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The World Eats Here: Amazing Food and the Inspiring People Who Make It at New York's Queens Night Market: Amazing Food and the Inspiring People Who Make It at New York’s Queens Night Market
Prized recipes and tales of home, work, and family—from the immigrant vendor-chefs of NYC’s first and favorite night market
On summer Saturday nights in Queens, New York, mouthwatering scents from Moldova to Mexico fill the air. Children play, adults mingle . . . and, above all, everyone eats. Welcome to the Queens Night Market, where thousands of visitors have come to feast on amazing international food—from Filipino dinuguan to Haitian diri ak djon djon. The World Eats Here brings these incredible recipes from over 40 countries to your home kitchen—straight from the first- and second-generation immigrant cooks who know them best.With every recipe comes a small piece of the American of culture shock and language barriers, of falling in love and following passions, and of family bonds tested then strengthened by cooking. You’ll meet Sangyal Phuntsok, who learned to make dumplings in a refugee school for Tibetan children; now, his Tibetan Beef Momos with Hot Sauce sell like hotcakes in New York City. And Liia Minnebaeva will blow you away with her Bashkir Farm Cheese Donuts—a treat from her childhood in Oktyabrsky in western Russia.Though each story is unique, they all celebrate one Food brings people together, and there’s no better proof of that than the Queens Night Market, where flavors from all over the world can be enjoyed in one unforgettable place.
On summer Saturday nights in Queens, New York, mouthwatering scents from Moldova to Mexico fill the air. Children play, adults mingle . . . and, above all, everyone eats. Welcome to the Queens Night Market, where thousands of visitors have come to feast on amazing international food—from Filipino dinuguan to Haitian diri ak djon djon. The World Eats Here brings these incredible recipes from over 40 countries to your home kitchen—straight from the first- and second-generation immigrant cooks who know them best.With every recipe comes a small piece of the American of culture shock and language barriers, of falling in love and following passions, and of family bonds tested then strengthened by cooking. You’ll meet Sangyal Phuntsok, who learned to make dumplings in a refugee school for Tibetan children; now, his Tibetan Beef Momos with Hot Sauce sell like hotcakes in New York City. And Liia Minnebaeva will blow you away with her Bashkir Farm Cheese Donuts—a treat from her childhood in Oktyabrsky in western Russia.Though each story is unique, they all celebrate one Food brings people together, and there’s no better proof of that than the Queens Night Market, where flavors from all over the world can be enjoyed in one unforgettable place.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2020
29 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 16, 2022
The recipes weren’t as useful as I’d hoped, despite how good many of them sounded - most are a bit beyond my skill level or time commitment willingness - but it doesn’t matter, the stories that accompany them are so worthwhile. The Queens Night Market is a really special place, and its founders structured this cookbook by taking oral histories from the vendors. It’s magical: such a celebration of personalities, families, and cultures.
I did bookmark a few to try: Italian onion calzone, Polish kopytka, Ukrainian blintzes, Sudanese tomato salad and eggplant salad, and an easy-sounding chicken adobo. I think a few others might be easily adaptable too. Regardless, I loved hearing their stories and what these foods meant to them and their family histories and journeys. So sweet and surprisingly powerful. I hope they eventually do something bigger with the archived oral histories!
I did bookmark a few to try: Italian onion calzone, Polish kopytka, Ukrainian blintzes, Sudanese tomato salad and eggplant salad, and an easy-sounding chicken adobo. I think a few others might be easily adaptable too. Regardless, I loved hearing their stories and what these foods meant to them and their family histories and journeys. So sweet and surprisingly powerful. I hope they eventually do something bigger with the archived oral histories!
January 10, 2020
I can't use 95% of the recipes in this wonderful cookbook because they tend towards heavy on the meat and a fair amount use gluten (though not as much as most American cookbooks), but I appreciate the stories of the wonderful cooks from around the world and the authentic recipes. Expect to buy some specialty ingredients for most, and a rather steep learning curve for some of them. It's always worth it to learn how to prepare traditional recipes the right ways, though.
Color photos and bios are provided of each chef. The recipes are usually accompanied by colorful drawings and not photos of the finished dish.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
Color photos and bios are provided of each chef. The recipes are usually accompanied by colorful drawings and not photos of the finished dish.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
May 12, 2020
This book came at a perfect time. My family is still quarantined and we've decided to do cuisine themed nights at least once a week. So far we've done Cuban, with French, Spanish And Puerto Rican on deck. Enter this book with recipes coming from The Queens Night Market in NYC. Recipes include Mexican and Italian, commonplace in my rotation to more unique ones from El Salvador, Romania and Pakistan.
