Dac Biet: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook by Nini Nguyen

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.

Dac Biet includes one hundred delicious and vibrant recipes that celebrate the essential flavors of Vietnam—salty, sour, bitter, spicy, and sweet—and the bright and perfectly balanced dishes they create. This is my best friend's favorite cookbook and I am so excited for us to share the delicious dishes!

Dac Biet is available through all our local library systems in hardcover and ebook formats. If you have trouble finding it, I do have an epub that I can share if you message me your email.

Many of the recipes only serve 2 or 4 so if you pick one of those dishes please scale your portion accordingly. Please post what you will be making in the comments so we have a balanced menu.
Additionally, I have a tree nut allergy and this cookbook is blessedly tree nut free, so please keep it that way.

This event will be held in an apartment in North Capitol Hill (right by Cornelly and easily accessible by bus or light rail). While there is street parking, it can be limited on a Saturday so either plan to arrive early or take public transportation. I have a small kitchen so please let me know beforehand if you will need to reheat anything.

This is a limited attendee event, so please do not RSVP if you are not committed to coming. In order to confirm your RSVP, pick a dish from Dac Biet and list what you'll be bringing in the comments below, no later than Wednesday, Feb. 18th, please. The rule of thumb is one dish per person (that will allow everyone attending at least a taste). If you have a +1 please bring two dishes or increase your chosen recipe accordingly.

If something changes and you can't make it, please update your RSVP as soon as possible, preferably at least 3-4 days in advance. We usually have a waitlist and people need time to plan for a recipe, so no-shows, "place holder" RSVPs and last minute RSVP changes aren't groovy for an event like this. If you're not feeling well, please stay home.

Additional reminders:

• Make sure your Meetup settings allow event updates from organizers. If you don't get the emails, check your spam, or social folders (for those on gmail).
• Bring serving utensils for your dish - and remember to take them home! Your dish must be prepared in advanced and ready to serve when you arrive.
• Feel free to bring a beverage to share, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
• Your dish must be prepared in advance and ready to serve when you arrive. (if you need to reheat please message host to confirm space)
• Please bring a few dollars to help cover the Meetup fees that I pay for hosting this group ($330+/year), Venmo (@katy-ionis) or PayPal equally appreciated. Thanks!

Can't wait to see everyone!