NEW ORLEANS – The Garden District Book Shop is thrilled to announce that chef, instructor, and Top Chef contestant Nini Nguyen will be at the shop on Aug. 27 to celebrate the launch of her cookbook, “Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook.”
“Dac Biet” is collection of contemporary, extra-special Vietnamese recipes, from beloved classics like Hanoi-Style Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and three variations of phở, to dishes with a New Orleans twist, like Southeast Asian Jambalaya and Sticky Fried Shrimp Bánh Mì.
In Vietnamese culture, to be dac biet is to be special and luxurious, or, as chef and cooking instructor Nini Nguyen puts it, it means adding something a little extra, like salty caviar on top of squid-stuffed pork, a surprise note of ginger and lime in a dipping sauce, or sautéing shaking beef in farm-fresh butter for a creamy, delectable experience. Born and raised in New Orleans by Vietnamese immigrants, here Nini gives us recipes that fuse the best of Vietnamese and New Orleans cooking and clear directions on how to prepare and arrange them, making for a flavorful, unforgettable experience that proves that being a little extra is easy and just right.
The celebration will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Nguyen will then sit down with mixologist and cocktail consultant Deniseea Head to share insights into her cookbook journey and recipes. Afterwards, she will host a Q&A and then will be available to personalize copies of her book. The Garden District Book Shop’s bar will be open for the event and serving up specialty cocktails inspired by the book. One drink ticket will be included with purchase of the book.
Entry to the event is free and open to the public but the shop encourages interested parties to RSVP to ensure entry and reserve a copy of the book on Eventbrite as space is limited. Additional copies will be available to purchase.
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