The book is organized by region and country, however there is a separate table of contents which groups recipes by type (small bites, mains, sandwiches, sweets, drinks, etc.)
This is a great cookbook but also a great coffee table book full of stories and unique recipes. There are pictures included in every recipe, although some are illustrations versus photos. I do wish there were more photos.
A huge thank you to The Experiment and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is organized by region and country, however there is a separate table of contents which groups recipes by type (small bites, mains, sandwiches, sweets, drinks, etc.)
This is a great cookbook but also a great coffee table book full of stories and unique recipes. There are pictures included in every recipe, although some are illustrations versus photos. I do wish there were more photos.
A huge thank you to The Experiment and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
The World Eats Here by John Wang is an interesting look at the Queens Night Market and its many vendors. The recipes that are included encompass a variety of cultures and the images reflect the spirit of coming together to enjoy both food and community. Definitely a book that gives bit of wanderlust and a look back to a time where we once gathered to enjoy a bite to eat.
REVIEW: THE WORLD EATS HERE BY JOHN WANG
It has been quite some time since I have visited New York and one day I would love to go back just to visit the Queens Night Market. This book gives a backgrounder and some really wonderful stories about the people and the food that make up this incredible market experience that is affordable and friendly. The recipes are reflective of many different continents and are quite unique, although some may not be easy to recreate without special equipment and hard to find ingredients.
❀ FANTASTIC LAYOUT
The layout of the book makes for a great read for anyone wanting to learn more about different cultures and their foods, or just by type of recipe. The contents of the book are:
Introduction
The Americas and the Caribbean
Europe
Africa and the Middle East
Asia
❀ INCREDIBLE AND AWE-INSPIRING
If you are missing outdoor festivals and eating out, this book will provide a small taste of that. The history and the people that are described within the pages of The World Eats Here are both incredible and awe-inspiring. As well, the recipes that are included can help to bring some of the Queens Night Market home while we wait for things to open up once more.
The World Eats Here by John Wang is an interesting look at the Queens Night Market and its many vendors. The recipes that are included encompass a variety of cultures and the images reflect the spirit of coming together to enjoy both food and community. Definitely a book that gives bit of wanderlust and a look back to a time where we once gathered to enjoy a bite to eat.
REVIEW: THE WORLD EATS HERE BY JOHN WANG
It has been quite some time since I have visited New York and one day I would love to go back just to visit the Queens Night Market. This book gives a backgrounder and some really wonderful stories about the people and the food that make up this incredible market experience that is affordable and friendly. The recipes are reflective of many different continents and are quite unique, although some may not be easy to recreate without special equipment and hard to find ingredients.
❀ FANTASTIC LAYOUT
The layout of the book makes for a great read for anyone wanting to learn more about different cultures and their foods, or just by type of recipe. The contents of the book are:
Introduction
The Americas and the Caribbean
Europe
Africa and the Middle East
Asia
❀ INCREDIBLE AND AWE-INSPIRING
If you are missing outdoor festivals and eating out, this book will provide a small taste of that. The history and the people that are described within the pages of The World Eats Here are both incredible and awe-inspiring. As well, the recipes that are included can help to bring some of the Queens Night Market home while we wait for things to open up once more.
December 21, 2019
The Queens Night Market is a place for locals to meet and eat an amazing variety of foods from cuisines around the world. This is truly a documentation of these foods and the immigrants who create and sell them in the market. It is a fascinating read of the lives of the people in the market and the recipes that reflect their families and cultures. I rate it 4 stars, however, as I am not certain how easy it would be for the average home cook to locate and use key ingredients. I personally found the listings of ingredients and the preparation methods to be a bit intimidating. In addition, this is definitely a book reflecting the comfort foods of the cultures with many, many of them fried or deep fried. However, I see this book as almost more of a travel guide and it caused me to want to add the Queens Night Market to my bucket list for a future trip to New York. This event and the people who cook and eat needed to be documented and I applaud the authors for their beautiful drawings, photos and stories.
