Not too long ago, Amy went to Vietnam.
Amy who?
Amy Cooking with Amy, that's who. Writer, recipe developer, and culinary enthusiast Amy Sherman has been blogging about her food-related adventures for nearly half a decade. (That's eons in the blogosphere, peeps.) As a result, Cooking with Amy is rich with recipes, tips, musings, and journeys to new tastes near and far.
Take her trip to Vietnam. She opened with a bit of pre-trip research, resulting in recommendations for her two favorite Vietnamese cookbooks. Once in Saigon, she uploaded fetching photos of local markets, including the floating one in the Mekong Delta ; a pictorial how-to of puffed-rice candy; a review of a restaurant called Pho 24 (pho for $1); and a mini-love-letter to lotus tea. On Phu Quoc, an island off the coast of Cambodia, she reported on the harvest at a pepper plantation.
And once safely back in the Bay Area, where she lives and works, Amy wrote a primer on fish sauce and a recipe for Banh Xeo, Vietnamese crepes.
It's almost like you were there.
With well over 100 recipes, plenty of restaurant reviews, and a feature we love called What To Do With . . . Cooking with Amy is the perfect friend-replacement for people lacking in culinary cohorts. And even if you've already got a personal food club, Amy'll give you ideas for what, where, and how to eat next.
Chanterelles
at the farmer's market? Serve as a garnish for grilled pork chops, or bake in parchment with either a fish filet or scallops. Figs
in season? Wrap in prosciutto as an appetizer, or poach in port and serve with vanilla ice cream. Beets beating down your door? Mix chopped cooked beets with yogurt and chopped green chile to make a raita. Or, if you're tired of salad, mix them into a "beet caviar."
We happen to know that today, this epicurean is experiencing a rare bit of under-the-weatherness. So go ahead: read her words, leave a comment, and add Amy to your
blogroll.