Lord, this just hit the newsstands and that's my Shaking Beef recipe from Vietnamese Food Any Day on the cover! It's absolutely gorgeous and I'm so happy. This is the first time that one of my recipes made the cover of a magazine. If you're a subscriber, the issue will arrive shortly.
What's inside? A fantastic 14-page Master Class on Vietnamese cooking basics. Food and Wine editors asked me to put together ideas that will help cooks gain greater confidence with Viet flavors and techniques. The February 2019 issue focuses on home and hearth, a great theme for the beginning of the year when many of us are still nesting in winter and gearing up for spring's reset.
I worked with a dear friend and F&W food editor, Mary-Frances Heck, to plot the story. Together, we came up with seven topics to anchor the feature. These are things that I believe are helpful in establishing a foundation for cooking Vietnamese food well. Some of the recipes are from Vietnamese Food Any Day while others were developed especially for the feature. I hope you enjoy it!
I've been writing about Vietnamese and Asian cooking in general for about fifteen years. It's incredible rewarding to see a national magazine like Food and Wine make lots of space at the American table for Vietnamese foodways.
And there's more!
When it rains, it pours. This weekend, the Wall Street Journal published a story I wrote about photo-less cookbooks. I all started with a Twitter conversation with Matt Sartwell of Kitchen Arts and Letters bookshop in New York. He got me thinking, reading and cooking from works that I've long cherished and learned from. For the story, I interviewed friends and colleagues, including legendary Indian food expert, Julie Sahni.
If you don't subscribe to WSJ, you may face a paywall with this link to the story.
London Calling
The U.K. is warming up to Vietnamese cooking! Last week, the Times in London requested recipes from Vietnamese Food Any Day. It was a fast turnaround and I granted them permission through my publisher.
The Times adjusted the recipes to meet U.K. standards and just published them. I'm totally stoked. My aim with this new book is to make Vietnamese food accessible to a broader audience and encourage more cooks to incorporate it into their repertoire. I was targeting the American cook but this overseas reception is a heartwarming surprise.
All of these exciting things happened during a strange week that started out with our cell phones being stolen in the Mexico City subway. It was our last day there and we weren't hurt, just inconvenienced. We came home, got new phones and then our internet went out due the storms in California.
The universe then smiled brightly and showered me with Viet food love! I can't wait for the book to release on February 5 and see what people do with all the recipes and tips tucked inside the covers!
Yes, you can preview and pre-order the book to ensure that you get it sooner than later. Thanks for the enthusiasm and support!
Related post and info
Grilled Slash Chicken Recipe -- a sneak peek recipe!
Upcoming book-related events are on this page, in case you're nearby.
Gina Bisaillon says
I’m sorry to hear of your misadventure in the Mexico City metro. I’ve lived in Mexico on and off for nearly 40 years and keep hearing of tourists being robbed here and in many other large cities like Paris, Barcelona, etc.
I undestand that cell phones are a favourite target nowadays but in my travelling youth it was lingerie that disappeared from my hotel closet, both in.Rome and in Casablanca!
Andrea Nguyen says
Lingerie as the prized object of petty thieves? How wonderfully romantic. Those must have been amazing travels you had.
After I shared that we'd been pick pocketed (they were coordinated and fast), people came forth to share their own stories. It made me feel better to be just another statistic. I'm fine with contributing to Mexico's grey market economy. Like in the U.S. and elsewhere, I wish there were better opportunities for people to earn a decent, honest living.
Thank you!
Jeanette says
I was so delighted to receive your mail and immediately subscribed so that I can read the feature. Congratulations!! The cover looks stunning!
Just to let your international readers know, they can get the issue (or a subscription) easily online through ZINIO! Can’t wait to learn from this beautiful issue and take a crack at that Shaking Beef.
Andrea Nguyen says
Jeanette, thanks for the tip to Zinio! So happy to hear from you.
Nina says
Your article made me get a Food and Wine subscription 🙂 So much looking forward to your new book coming out very soon! Can’t wait...pre-ordered it a long time ago...the preview looks gorgeous.
Andrea Nguyen says
Yowza!!! I look forward to seeing what you cook up from the new book!
Margaret Rattle says
I’m a longtime fan of your books and blog and am DELIGHTED that the wider world is recognizing you after all your hard work—congratulations!
I’m looking forward to your new book release; Asian Tofu is still the best book on the subject.
Thanks for everything!
Margaret in Oregon
Andrea Nguyen says
Thank you so much, Margaret! I love Asian Tofu, and am incredibly thrilled that you enjoy the book. The new book is wonderfully liberating and fun.
Sue R says
Congratulations, what a gorgeous cover that is! Us Aussie's adore Vietnamese food. It's so fresh and tasty. I make all sorts of Asian cusine. Tonight it's Korean and a couple of nights ago Filipino. I can't get enough of it. We are desperately wanting to go to Vietnam next year mostly for the food 🙂
Andrea Nguyen says
Yes, Aussies have a great appreciate for Viet food. I've visited Cabramatta with Luke Nguyen. The ingredients you have are amazing, too. What a treat. Thank you for taking time to read, cook, and write such a kind note!