-01-12
This is a good cookbook in general. I like the suggestions for specific brands. But compared to something like Thai Food by David Thompson or Cradle of Flavor by James Oseland it does not really enable you to try to balance flavors within a recipe . I don't know of a better Vietnamese cookbook yet . If you are thinking of buying it get all three of the books I've mentioned from the library and read the cultural sections as well as the food prep sections . You will discover that you have to train yourself to balance alternating flavors as you go which is not a typical technique in Western cooking.
This is an excellent collection of authentic Vietnamese recipes........2006-08-31
I absolutely love love love this Vietnamese cookbook. Everything I have tried in it has turned out to be so tasty and very similar to how my mom's tastes. I like the specificity with which Ms. Routhier disseminates the cooking techniques and instructions. Her accompanying passages are informative and interesting. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to know how to prepare authentic and delicious Vietnamese cuisine.
The best Vietnamese cookbook.......2006-08-22
After ordering a hardcover copy from Amazon and waiting months for it to arrive (every couple of months, they'd delay it "another 6 to 8 weeks", I finally gave up and purchased a paperback copy of this cookbook. I'm so glad I did.
This is absolutely the best Vietnamese cookbook I've ever seen. The recipes numerous, excellent and easy to follow. There are some pictures of prepared recipes (I wish there were more). Routhier, a native of Saigon, also suggests several menus, from "three simple menus", "two average menus", "two elegant menus", "vegetarian menus", "a vietnamese buffet", a "beef i seven ways dinner party", and a "dinner party from a Vietnamese grill".
Routhier also gives some insight into Vietnamese traditions for meals, and explains how to order meals in Vietnamese restaurants. She gives an overview of what types of foods are likely to be offered in most restaurants.
If you like Vietnamese food, and you want a multitude of authentic recipes, this is the #1 resource.
An eye opener for those who love authentic Vietnamese foods.......2003-09-11
Many authentic Vietnamese recipes, and some of which even I have not heard of before, even though I am Vietnamese. Once you have gathered all the herbs, the condiments, and the other necessary stuff to cook Vietnamese foods, then the actual cooking itself is quite simple. It is well worth the effort to cook the yummy dishes in this book. You will have a greater appreciation for Vietnamese foods and culture. The author does a fantastic job of explaining the recipes. This book is a must-have for serious Vietnamese foodie.
Beautiful Vietnamese cookbook with delicious recipes........2003-08-20
I'm Vietnamese, and I recognize a lot of the recipes in Nicole Routhier's book. I recognize the recipes because I've eaten them many times before, but I didn't know how to make them. Thanks to Nicole Routhier, now I can. The explanations of the recipes are clear and easy to follow, the photographs are gorgeous, the background information on the recipes are fun to read because one wants to know how the recipes relate to Nicole Routhier's eating habits when she was growing up. She points out which recipes are particularly delicious. The useful thing about this book is that it has a list of Vietnamese ingredients, and the author also puts a star next to ingredients that are absolutely necessary to have on hand in one's pantry. She also names some of her favorite brands for these ingredients. There is also a great list of mail-order places where one could order Vietnamese ingredients. The author points out certain things she does when she's not following the recipes authentically either because it's easier or because she thinks it's better. I like it that she tells me when her recipes are not 100% authentic. For example, she adds galangal to one of the soup recipes because she thinks it would taste better, even though galangal is not called for in an authentic recipe. By pointing this out, one could decide whether to add galangal or not. This cookbook is quite thorough. The only critical comment I have is that it does not have the recipes for "Banh Beo", "Banh La"("Banh Nam"), "Bun Bo Hue", and "Banh Canh". To be fair, though, I have not seen the recipe for "Banh Canh" in any other Vietnamese cookbooks either, and I've looked at many of them. The only place I could eat delicious "Banh Canh" is when I visit home, where the noodle is home-made fresh and the shrimp paste is home-made fresh. I just don't know how to make it. Common, Nicole, include these recipes in your future book!!!!!
Book Description
If cooking were painting, Vietnam would have on of the world's most colourful palettes. Practically anything can be grown in its diverse climate and, because the people have no culinary inhibitions, anything goes. Vietnam lays itself bare at the table and, with this unique guide, you are about to embark on an unforgettable culinary adventure.
- the essential guide to the culture of food & drink in Vietnam
- faces of gastronomy, profiles of the ordinary people and places that make Vietnamese cuisine unique
- an exploration of the regional influences that make up Vietnamese cuisine
- a special chapter on the bold palate of Vietnam
- the definitive culinary dictionary, a quick-reference glossary and useful phrases for every food & drink occasion
- tantalising photography & recipes
Customer Reviews:
Good Supplement.......2007-01-15
As one who uses the cuisine as a guide for their travelling, this is a must. Markets tend to be one of the more immersive activities tourists can experience, this book gives explanation of which markets in which cities, on which days can be found. Certainly worth buying in addition to the main Lonley Planet book. One could also find good advice of 'foodie' blogs in and around Hanoi / Saigon.
