Authentic Vietnamese Cooking: Food from a Family Table Hardcover – December 8, 1999

This book was a good book. I returned it because I bought it by accident. But I looked through the recipes and saw they are authentic and well presented. The seller was also prompt, and this item came as expected.

This is yet another book by Corinne Trang that is on my list of 10 Most Valued cookbooks. I am finding so many things of value in her writings and recipes that are of great encouragement. Each time I read one of her books I am left with a renewed enthusiasm to learn more about Asian cooking as she sees it. The day I discovered her books was a good day for me and I appreciate her for sharing with all of us the knowledge and wisdom she's acquired from her diverse background in delicious and wholesome food. Thank you, Corinne, for another great insight.

One of the best Vietnamese cookbooks in English!

Easy to read and understand. My husband says it's a fantastic book and is a great anniversary present.

Great book that had the exact Pho recipe I wanted to make and some really great recipes as well

I said I love it, now stop asking me to waste time typing for your benefit, thank you very much.

gift

I collect Vietnamese cookbooks and so found this cookbook very valuable:1 - the recipes are relatively authentic; 2 - very easy to understandThis and Pham's _Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking_ should be the references bought though Routhier's _Foods of Viet Nam_ is considered a standard.Pham's recipes are more westernized but background information is good and recipes are sound.I have yet to track down independent publications from Australia but I would say this comes closest to the recipes garnered from personal interviews with Vietnamese home cooks.Vietnamese cooking allows variation making room for available ingredients and influences (it is the best of fusion). So if the Trang recipe does not resemble the very traditional recipes of family it still contains the basic outline.You will encounter recipes usually not covered such as pork pate and other delicacies.I was also impressed that Trang decided to discuss exotic meats including dog. Usually Vietnamese and Asian cookbooks in general avoid the topic completely but Trang decided to confront the issue (bravo). Trang is quite correct that eating of certain exotic meats is restricted to males (aphrodisiacs) and interviews with Vietnamese cooks confirm this.An essential reference for Vietnamese cookbooks but keep in mind that the home recipes are still varied and that this it is not an exhaustive source book.Another thing to keep in mind that this book does not cover in great detail techniques regarding preparation of meats (asumption is made that you already know to slice against the grain for beef)The most glaring flaw of meat preparation and options is demonstrated in the pho ba recipe which does mention the use of tendon but not its preparation. It skips tripe as well. Discusses condiments as sidebar but does not tell you what condiments to use with pho (hoisin, chili paste, nouc mam, lemon wedges).A good recipe source but not definitive in technique. I would have on hand a book devoted to Asian preparation practice in conjunction with this book.Overall, the best available American books for a Vietnamese collection are this book, Pham's _Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking_ and Nicole Routhier's _Foods of Viet Name_ or _The Best of Nicole Routhier_.Recommended but not definitive.