July 4, 2020
The World Eats Here is so much more than just a cookbook. It IS a cookbook, with 88 recipes from around the world that are served at the Queens' Night Market, pictured in charming illustrations and vivid photography. But it's also a non fiction book documenting and depicting the world and people of the Night Market, chock full of short biographical essays from the various contributors, as well as from John Wang, the creator of this Night Market and Storm Garner, his partner, who got to know him while collecting these oral histories from the vendors. This book is a labor of love, apparently funded by a Kickstarter campaign, and is an ode to the diverse, tempting market and the people from more than 40 countries around the globe who make the market possible. It's also an illuminating but not preachy reflection on the nature of the immigration experience, how it affects individuals and families and international and local cuisine.
There's a wide range of recipes, from breakfast to baked goods to beverages, with entrees and snacks and street food and candy. The food seems to come from all corners of the world, from a local Jewish pastrami expert to family recipes from every continent other than Antarctica. There's a portrait of each featured vendor, along with a biographical essay about them, their families, their business, their ethnic background and family immigration experience, and their relationship to the food from the culture(s) of their heritage, as well as how they became involved in this Night Market. Then there are one to three recipes from the vendor, sometimes complimenting each other, but sometimes unrelated. The vendors are grouped throughout the book by continental region, but there are also maps at the beginning of the book illustrating where the recipes come from, and a useful index of the types of recipes.
A lot of the recipes are pretty heavily animal product oriented, especially meat, and many are fried and/or very fatty. There were actually recipes included that were naturally gluten free, and described as such in the introduction to the recipe, like how the Masala Noodles were made with rice noodles, although that isn't strictly traditional, because then the recipe was gluten free but still delicious Given the nature of the recipes, there weren't a lot that suited my dietary restrictions, but there were so many that sounded delicious and/ or interesting. I think the easiest way to convey that is just to share some of the recipes that caught my eye:
Huaraches are a sandal shaped corn cake, like a tortilla, but stuffed with refried beans and covered with a variety of toppings, including Nopales, a sauteed mix including cactus leaves.
Salvadoran Quesadillas, which instead of being like Mexican quesadillas, are actually more like a cheesy version of a pound cake, made with cuajada cheese and rice flour.
Champurrado is a Mexican hot chocolate involving lots of cinnamon and thickened with corn meal.
Doubles are a Trinidadian street sandwich comprised of chana (chickpea) curry between spiced flatbreads.
Haitian Black Mushroom Rice
Guyanese Pine (Apple) Tarts, a regional recipe apparently unique to its continent.
Chicory Coffee, served with Chimney Cakes, cakes that are wrapped around rollers and baked over open flame, served with or without filling.
Nigerian Brown Bean Fritters
Sudanese Eggplant Salad, which incorporates peanut butter and fried eggplant, among other things, into a baba ghanoush-like spread.
Persian Halwah, a saffron-flavored fudge based on pistachios and also flavored with rosewater.
Bangladeshi Spiced Puffed Rice Snack, a popular street fod.
Bangladeshi Chot Poti, a chickpea and potato stew.
Thai Son-in-Law Eggs, which are like devilled eggs, but better, with sweet and tangy flavors instead of mayonaisse.
Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie, with avocado, half and half, AND condensed milk, as well as sugar. Basically a super creamy fat bomb.
Cambodian Caramelized Sweet Potatoes
Malaysian Pandan Key Limeade, which uses key limes and pandan leaves, which apparently have an herbal yet vanilla flavor.
Singaporean Fried Radish Cakes, savory cakes filled with shredded daikon radish.
Taiwanese Soy Sauce Pan-Fried Noodles
Magic Soy Sauce is a condiment, a soy sauce infused with a multitude of flavors, including ginger, carrot, onion, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, peppercorn, apple, Asian pear, lemon juice, and sugar.
There's also a number of more familiar recipes, or at least recipes I've heard of before, whether Laksa Noodles, inspired by the same kind of Singaporean food markets as depicted in Crazy Rich Asians, or Ukranian Borscht, or Antiguan Ginger Beer, Ethiopian Injera, or even Falafel.
Reading this book during a pandemic was extra challenging, because I now have a very strong desire to go visit Queens and experience its Night Market, but will have to wait until that is a safe thing to do again. Because, wow, so much of that food sounds amazing. A few recipes, like the Burmese Fermented Tea Leaf Salad, sound curiously worth a try, although possibly not to my taste.