This particular version (Vietnam) gives a full pardon to establishing dietary restrictions in terms of unwashed vegetables and overall quality of meat. Not sure if this is correct, but then again I've never been there. Would be skeptical that this is indeed the case, but a paranoid Westerner I might be.
Essential Culinary Roadmap to Vietnam Even for the Non-Traveler.......2006-07-12
Any traveler worth his or her salt knows the best and easiest way to get to the heart of a country is to experience firsthand the culinary delights that country has to offer. Lonely Planet has figured this out by publishing a series of fine, pocket-sized books under their "World Food" series, and the Vietnam tome is one of their best thanks to the zeal of the author, Berkeley-based food adventurer Richard Sterling. This book was an invaluable guide for me when I visited that epicurean paradise five years ago as he covers the vast landscape of food and drink there. Sterling moves fluidly from the culture and history of Vietnamese cuisine through the staples and specialties you would find in a Vietnamese kitchen to the nuances of regional fare, whether it's the heavy influence of Chinese cuisine in the North or the use of exotic tropical fruit in Southern dishes.
I particularly like the sections that focus on celebrating with food, the delicacies you find in street kiosks and the chapter on the bold palate, which includes dishes that use toads, cobras, rodents and of course, dogs. Obviously not all the food is meant to be savored by everyone, but this provides a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide to the variety of tastes and sensations to be experienced including a definitive culinary dictionary, a quick-reference glossary and useful phrases when you order food and drink there. Sterling includes recipes, city maps highlighting his favorite eateries, and the "Faces of Gastronomy", which highlights local chefs and food experts. In fact, when I visited Hoi An, I visited one of them based on the author's recommendation, Miss Vy, who owns the Mermaid Restaurant. I took one of her four-hour cooking classes and was able to discover for myself many of the epicurean joys found in the pages of this helpful book. If Sterling's knowledgeable prose is not enough, the wonderful photographs should convince you. Regardless of whatever guidebook you purchase for more general information, no trip to Vietnam should be without this one. Armchair travelers will rejoice as well.
Thumbs up to this book.......2005-12-18
We just went to Vietnam this year. The book was very helpful to identify and discuss various food items in Vietnamese cuisine. It is also small and easily "packable". It seems it is not intended to be a listing of restaurants, and some of those that are listed do not exist anymore. Nevertheless, we still found the book useful. It does seem to be written from an Australian point of view, if that makes any difference to you.
Fine fun book.......2000-06-03
As a food writer planning a trip to Vietnam (for personal, not food-related reasons), I found this book to be an excellent introduction to the culture and cuisine. I may never cook any of the recipes in it, but it's helped me know what to look for when I go, and to anticipate my trip even more. I thought it was very well-written. Sterling's sense of adventure and good living are apparent in the guide in an infectious, inviting way. He is judgemental about no one but the foreign young people who go to Vietnam to eat fake burgers and wiener schnitzel instead of the light, beautiful food. And the photographs are as compelling as the writing. Buy this book!
fact correction on previous review.......2000-05-10
the reference to dog meat preperation contrary to Lonely Planet's description is from Robert Templer's _Shadow and Wind: A View of Modern Viet Nam_.
Customer Reviews:
a classic.......2004-01-30
My mother bought this book as a first edition and cooked from it when I was a child so I am somewhat biased towards it. page 110 is favourite.. stir fried beef with french fries was one of my favourite one dish meals as a kid, and brings back lots of memories.
Compared to Nicole Routhiers book which is all flashy, this book is a lot more about home cooking (the food styling in the pictures is non existant.. which is cool and refreshing if a bit dated) it also has recipes for things like vietnamese pâtés, something rarely included nowdays because it is widely available in vietnamese stores ( not true when the book was written in the 70's). Some recipes need a bit of ajusting, but all in all this book is a real asset.. I still have my mum's original copy.. I had it rebound and recovered and I still cook from it.
Priceless book........2003-08-20
This book has the most authentic Vietnamese recipes, even pickled pig's ears! Whoa! I couldn't believe it when I saw it because I've eaten it before. I'm Vietnamese, after all. This book is a treasure because it authentically writes down many Vietnamese recipes for future Vietnamese generations to enjoy. With so many changes in the world, I'm afraid that future Vietnamese generations will not know how authentic Vietnamese foods are prepared. I had to buy a used copy from Amazon.com because this book is out of print. I hope this book will be re-printed one day. The author, Bach Ngo, does not try to show how creative and inventive she is, rather she simply writes down valuable authentic recipes. If you are Vietnamese and you want an authentic Vietnamese cookbook, this is the one you should buy. It's an heirloom, for sure. Personally, I do not buy Vietnamese cookbooks that do not have authentic Vietnamese recipes.
