Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
by Andrea Nguyen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Andrea NguyenPhotographer: Leigh Beisch
Foreword: Bruce Cost
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-10-01
ISBN: 1580086659
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Book Reviews of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
Book Review: Excellent Modern Treatment of Viet Cuisine. Buy It.
Summary: 5 Stars
`Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors' by Vietnamese / American culinary journalist and teacher, Andrea Nguyen is a superior book on a minor national cuisine. What is surprising is how rich this `minor' cuisine can be in comparison, for example, to other `minor' cuisines I know such as those from the Philippines, Poland, Malaysia, and Hungary.
Just as Poland's cuisine is a satellite of both French and Russian cuisines, the Viet cuisine is an amalgam of Chinese, Indian (by way of Thailand), and French cuisines. The fact that the differences between Chinese and French cooking are so great has probably contributed much to the glorious variety we find in this delightful book.
One important observation is that this book is not, a la Paula Wolfert, a study of `authentic' Viet cooking. As the subtitle clearly suggests, there is much in the book that is `modern', for which we must read `post-Vietnam war and emigration from Vietnam'. On the one hand, Ms. Nguyen was a very young girl when her family escaped the collapse of South Vietnam, so all her adult culinary experience has been from life in California. On the other hand, her primary source of ethnic recipes is a little notebook compiled by her mother while they lived an upper middle class life near Saigon. A good illustration of the tug of traditional and modern influences can be found in the very first recipe for baked shrimp toasts, adapted from the more traditional Chinese / Viet fired shrimp toasts. Rather than copy directly from Mom's cookbook, the author borrows a Susana Foo recipe.
I generally need to find only one or two things to make me excited about a new cookbook, but this one has several.
The first thing to impress me was the degree to which the author remained true to her Viet ingredients. While the author did some modernization (see paragraph above), she made every effort to remain true to her homeland's original flavors. Fortunately, almost all common Oriental ingredients are readily available in either megamarts or Asiatic markets. Unfortunately, there are still a few fresh herbs that may still be beyond the pale. For those, the author helpfully supplies sources for seeds where, if you really need to, you can grow your own.
The second very good thing I found was the rich source of noodle dishes. There is just something so iconic about noodle soup which extends far beyond the classic Jewish mother stories. It is the central theme of the great Japanese foodie movie, `Tampopo' and it seems to pop up in all sorts of well-known Sci Fi movies such as `Blade Runner' and `The Fifth Element'. Almost seems as if Harrison Ford and Bruce Willis can't get through a thriller without some comfort food.
The third good thing was the recipe for the Chinese classic steamed buns (in Vietnamese, Banh Bao), done with baking powder instead of yeast. Every reasonably authentic recipe I have encountered usually runs to two or three pages, so any reasonable simplification is welcome, since these little goodies are such terrific treats.
The fourth good thing are the Crepe recipes, which I'm sure are a pure intersection of French and Oriental culinary traditions. The most important aspect of the recipes is that the primary starch is rice rather than wheat flour.
The fifth good thing is the charcuterie recipes. Amazingly, this is not all transplanted French technique. These few recipes may be a bit much unless you are familiar with charcuterie techniques (see `Charcuterie' by leading culinary journalist Michael Ruhlman and Charcuterie expert and chef, Brian Poleyn for the skinny on this technique), but if you are willing, this is a whole new dimension to the technique.
The sixth good thing is the uniquely Asian chicken stock that includes ginger and little else aside from the chicken and onions. Every time I get tired of seeing yet another recipe for chicken stock, I'll remember this one as an exemplar of a simple recipe that makes a difference.
The last `good thing' I will note is the recipe for Mood Cakes (Banh Nuong) which seem to have a strong family resemblance to German Springerle cookies, for which you need a special mold to impress a design on the surface of the cake. Hidden in this really long recipe is the fact that these are very special kinds of savoury filled pastry like the Chinese steamed buns cited above. This is one of those recipes you want when you want to impress even the most jaded foodie. Just be sure to realize that this may end up being a two or three day project.
This is the first Viet cuisine cookbook I have reviewed, but I can see it is superior to most cookbooks I've seen on other `minor' cuisines. It's just that after reading this book, I'm not sure the Viet cuisine is `minor', as it seems to have as many distinctive features as it's neighboring Thai cuisine.
If you want or `need' to cook Viet, this book is a must. If like me you just happen to omnivorously lap up any and all unusual cooking styles, this book is a great addition to your collection.
Summary of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors
When author Andrea Nguyen's family was airlifted out of Saigon in 1975, one of the few belongings that her mother hurriedly packed for the journey was her small orange notebook of recipes. Thirty years later, Nguyen has written her own intimate collection of recipes, INTO THE VIETNAMESE KITCHEN, an ambitious debut cookbook that chronicles the food traditions of her native country. Robustly flavored yet delicate, sophisticated yet simple, the recipes include steamy pho noodle soups infused with the aromas of fresh herbs and lime; rich clay-pot preparations of catfish, chicken, and pork; classic bánh mě sandwiches; and an array of Vietnamese charcuterie. Nguyen helps readers shop for essential ingredients, master core cooking techniques, and prepare and serve satisfying meals, whether for two on a weeknight or 12 on a weekend.Reviews?Andrea Nguyen may be to Vietnamese food what Julia Child was to French fare and Barbara Tropp to Chinese cuisine.??Chicago Tribune?Best for: Anyone who wants to fall in love?truly, madly, deeply?with Vietnamese food.??San Jose Mercury News?[A] smart, soulful collection of Vietnamese recipes.??Saveur?A comprehensive take on a delicate yet dynamic cuisine.??Philadelphia Inquirer?No other author has presented such a detailed account of the culinary abilities of Vietnamese home cooks, and subjects like the role of pickled vegetables and the techniques of charcuterie have never been so clearly explained for a wide audience.??New York Times"Only now is Vietnamese food culture getting the attention it deserves, and a book of this beauty and seriousness will do much to explain the origins, traditions, and refinement of the country's cuisine.??John Mariani's Virtual Gourmet?Nguyen makes Vietnamese cuisine accessible with this extensive cookbook, which stretches from soup to charcuterie.??Houston Chronicle?An impressive, carefully researched, and thoroughly readable guide to Vietnamese food and culinary tradition.??Library Journal
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