The vendors' stories are fascinating, and their passion for their culture's cuisine is infectious. This isn't a book to just pick up for the recipes. DO pick it up for the recipes. But also read the founder and vendors stories, and enjoy learning about food and culture around the world. I felt like I traveled somewhere else for the few hours that I read it, and it was a nice getaway.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Experiment for allowing me to read a temporary advanced reader's copy. This is my honest opinion.
There's a wide range of recipes, from breakfast to baked goods to beverages, with entrees and snacks and street food and candy. The food seems to come from all corners of the world, from a local Jewish pastrami expert to family recipes from every continent other than Antarctica. There's a portrait of each featured vendor, along with a biographical essay about them, their families, their business, their ethnic background and family immigration experience, and their relationship to the food from the culture(s) of their heritage, as well as how they became involved in this Night Market. Then there are one to three recipes from the vendor, sometimes complimenting each other, but sometimes unrelated. The vendors are grouped throughout the book by continental region, but there are also maps at the beginning of the book illustrating where the recipes come from, and a useful index of the types of recipes.
A lot of the recipes are pretty heavily animal product oriented, especially meat, and many are fried and/or very fatty. There were actually recipes included that were naturally gluten free, and described as such in the introduction to the recipe, like how the Masala Noodles were made with rice noodles, although that isn't strictly traditional, because then the recipe was gluten free but still delicious Given the nature of the recipes, there weren't a lot that suited my dietary restrictions, but there were so many that sounded delicious and/ or interesting. I think the easiest way to convey that is just to share some of the recipes that caught my eye:
Huaraches are a sandal shaped corn cake, like a tortilla, but stuffed with refried beans and covered with a variety of toppings, including Nopales, a sauteed mix including cactus leaves.
Salvadoran Quesadillas, which instead of being like Mexican quesadillas, are actually more like a cheesy version of a pound cake, made with cuajada cheese and rice flour.
Champurrado is a Mexican hot chocolate involving lots of cinnamon and thickened with corn meal.
Doubles are a Trinidadian street sandwich comprised of chana (chickpea) curry between spiced flatbreads.
Haitian Black Mushroom Rice
Guyanese Pine (Apple) Tarts, a regional recipe apparently unique to its continent.
Chicory Coffee, served with Chimney Cakes, cakes that are wrapped around rollers and baked over open flame, served with or without filling.
Nigerian Brown Bean Fritters
Sudanese Eggplant Salad, which incorporates peanut butter and fried eggplant, among other things, into a baba ghanoush-like spread.
Persian Halwah, a saffron-flavored fudge based on pistachios and also flavored with rosewater.
Bangladeshi Spiced Puffed Rice Snack, a popular street fod.
Bangladeshi Chot Poti, a chickpea and potato stew.
Thai Son-in-Law Eggs, which are like devilled eggs, but better, with sweet and tangy flavors instead of mayonaisse.
Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie, with avocado, half and half, AND condensed milk, as well as sugar. Basically a super creamy fat bomb.
Cambodian Caramelized Sweet Potatoes
Malaysian Pandan Key Limeade, which uses key limes and pandan leaves, which apparently have an herbal yet vanilla flavor.
Singaporean Fried Radish Cakes, savory cakes filled with shredded daikon radish.
Taiwanese Soy Sauce Pan-Fried Noodles
Magic Soy Sauce is a condiment, a soy sauce infused with a multitude of flavors, including ginger, carrot, onion, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, peppercorn, apple, Asian pear, lemon juice, and sugar.
There's also a number of more familiar recipes, or at least recipes I've heard of before, whether Laksa Noodles, inspired by the same kind of Singaporean food markets as depicted in Crazy Rich Asians, or Ukranian Borscht, or Antiguan Ginger Beer, Ethiopian Injera, or even Falafel.
Reading this book during a pandemic was extra challenging, because I now have a very strong desire to go visit Queens and experience its Night Market, but will have to wait until that is a safe thing to do again. Because, wow, so much of that food sounds amazing. A few recipes, like the Burmese Fermented Tea Leaf Salad, sound curiously worth a try, although possibly not to my taste.
The vendors' stories are fascinating, and their passion for their culture's cuisine is infectious. This isn't a book to just pick up for the recipes. DO pick it up for the recipes. But also read the founder and vendors stories, and enjoy learning about food and culture around the world. I felt like I traveled somewhere else for the few hours that I read it, and it was a nice getaway.
