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I’ve long contended that China influenced Vietnamese pho big time, but it wasn’t till this week that I got a clear sense of what Chinese beef pho is actually like. Yes, it exists, and I found a recipe in my friend Georgia Freedman’s new book, Cooking South of the Clouds, which focuses on the cooking…
You read that right. I can barely believe that I got to type that. Last Friday in New York, in front of about 600 people, The Pho Cookbook was awarded one of the culinary world’s highest accolades, a James Beard Foundation Award for Excellence. Who is that man on the medal? The late James Beard…
My husband and I were both skeptical, but for the sake of pho, we went to try the phorrito at Komodo in Los Angeles. It was December 2016, a couple days before Christmas. I posted a photo of myself eating the unusual noodle soup wrap on Instagram. There was curiosity, some disbelief, and a…
Is this banh mi salad a banh mi? Yes, because banh mi means bread and sandwich in the Vietnamese language. This salad uses elements of the banh mi sandwich to create a light and refreshing summer dish. Bread is the star and this banh mi salad is a great way to use day-old baguette. After…
I love sandwiches and I love mayonnaise. It’s a win-win situation. I bought the condiment for years abut while writing The Banh Mi Handbook, I spent about a month working on different recipes – from regular and eggless (vegan) to Sriracha and umami mayonnaise. Making mayo from scratch is utterly easy. Moreover, homemade mayonnaise takes…
When summer hits, I’m on the lookout for green tomatoes. No, not the heirloom, fancy ones that are green in their ripe state. I’m talking rock hard, unripe tomatoes. They’re firm, meaty and perfect for pickling because they’ll retain a little crunch. I eat pickles too fast to do the canning jars and sterilization. Instead,…
Anthony Bourdain’s sudden death triggered an outpouring of emotion from all over, but for me, it eventually led me into the kitchen to make wonton noodle soup and refresh my memory of experiences long ago. My first job after college was with the federal government. I was a bank examiner and quickly learned to hate…
My mother isn’t a touchy-feely person but we are close. We’re food pals and though I check in with her on a regular basis, this week, I’m thinking a lot about what it means to be a parent. I don’t have kids or even a pet but I do appreciate what it takes to be…
Meet xian bing, pan-fried dumplings the size hockey pucks. They are shaped like traditional bao but the dough does not contain any leavening agent. I fell for them years ago at a spot called the Beijing Pie House in Monterey Park, a major hub for excellent Chinese food located east of Los Angeles. The Beijing…
Try as I may, sometimes I end up eating lunch at my desk. It’s not a sad lunch, though, because I do my best to make it a little special. Vietnamese hot chile sauce is often involved to lend just the just the right fruity hit of heat. The homemade bright orange red condiment lifts…
Apricots originated in China and then spread westward, writes Joyce Goldstein in Jam Session, her new book on fruit preserving. I knew that ginger started out in southern Asia so Joyce’s apricot ginger jam recipe seemed like a natural Asian combination of ingredients. I’ve been fixated on apricots because its seasoning is winding down around…
Plum sauce does not have to be relegated to a duck-only, restaurant-ish experience. This Asian-style plum sauce recipe started out as a way to use up a bunch of plums that my brother, Dan, had given me. He’s a pharmacist in Fresno and many of the patients that he interacts with are local farmers who…
Hello, this site was created and maintained by me — Andrea Nguyen. Based in Northern California, I’m a James Beard Award-winning author, freelance writer, editor, cooking teacher, and consultant. Let’s dig in →
