Noodle Pillows: A Journey Through Vietnamese Food and Culture

by Peta Mathias

Travel with Peta Mathias on a culinary journey through Vietnam, from crowded Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in the north, through the ancient imperial city of Hue and romantic Hoi An in the centre, to the food capital Saigon and the country's bread basket, Can Tho, in the south. Everywhere she goes she walks the markets, meets the people and samples the local fare - in homes, on the street and in a variety of restaurants. She discovers a rich culture and an engaging people who, despite occupation by the Chinese and the French, have retained a unique cuisine that is fresh, healthy and tasty. With more than 20 recipes, this book is designed for the armchair traveller and for anyone who wants to know more about Vietnamese food and culture.

Genres: Travel, Food

184 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2003

About the author

Peta Mathias MNZM is a respected and prolific New Zealand chef, author and broadcaster, who now builds on the culinary travel experience with her gastronomic tours in the south of France, Morocco, Spain and India. Having started her culinary love in Paris with her restaurant 'Rose Blues', she returned to New Zealand to teach, cook and write. Fete Accomplie, a book about her life in Paris with recipes, was the first of many subsequent award-winning gastronomic travel books written about North Africa, France, New Zealand, Ireland and Vietnam. Her book Can We Help it if We're Fabulous was an instant bestseller and has also been published in the UK, USA, Canada and Germany. It was followed by a number of other books about women, men and transformation.

Reviews

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peta Mathias is "world famous in New Zealand" (NZ joke sorry) as a larger than life media personality, traveller, cook & lover of good food.

This is her journey, taken around 12 years ago, for the perfect pho.

Peta was in her 50s when she made this journey - the age I will be if I get to Vietnam later this year. A good part of the time she was travelling on her own, which gives me encouragement if I end up doing the same thing! Her writing is fast paced & breezy, yet paints evocative pictures of the locals she encounters & she doesn't shy away about writing about things that won't be appealing to Westerners!

I'm not normally a fan of recipes being inserted into books that are predominantly about something else, but I am intending to try the Chicken Salad that Peta praises here.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't read it when you are hungry!! I could almost taste some of the food.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't let the episodes of electricity failing in the hotels put you off visiting Vietnam. We had a great time!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lively travelogue through Vietnam by one of New Zealand's favourite foodies. Peta links vivid descriptions of markets, cafes, restaurants, low-class and high-class hotels, tourist attractions, modes of transport, beggars and shopkeepers, and, of course, numerous snacks, meals and beverages, with her pilgrimage to find the ultimate pho. Peta's outgoing nature and zest for life bring her into contact with weird and wonderful people and places: she describes them with her typical kindness and good humour. The book includes recipes for some of her favourite discoveries.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Peta as a person and her book is just like her. Funny, colourful and full of recipes which support the areas of travel. I think this is the best of Peta's book - although I haven't read her latest about India.

[Karen Walshe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. An entertaining read and the descriptions of her food experiences were mouth watering.