Thank you to NetGalley and The Experiment for allowing me to read a temporary advanced reader's copy. This is my honest opinion.
January 16, 2021
It's kind of devastating to read this in January 2021, knowing that a lot of these vendors have left the business entirely (according to the Night Market's Instagram account) since it's been shut down for almost a year.
But, I look forward to trying some of the recipes and maybe visiting the market one day.
But, I look forward to trying some of the recipes and maybe visiting the market one day.
April 9, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from The Experiment through NetGalley.
Amazing photographs compliment the stories about the people who share the Queens Night Market. Wang captures the energy and diversity involved in this environment. Each vendor shares their story - where they're from; why they're there; how they got here. The oral history transcripts are connected to the recipes for food from their stalls so readers can try a wide variety of flavor profiles.
So many inviting foods to try. More than a cookbook with the human story connections.
Amazing photographs compliment the stories about the people who share the Queens Night Market. Wang captures the energy and diversity involved in this environment. Each vendor shares their story - where they're from; why they're there; how they got here. The oral history transcripts are connected to the recipes for food from their stalls so readers can try a wide variety of flavor profiles.
So many inviting foods to try. More than a cookbook with the human story connections.
August 11, 2020
It makes you want to live near Queens. A night market that blends families and cultures and food. Bliss. Each stall tells a tale of tradition and structure,and love. Pride of place is first here. I drooled and could almost smell the sizzling chilies and spices. A well thought out manuscript of how a community can come and eat together while sharing their history with the public. A great staycation in this time of self exile.
May 11, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The World Eats Here is a glorious celebration of street food at the Queens Night Market. Due out 12th May 2020 from The Experiment, it's 256 pages and will be available in flexibound and ebook formats.
This is a lovingly crafted tribute, wonderfully photographed, with recipes (yay!) about the Queens Night Market in NYC. The recipes are listed grouped by continent (with a second table of contents listing recipes by type of dish - finger foods, main dishes, sandwiches, crepes, etc) and each of the listings includes a story about the cook and a recipe from their menus. I'm 100% serious. I had to stop and go eat because the book made me so hungry. Everything looks amazing and I fully intend to work my way through the recipes.
Each of the listings include a picture of the cook, recipe introduction with ingredients in the sidebar (measurements in US standard and metric), and step by step instructions. The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced and should be available from any well stocked international grocery or large supermarket. The foods themselves are mostly not photographed but the illustrations are very well done and easy to follow.
This is such a vibrant book full of world cuisine and entrepreneurial spirit. The bios are fascinating and the food is just gorgeous.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The World Eats Here is a glorious celebration of street food at the Queens Night Market. Due out 12th May 2020 from The Experiment, it's 256 pages and will be available in flexibound and ebook formats.
This is a lovingly crafted tribute, wonderfully photographed, with recipes (yay!) about the Queens Night Market in NYC. The recipes are listed grouped by continent (with a second table of contents listing recipes by type of dish - finger foods, main dishes, sandwiches, crepes, etc) and each of the listings includes a story about the cook and a recipe from their menus. I'm 100% serious. I had to stop and go eat because the book made me so hungry. Everything looks amazing and I fully intend to work my way through the recipes.
Each of the listings include a picture of the cook, recipe introduction with ingredients in the sidebar (measurements in US standard and metric), and step by step instructions. The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced and should be available from any well stocked international grocery or large supermarket. The foods themselves are mostly not photographed but the illustrations are very well done and easy to follow.
This is such a vibrant book full of world cuisine and entrepreneurial spirit. The bios are fascinating and the food is just gorgeous.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 22, 2020
Numbers are important in this book, which brings together 88 recipes from 50 of the 300 food vendors from more than 90 countries that have participated in the Queens Night Market in New York. More important, however, are the individual stories collected from those 50 vendors. These are immigrants' stories, stories of new Americans and what it means to be an American, as well as what it means to be proud steward/advocates of the distinct cultures represented, from countries all over the world.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in epicentral Queens, New York City, these stories are both heartening and heart-rending to read. I can't help but wonder how these people --people determined to feed their community -- are faring right now, April 17, 2020. According to an author interview at queens museum.org: "We were scheduled to open up our 2020 season this week (April 18th), and very disappointed that’s not happening. But lately we’ve been working with the Queens Borough President and the Queens Economic Development Corporation on our FUEL THE FRONTLINES initiative. What we’re doing is raising funds to hire Queens Night Market vendors to provide meals for hospital workers in Queens. This gives numerous small businesses a modest but important stream of revenue during these tough times, and also feeds those on the frontlines who are risking their health and lives to help those in need."
