Customer Reviews

The Foods of Vietnam

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought many Vietnamese cookbooks in search for "THE ONE" that will teach me how to cook authentic Vietnamese food and I found "IT". This book not only teaches one to cook Vietnamese food in easy to follow instructions, but also teaches some Vietnamese cultures behind each dish. My Aunt is a great cook and after reviewing this book, her comments were "You will be a great Vietnamese cook if you follow the recipes in this book". I strongly recommend this book for anybody who wants to learn how to cook Vietnamese food. Yes, I still have to measure each tablespoon or teaspoon, but my dishes came out super every time. Another reason for this book to be so great are the outstanding pictures that came with each dish. Thanks Nicole.

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.

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.

I am Vietnamese and have grown up in a home with authentic Vietnamese cooking. Most of these recipes are good, except I have found a few that I found not to be 100% authentic. For example, the Bo Luc Lac should be cut into cubes, not sliced. However, the book is still excellent because I have not yet found a Vietnamese cookbook with photos as wonderful as these. I also recommend The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam by Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman.

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!!!!!

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....

When this book came out, I purchased 7 cookbooks as future gifts for my brothers and sisters (afraid of it being out of print one day). This book is very authentic and definitely good for the cooks of all cultures and ages. Younger vietnamese who struggle (like me) to read those rare cookbooks written in vietnamese, will love this book, for it is written in english, and just like what momma makes. Definitely authentic and an heirloom! I hope Nicole Routhier writes another book with more recipies - someone needs to archive all the great vietnamese recipies so I can pass them on to future generations!

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.

I am Vietnamese and love to eat Vietnamese food. I tried several recipes from this book and they turned out great. I highly recommend this book to whoever wants to learn about Vietnamese cooking. The instructions is very easy to follow. The only disappointment that I have is that there is no "Bu'n bo` Hue^'" recipe in this book.:=(

Having returned from Vietnam, I wanted to find a book that would give me an introduction on the country's cuisine. This book does that, and more. I've used perhaps a dozen recipes and they have all turned out quite good. I find the recipes themselves to be clear and accurate. Used it for Lunar New Years and had a spectacular success with the dinner, making 5 courses and having everyone pitch in. Highly recommended.