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Lemongrass and Lime: New Vietnamese Cooking
Mark Read Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover  General
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ASIN: 1580083218 |
Amazon.com
"Vietnamese cuisine is light, subtle, and packed with flavor," writes Mogens Tholstrup, owner of the London restaurant Bam-Bou, whose cooking Lemongrass and Lime celebrates. The work of chef Mark Read, Lemongrass and Lime features 70 recipes based on traditional Vietnamese cooking--a delightful blend of Chinese, Indian, and French culinary influences that dips into modernity with the use of unconventional ingredients like fresh dill and teriyaki sauce. The dishes, such as Barbecued Pork Ribs with Hoisin Sauce, Pan-Fried Duck Breast with Crispy Cabbage and Sesame Soy Dressing, Coconut Curried Vegetables, and Raw Marinated Salmon with Cucumber and Cilantro, are mouthwatering. Readers should be aware, however, that the book, published originally in the U.K., has been inadequately adapted for American cooks. Some ingredients must be "translated" before cooking can begin, and measurements have also been incompletely converted in some cases (one recipe, for example, calls for eight tablespoons of honey rather than the more conventional and convenient one-half cup.) Cooks willing to make the extra effort will, however, produce remarkable food, which is in itself uncomplicated to prepare. With a tempting selection of desserts, such as Chocolate and Lemongrass Mousse, a section on drinks, menu suggestions, and a full ingredient glossary, this color-photo-illustrated cookbook is sure to expand culinary horizons while delighting those who enjoy its food. --Arthur BoehmBook Description
Evolving over the centuries, Vietnamese cuisine has drawn on the influences of Chinese, Indian, and French cuisine, and absorbed them to create an irresistible combination of delicate flavors, fresh ingredients, fantastic textures, and a simple, approachable cooking style. Vietnamese food is enjoying a rising popularity in the United States, with restaurants such as San Francisco's Slanted Door and New York's Le Colonial drawing national attention. LEMONGRASS AND LIME introduces modern Vietnamese cooking, as pioneered by chef Mark Read. Recipes range from traditional dishes, such as Sour Green Mango Salad or Pho-Bo Noodle Soup, to divinely decadent fare, like Crispy Quail with Watercress and Tamarind or Chocolate and Lemongrass Mousse. With its insight into the food traditions of Vietnam, detailed guide to ingredients, and over 70 recipes, this beautifully illustrated book contains everything you need to know to prepare sensational Vietnamese dishes.Customer Reviews:
What a travesty.......2004-07-18
Much better than some of the other reviewers seem to think!.......2003-02-05
Give me a break!.......2003-01-08
Just say 'No'.......2001-11-06
Okay, on the plus side this book has beautiful photos almost too beautiful to have in a working kitchen. Some of the pictures are so artful one asks the question of what is the picture's purpose? For many of the photos are not instructional photos that show techniques or states of the food except as finished product.
Design --
It is a outsized volume that is perfect for the coffee table but maybe a bit unwieldy in a book holder. The size I am sure, was determined by the photo layout and not the recipes for they occupy very little space.
The layout is of ingredients listed way on the bottom with instructions for the recipe not quite center with the use of a lot of white space and very artistic photos of something that may not be related to the dish. All thisdone on glossy paper.
Problems --
Poorly edited: The book forgets steps in the use of ingredients and has the unique distinction of having an editor who did not bother providing temperature setting equivalents for UK oven markings. So it is not geared for the American kitchen at all. What does Mark # mean for your temperature specific oven? Good guessing is required or a reference. The writer or editor might have tried to do the simple modification of providing both English and degree settings for the recipes. It shows a lack of care.
The Recipes --
I will grant that this is supposed to be 'NEW' Vietnamese cuisine but I find the book making way too many changes and tradeoffs to have it termed Vietnamese except in the broadest sense. An example is the use of butter in recipes e.g., beef and chicken stock. Also, the recipes may require more than what your average thrifty Vietnamese grandma might use such as, veal bones and 10 egg whites to clarify the stock.
The chicken broth/stock was pretty thin in the making just the use of chicken wings which creates a thinner less full broth which may shortchange the strength of broth based dishes. More traditional recipes would actually use a whole chicken to provide fuller flavor and maximize the thriftiness of having a chicken cooked at the same time for another dish.
Vietnamese cooking already has French influences and has chosen and discarded based on what is appropriate so I found it a bit disconcerting that some recipes seem to go very French in technique and then shift to what I term, (fast) cooking where trade-offs are made for unclear reasons. I guess what I am saying is that the vision of the book and its recipes were unclear.
The recipes seem to be a marriage of alot of French technique with some Vietnamese spicing. But is it THE torch of a new direction in Vietnamese cuisine? I hope not because it would be robbed of a depth of flavor and boldness of vision.
My recommendation is do not get this book if you are a serious cook or even a novice for the recipes are more complicated than the novice needs while the serious cook will gain nothing useful from the volume in either background, technique or flavor that is not already in their repetoire.
Don't Try to Cook with this Book!.......2001-10-21
In a casual review of recipes, I found numerous editing mistakes. For example, one recipe gives you detailed directions for baking and mashing a potato. It then moves on to the next ingredients and never tells you what to do with the perfectly mashed potato! Similarly, there are references to ingredients not previously mentioned and inane instructions like refrigerating fresh fish for a MAXIMUM of one hour.
Overall, it feels like the book was rushed to market and/or published by cookbook neophites. Disappointing as the title, pictures, and dish descriptions are all quite mouth-watering.
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