Classic, Authentic Vietnamese recipes.......2001-05-01
When I left home for college, what I missed most was my mother's Vietnamese cuisine. This book was a lifesaver! The recipes are all familiar, from the fancier noodle soups, Pho and Bun Bo Hue, to the basics, such as omlettes and picked mustard greens. Each of the dishes come with an introduction accompanying their Vietnamese name. The region of the dish is sometimes discussed as well as when the dish is enjoyed and with what. The recipes are very easy to follow. I recommend this book for anyone who wants an AUTHENTIC Vietnamese cookbook. I am just sorry to see that it's out of print.
Good food, easy to cook.......2000-11-17
This book contained some of the tastiest dishes I ever prepared. It has many good recipes with easy to found ingredients (such as chicken and ginger). Preparations are easy and fast (under 30 minutes).
Great book.......2000-08-08
I am Vietnamese and have grown up in a home with authentic Vietnamese cooking. Most all of the recipes in this book are great and easy to follow. My only recommendation would be to add pictures. But it is a great book nonetheless. I especially like how it contains the Vietnamese name of each dish so I can better identify it (since I only know what the dishes are called in Vietnamese).
Book Description
Vietnamese cooking is famous for its fresh flavors and artfully composed meal it is the true "light cuisine" of Asia. Delicate soups and stir-fries, and well-seasoned grilled foods served with rice or noodles are packed with fresh herbs and spices. Stunning photography and simple step-by-step instructions make Vietnamese Cooking Made Easy the perfect introduction to the world of Vietnamese cuisine.
Customer Reviews:
Great food.......2006-04-28
"A Vietnamese Kitchen" is a tribute to the author's homeland and heritage.
Ha Roda, born in Saigon, authored this cookbook which features her native cuisine, Vietnamese. Her aunt was a chef and inspired her to cook. After living numerous years in the United States, Roda decided to pen this book and share with Americans her heritage and adapting recipes to meet the American palate!
Americans first became widely aware of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Afterwards, there was a surge of Vietnamese immigrants to our country. This cookbook demonstrates the food of these people and a celebration of a wonderful culture.
The recipes in this book are tasty and easy-to-follow. Unlike a lot of Hippocrene Books (the Publisher), this cookbook does contain photographs. They are black and white photos of each recipe.
The chapters in this book are: Sauces & Condiments; Appetizers; Soups & Salads; Rice & Noodles; Stir-Fries; Kho Dishes; Meat & Seafood; Desserts; and Meal Planning. Some of my favorite recipes are: Pepper Steak, Vietnamese Vanilla Yogurt, Tofu Curry and Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup.
I really enjoyed Ha Roda's "A Vietnamese Kitchen". It showed me the similarities with other Asian cultures, as well as Vietnam's unique differences.
Familie Recipies Migrated to American Style.......2005-09-03
Vietnamese foods are a rather recent development in the United States. The Viet Nam war introduced thousands to the food, and the Vietnamese people who came to America after the war brought their foods with them. It has taken some time for Vietnamese foods to have become established as one of the authentic ethnic foods available over most of the country.
In part this time delay was caused by the availability of authentic spices. Either American spices had to be substituted for the traditional spices or the Vietnamese spices had to be either imported or grown here.
In this book Ha Roda, born in Saigon, has had to adapt the Vietnamese recipies to the American kitchens and cooking styles. She started with the basic recipies of her aunt Bac Kit, a retired chef. This book is a tribute to her family and to the Vietnamese that have been a welcome asset to American life as well as foods.
Books:
- The Naturally Sweet Baker : 150 Decadent Desserts Made With Honey, Maple Syrup, and Other Delicious Alternatives to Refined Sugar
- The Rum Diary : A Novel
- The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
- The South Beach Diet Good Fats/Good Carbs Guide (Revised): The Complete and Easy Reference for All Your Favorite Foods
- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker
- The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook: Delicious Dairy-Free Cheeses and Classic "Uncheese" Dishes
- The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing
- Today I Made My First Communion
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir
- The Edison Trait: Saving the Spirit of Your Free-Thinking Child in a Conforming World
- May I Quote You, General Longstreet: Observations and Utterances of the South's Great Generals
- Israeli And Palestinian Narratives of Conflict: History's Double Helix
- Simple Chinese Cooking
- The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
- Studies in the Philosophy of Biology: Reduction and Related Problems
- Health Professions Education Directory 1998-1999
- Opportunities in Marine And Maritime Careers
- Architectural Drafting and Design, 4E
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
Quick & Easy Vietnamese: Home Cooking for Everyone (Quick and Easy Series)
Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia
The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking: Favorite Recipes from Lemon Grass Restaurant and Cafes
Quick & Easy Vietnamese: 75 Everyday Recipes (Quick & Easy)