More power to them, and to this charming, compelling cookbook slash interview project.
[I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in epicentral Queens, New York City, these stories are both heartening and heart-rending to read. I can't help but wonder how these people --people determined to feed their community -- are faring right now, April 17, 2020. According to an author interview at queens museum.org: "We were scheduled to open up our 2020 season this week (April 18th), and very disappointed that’s not happening. But lately we’ve been working with the Queens Borough President and the Queens Economic Development Corporation on our FUEL THE FRONTLINES initiative. What we’re doing is raising funds to hire Queens Night Market vendors to provide meals for hospital workers in Queens. This gives numerous small businesses a modest but important stream of revenue during these tough times, and also feeds those on the frontlines who are risking their health and lives to help those in need."
More power to them, and to this charming, compelling cookbook slash interview project.
[I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
October 10, 2020
I don't usually write reviews for the cookbooks I browse through, but this book is really more about the people and families behind the Queens Night Market stands than it is about the recipes.
That's not to say that the recipes aren't there-- each vendor featured shares at least 1 or 2 detailed recipes for some of their most popular dishes-- but the book itself feels more like "Humans of New York: Queens Night Market edition." The authors include fascinating profiles of each of the 52 vendors featured- sharing stories of the 40 different international cuisines they represent as well as accounts of their lives, their families, and how they came to be part of the Queens Night Market.
The recipes themselves are well-written and scaled down to be made at home with mostly easy-to-find ingredients-- but let's be honest here-- once you read these recipes, you will want to go right to the source to get these treats from the talented chefs and vendors. Here's to hoping that the Queens Night Market- and other local street food venues- are able to set up again soon!
That's not to say that the recipes aren't there-- each vendor featured shares at least 1 or 2 detailed recipes for some of their most popular dishes-- but the book itself feels more like "Humans of New York: Queens Night Market edition." The authors include fascinating profiles of each of the 52 vendors featured- sharing stories of the 40 different international cuisines they represent as well as accounts of their lives, their families, and how they came to be part of the Queens Night Market.
The recipes themselves are well-written and scaled down to be made at home with mostly easy-to-find ingredients-- but let's be honest here-- once you read these recipes, you will want to go right to the source to get these treats from the talented chefs and vendors. Here's to hoping that the Queens Night Market- and other local street food venues- are able to set up again soon!
January 26, 2020
Received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I absolutely loved this book! I actually went to the Queens Night Market once last summer and this book made me eager to go back. The April release date will be perfect timing. The pictures of the Market, as well as those of the foods and the folks who made them were great.
While I'm sure some people will tackle the recipes, the crowning glory of this book is the diverse cast of chefs/cooks that it catalogs. I loved being able to learn about all sorts of backgrounds from around the world, and some of the stories even made me emotional.
Would recommend this to anyone who has even a passing interest in food or learning about different cultures.
I absolutely loved this book! I actually went to the Queens Night Market once last summer and this book made me eager to go back. The April release date will be perfect timing. The pictures of the Market, as well as those of the foods and the folks who made them were great.
While I'm sure some people will tackle the recipes, the crowning glory of this book is the diverse cast of chefs/cooks that it catalogs. I loved being able to learn about all sorts of backgrounds from around the world, and some of the stories even made me emotional.
Would recommend this to anyone who has even a passing interest in food or learning about different cultures.
May 25, 2020
The summers I spent in Queens while attending some graduate classes were so jam packed just getting to know daytime Queens, I never made it to the Night Market. Just taking the 7 train and getting off at different stops was like visiting another country. Now when life returns to normal, I want to go back and visit the Night Market. The collection of stories about the vendors and from where they came was interesting enough, but add recipes that I can make at home along with the photographs make this a book I’m keeping on the coffee table and dreaming about going back to Queens. I got the Kindle version through NetGalley, but this book needs more than Kindle to make it come alive. It needs the paper version.
July 22, 2020
I can't make these recipes. This stuff is for cooks.
The night market sounds nifty and there's all kinds of characters serving specialty foods. Sounds like something I'd like to enjoy if not for the people.
