Foods of Vietnam

Rating:
Summary: Authentic, Beautiful, and Insightful
Review: I love this book and recommend it to everyone who inquires about Vietnamese cooking. The recipes are authentic and easy to follow; the pictures are beautiful and helpful; and the stories behind the recipe are insightful. The only drawback is there is no table of contents for the name of the recipe -- just the main category like appetizer, soup, etc.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Vietnamese cookbook with delicious recipes.
Review: 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!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: An eye opener for those who love authentic Vietnamese foods
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: simply beautiful!
Review: many vietnamese cookbooks will stray from true vietnamese cuisine, but not this cookbook. nicole routhier gives you the true form of vietnamese cuisine with elegance and style.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Vietnamese Cookbook
Review: Mom never taught me to cook as a child. As an adult, it was very difficult to learn from her because she only cooks by taste. Recipes from other sources I've tried did not at all taste familiar, but I've finally found it. The Foods of Vietnam was everything I was looking for. The recipes are easy to follow and the flavors are deliciously authentic.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS EVER!
Review: My mother is a superb Vietnamese cook and I have been able to teach her a thing or two from this book. Notably, the recipe for the Steamed Meatloaf takes a fraction of time than my mother's recipe and tastes just as good (if not better). The recipes are superb and easy-to-follow. If only all cookbooks delivered such consistently delicious results....

Rating:
Summary: Nicole Routhier rocks!
Review: Seafood, Chicken, Beef, and more Meat! Some of the recipies include stuffed squid heads, boiled chicken wings, Grilled stuffed grape leaves, sweet rice dumplings with ginger syrup, and fresh spring rolls! Some of the dishes look really healthy. It appears to contain a lot of south asian fancy food. I am not a big fan of seafood - but those who are will probably really enjoy this book!

Rating:
Summary: Seafood and other meats.
Review: Seafood, Chicken, Beef, and more Meat! Some of the recipies include stuffed squid heads, boiled chicken wings, Grilled stuffed grape leaves, sweet rice dumplings with ginger syrup, and fresh spring rolls! Some of the dishes look really healthy. It appears to contain a lot of south asian fancy food. I am not a big fan of seafood - but those who are will probably really enjoy this book!

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully and well put together!
Review: This book has beautiful photographs and the instructions are well written enough so that both the novice and the expert will appreciate it. Those Vietnamese people who would like to learn more about their own culture and cooking will also be delighted with this book. Every one of the recipes I have cooked in this book have come out wonderful! The book also includes a list of what stores have the Vietnamese ingredients and an index explaining the various ingredients.

Rating:
Summary: This is a beautiful as well as practical book.
Review: This book is wonderful. The recipes are clear and easy to follow. The ingredients are now more available to the home cook. The photography is great.The author is a superb teacher. I am very disappointed that this book is out of print.