[.ca] Food Of Vietnam (ISBN 9625933948)

Pretty..but is not a must have:
It has pretty pictures and some chatty writing but I would not consider it a must have on the shelf of Vietnamese cooking. Though it is better than alot of Vietnamese cookbooks I have come across. Flaws include: 1) Assumption of knowledge of meat preparation including how to clean squid and cutting for tenderness; 2) Does not prepare reader fully when recipe is longer than 15 minutes. Yes indeed it will take more than 15, matter of fact, it will approach an hour or so (yipes); 3) Some recipes especially stocks are westernized excessively (celery! no star anise); The section on pickles though is good. So are the pictures dealing with ingredients. Get this pupster on a discount not at full retail. It is good as a supplement but it is not a desert island classic.

Entertaining but not informative:
This book belongs to one of many in a series of world cuisines and I have found all of them to be embellished with decorative and beautiful pictures. Unfortunately, the recipes that accompany them tend to be instructionally inexplicit and often poor interpretations of the recipes of these countries. If you're interested in getting a crash course in a new cuisine this book is perfect, but pass on this book if you are a serious cook.

Easy recipes for College Students!:
I am currently attending college and cooking is not my forte! However, I love Vietnamese food and wanted a book with pictures to help guide my limited culinary skills. This book is the one!! The bright, colorful, and detailed pictures help the novice chef to determine whether he/ she is on the right track. The recipes are easy to follow and I actually had fun cooking! Take it from me, I'm Vietnamese and the recipes are authentic!