Three stars because the bios are blah. Sure, they're intentionally brief and there's not a whole lot of room for character development but my opinion matters.
I can't think of what exactly I wanted out of this book. Something irked me and I can't figure it out. How irksome. Maybe I wanted more countries.
The night market sounds nifty and there's all kinds of characters serving specialty foods. Sounds like something I'd like to enjoy if not for the people.
Three stars because the bios are blah. Sure, they're intentionally brief and there's not a whole lot of room for character development but my opinion matters.
I can't think of what exactly I wanted out of this book. Something irked me and I can't figure it out. How irksome. Maybe I wanted more countries.
May 5, 2020
Great book for people that loves trying food from around the world. This book has great street food recipes, well explained and it has photos of real people, making it more special. I enjoyed reading reading about the countries and I can't wait to try some of the recipes. I just found it a little bit messy but overall great book! I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
October 5, 2020
A cookbook that celebrates the people who cook just as much as the cultural recipes. All recipes included in this book can be purchased at the Queens Night Market for $5 or less, in an effort to allow everyone to experience food from another part of the world. The stories included in this book are personal, some funny, some heartfelt. But all of these people cook from their hearts and share themselves with the world.
November 24, 2020
Loved the inspiring and interesting stories of the chefs and business owners of the Queens Night Market featured in this book. I learned about the Queens Night Market after hearing about it on The Sporkful podcast and I long to visit it one day in our post-COVID world! Also, the drawings in the book were great and the recipes seemed very approachable and flexible for an average home cook to try many of these delicious sounding recipes representing more than 40 countries from around the world.
March 8, 2020
While pouring through this book and reading each story and recipe, I found myself texting and calling my NYC friends and family to make sure they knew about this authentic foodie spot in Queens. Having traveled the world and sought out the food night markets, I want to support any movement to expand this global gastronomical community building experience.
May 28, 2020
Ever read a book and want to run out and buy it for all your friends? Especially all your NYC , semi local, friends. This is much more than a cookbook .
In this time of StayAtHome due to COVID-19 , the night market is much missed but recipes have become a necessity .
The icing on the cake it was purchased and sent by KewsndWillow a wonderful independent bookstore in Queens.
In this time of StayAtHome due to COVID-19 , the night market is much missed but recipes have become a necessity .
The icing on the cake it was purchased and sent by KewsndWillow a wonderful independent bookstore in Queens.
September 30, 2020
Deliciously fun book about all sorts of street food in the Queens NY! Easy, readable escape book with beautiful photography and mouthwatering recipes! All recipes are provided and I might make one of the easier ones...It was a much needed break from everything going on in the news in the US. Enjoy!
October 14, 2020
Do you live in NYC or travel there frequently? If so this book might be of interest to you. For the rest of us, this book is of little interest. The writeups on the individual chefs at the Queens Night Market are interesting but not riveting. Each food booth gets one recipe. Some would be easy to replicate at home others not as much.
March 26, 2020
I absolutely love this book!! Not only a recipe, but the story behind the recipes is what makes this book such a hit with me! It touches my heart and motivates me into the kitchen to try some of these recipes! I'd give this 10 stars if I could. This is heart & Soul stories and recipes!
May 19, 2021
This was amazing look at the stories behind the people who sell their cuisine at the Queens Night Market. While I didn’t make any of the recipes, I did enjoy reading them and dreaming of tasting the food someday in NYC.
April 29, 2022
Interesting cultural and biographical information from vendors at the Queens' Street Market, but the recipes are far too complicated and require specialty ingredients that the average chef will not be able to replicate. I'd say recipes are for inspiration and to inspire people to visit the market.
September 13, 2020
Some great recipes.
Great stories. Great recipes. Street fare food at an open market in Queens N.Y. Organized by country. Immigrants - we get the job done.
Great stories. Great recipes. Street fare food at an open market in Queens N.Y. Organized by country. Immigrants - we get the job done.
September 21, 2020
Interesting recipes with inspiring stories of the vendors at the Queens Night Market.
November 9, 2020
totally readable and not so hokey or dry like many cookbooks tend to be. diverse stories about people told through the lens of food
December 27, 2020
This is such a wonderful book! Even if you only make a few recipes from it, the stories of the people behind the recipes are completely worth it.
January 22, 2022
I may never be able to find all the ingredients for all the recipes in this book, but I definitely loved all of the stories and hope to be able to visit the Queens Night Market someday!
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