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The Memory of Taste

Vietnamese American Recipes from PhΓΊ Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between
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( 16 ratings, 4 reviews)
Brief Description
A playful collection of over 85 Vietnamese and Viet American dishes and immersive travel photography from Top Chef alum Tu David Phu that blends the Oakland native's modern culinary style with the food wisdom from his refugee family. A playful collection of over 85 Vietnamese and... Read More
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"A playful collection of California-Vietnamese dishes from Top Chef contestant Tu David Phu that integrates the Oakland native's ambitious and modern culinary style with the food wisdom from his parents that nurtured him"--

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A playful collection of over 85 Vietnamese and Viet American dishes and immersive travel photography from Top Chef alum Tu David Phu that blends the Oakland native's modern culinary style with the food wisdom from his refugee family.

A playful collection of over 85 Vietnamese and Viet American dishes and immersive travel photography from Top Chef alum Tu David Phu that's "full of powerful writing and compelling flavors" (Saveur).

"Stripped of Oriental exoticism, this is a cookbook infused with the intense flavors of refugee kitchens and the inauthentic authenticity of the diaspora." - Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of Pulitzer Prize winner The Sympathizer

Tu David Phu trained in the nation's top restaurants only to realize the culinary lessons that truly impacted him were those passed on by his parents, refugees from PhΓΊ Quα»‘c. In his hometown of Oakland, California, his parents taught him hard-won lessons in frugality, food-covery cooking, and practical gill-to-fin eating.

Centered around Tu's childhood memories in the diverse Bay Area and family stories of life on PhΓΊ Quα»‘c island, The Memory of Taste explores the Phu family's ability to thrive and adapt from one coastal community to another. With tried-and-true tips like how to butcher a fish, tastebud-tingling flavour combinations, and stunning photographs, Tu guides both novice and experienced chefs alike in his take on Viet cooking, including:

  • Staples in every Vietnamese kitchen like CΖ‘m TαΊ₯m (Broken Rice), DαΊ§u SαΊ£ (Lemongrass Paste), and NΖ°α»›c MαΊ―m Cham (Everyday Fish Sauce)
  • Seafood dishes that utilise the less "desired" parts like HuyαΊΏt CΓ‘ Tai Chanh (Tuna Bloodline Tartare), Canh Chua Đầu CΓ‘ Hα»“i (Hot Pot-style Salmon Head Sour Soup), and XΖ°Ζ‘ng CΓ‘ Hα»“i GiΓ²n GiΓ²n (Fried Fish Frames)
  • Fine-dining dishes from Tu's pop-up days like Gỏi Cuα»‘n CΓ‘ Cornets, MΓ¬ XΓ o Tỏi NαΊ₯m Cα»₯c (Truffled Garlic Noodles), and Banh Canh Carbonara
  • Adapted recipes from new traditions like BΓ‘nh TΓ©t TrΓ²n (Sticky Rice Dumplings), CΖ‘m Cua HαΊ₯p (Dungeness Crab Donburi), and Phở Vα»‹t NΖ°α»›ng (Roasted Duck Phở)

The Memory of Taste is Tu's story of returning to his roots and finding long-hidden culinary treasure. In his debut cookbook, Tu offers readers a chance to enjoy the bounty of his parents' lessons, just as he has.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781984861900

Publisher: Random House USA Inc

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 September 2024

Country: United States

Imprint: Random House Inc

Illustration: 100 PHOTOS

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 203.0mm

Height: 254.0mm

Weight: 600g

Pages: 240

About the Author

Tu David Phu is a Vietnamese American, San Francisco Chronicle Rising Star Chef, a Top Chef alumnus, author, and an Emmy-nominated filmmaker from Oakland. He is the executive chef and managing partner at District One in Las Vegas. Tu has cooked across various cultures, from the American culinary treasures to classical European traditions. But it is what he calls "the memory of taste" that pulled him back to his roots- the practices, ingredients, techniques, and flavors of Vietnamese cuisines, and he is passionate about sharing the riches and lessons of his birthright through food. Soleil Ho is a Vietnamese American writer, podcaster, and burnt-out chef. They served as the San Francisco Chronicle's restaurant critic for four years, and their food and culture writing has also appeared in The New Yorker, Bitch Media, GQ, and The Best American Food Writing. They've also won the James Beard Foundation's Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award. Stephen Satterfield has spent his career redefining food and beverage by organizing, activating, and educating. He is the founder of Whetstone and the host of the critically acclaimed Netflix docuseries, High on the Hog.

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