The Memory of Taste: Vietnamese American Recipes from Phú Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between

A sophisticated amalgam of Vietnamese and Vietnamese American cooking, this book features the cooking and philosophy of of Tu David Phu, an Oakland, CA native, fan favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef, and veteran of Michelin-starred kitchens such as Restaurant Daniel in New York and Acquerello in San Francisco.

Phu’s parents were raised on the Vietnamese island of Phu Cuoc, renowned for its fish sauce, and it is their home cooking which forms the base of his own cuisine, even when enfolds other influences. The food is often thrifty and resourceful, always tasty and inspired.

Phu is not afraid to celebrate flavors which are bitter or briny, to teach you to make soup from a salmon head, or plate a caramelized pork chop alongside buttery macaroni. If you want the dumplings filled with ground pork, shrimp, and duck liver, he’s going to urge you to make the wrappers instead of buying ready-made.

This is a distinctly personal book which also manages to treat a wide range of cultures with respect.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.