The Buhn Mi Handbook, by Andrea Nguyen

Ever since my aunt and I backpacked through Vietnam during my Gapyear, I loved Buhn Mi. What is Buhn Mi/Bun Mi? A traditional French inspired Vietnamese sandwich.

That's a right. This delicious sandwich is a crusty baguette filled with meat (depends on your preference), pickles, vegetables and sauce. The marriage between the traditional sandwich form and the Asian flavored fillings make this a unique and delightful meal.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to try some of the recipes in the Buhn Mi handbook! We started with the basic bread. I'm usually a good baker, but there were multiple kitchen disasters (my fault, not the author's--that should teach me to stick to simple things after my night French class). However, dispute, under and over baking the bread and letting it rise for less than half the recommended time (again, I'd like to reiterate that I am usually quite a competent chef...) it was still surprisingly tasty. If I managed to mess up the bread that much and it still tasted good, it's got to be an absolutely amazing recipe. Time consuming, but great.
The basic chicken, marinated chicken, homemade mayo and pickled beets also worked well. Altogether, it was an amazingly delicious sandwich. We have a Bun Mi restaurant near campus (I love the diversity of food in Minneapolis) and this tasted like something you'd get from there, minus the problematic bread.

The only criticism I have of this book is the cooking times. READ the recipe, when I glanced over the recipes I decided to make, I went with the estimate at top. However, there were a couple surprises, like the extra 8 hour refrigeration necessary for the tofu.... Also, Andrea can be bit overly descriptive in her steps, so prepare for some wordy instructions. Overall, this was a great Book and I can't wait to try it again, perhaps with some other toppings.

My rating: worth it if you like Bun Mi, but be prepared to spend some time making it!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all the opinions are entirely my own. 

Cerviche:Peruvian Kitchen

I must admit, I was quite excited for this book. Having never experienced Peruvian food, I thought this book would be the perfect segway into trying new foods, as there are no Peruvian restaurants in Colorado or Minnesota.

First off, I'm very impressed with the careful planning that has gone into the layout of the book. Each recipe has a small description, so amateurs such as myself can get an idea of what they'll be making. There is also a picture every 2 or so pages, which I love. As a visual person, I like knowing what I'm making, and what it should look like. The author also has a biographical section, in which he describes passion for Peruvian food. The index in back of the book explains the various ingredients throughout the book, and was extremely helpful!

As a college student, I'm rather limited in what I'm able to purchase. However, there are some recipes that I'll be able to make. I'll keep you updated as I do.

Overall, if you have a bit of extra money available and want to try making a different variety of food, I do suggest this book.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all the opinions are entirely my own. 

Simple Thai Food:Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen by Leela Punyaratabanhu

I just had a chance to try a recipe from "Simple Thai Food: Classic Recipes from the Thai Home Kitchen" by Leela Punyaratabandhu. Being half Thai, and having grown up with 'real' Thai food, I was extremely interested to see if this cookbook would give an accurate representation of true Thai food. I tried the Pad Thai, a Thai classic, and often horribly Americanized dish. I was extremely impressed with the results. The same goes to the Spicy Basil Chicken and Fried Eggs on Rice. This was one of my favourite childhood dishes, and had it several times a week whenever we visited family in Bangkok, so I've tried numerous renditions of this dish. Although its slightly different than my mother's, it was rather delicious.

Leela also included many less known Thai dishes that I love. Although I haven't had a chance to try these yet, I can't wait! It'll be my reward for taking my Organic Chemistry test on Thursday...
I'm also excited to try her hand made pastes at some point, most Thai people I know, actually all Thai people I know, buy them, so I can't wait to compare.

My only criticisms are that the book could use more pictures. Many of these dishes will be unfamiliar to most readers, and if you're not familiar with Thai food, the titles can be misleading. Pictures would help readers choose. Also, out of necessity for western readers, Leela uses some substitutions that I think would vastly alter the taste. The Leaf Wrapped Salad Bites (pg 25) are a case and point. It'll be nearly impossible for people in the states to find cha-phlu leaves, but substituting collard greens or Chinese broccoli leaves will simply not work. However, that's not her fault.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this book!

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all the opinions are entirely my own. 

The Ecstasy of Surrender; Judith Orloff, M.D.

I have to admit, I was slightly skeptical when I picked up "The Ecstasy of Surrender; 12 Surprising Ways Letting Go Can Empower Your Life". I've read my fair share of Self-Help books, and to a certain point they all have some distinct similarities. However, Orloff's warm narration truly helps connect the reader to her points. In exploring her personal experiences, and the wisdom she's discovered. 
As Orloff points out early on the concept or surrender, of letting goes seems extremely counter intuitive. As a university student, I often feel pressured to have an exact handle on my future. To know exactly what I will do, when and how. "The Ecstasy of Surrender" helped me address some paths I've been considering. The manner in which Orloff divides the book, into different sections on the different types of surrender was extremely helpful. I'll definitely be able to implement Orloff's advice into my life, and know I'll flip back through it quite often. I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. However, all the opinions are entirely my own.