Mango and Peppercorns, Tung Nguyen
Mango and Peppercorns, Tung Nguyen
List: $25.95 | Sale: $18.16
Club: $12.97

Mango and Peppercorns
A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream

Author: Tung Nguyen, Katherine Manning, Lyn Nguyen, Elisa Ung, Michelle Bernstein

Narrator: Quyen Ngo, Cindy Kay, VyVy Nguyen

Unabridged: 5 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/16/2021

Categories: Nonfiction, Cooking

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

A powerful memoir of resilience, friendship, family, and food from the acclaimed chefs behind the award-winning Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant in Miami.

Through powerful narrative, archival imagery, and 20 Vietnamese recipes that mirror their story, Mango & Peppercorns is a unique contribution to culinary literature.

In 1975, after narrowly escaping the fall of Saigon, pregnant refugee and gifted cook Tung Nguyen ended up in the Miami home of Kathy Manning, a graduate student and waitress who was taking in displaced Vietnamese refugees. This serendipitous meeting evolved into a decades-long partnership, one that eventually turned strangers into family and a tiny, no-frills eatery into one of the most lauded restaurants in the country.

Tung's fierce practicality often clashed with Kathy's free-spirited nature, but over time, they found a harmony in their contrasts—a harmony embodied in the restaurant's signature mango and peppercorns sauce.

• IMPORTANT, UNIVERSAL STORY: An inspiring memoir peppered with recipes, it is a riveting read that will appeal to fans of Roy Choi, Ed Lee, Ruth Reichl, and Kwame Onwuachi.
• TIMELY TOPIC: This real-life American dream is a welcome reminder of our country's longstanding tradition of welcoming refugees and immigrants. This book adds a touchpoint to that larger conversation, resonating beyond the bookshelf.
• INVENTIVE COOKBOOK: This book is taking genre-bending a step further, focusing on the story first and foremost with 20 complementary recipes.

Perfect for:

• Fans of culinary nonfiction
• Fans of Ruth Reichl, Roy Choi, Kwame Onwuachi, and Anya Von Bremzen
• Home cooks who are interested in Asian food and cooking

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jessica on March 18, 2021

I love food memoirs! Mango and Peppercorns is the story of a Vietnamese refugee, the family she forged with an American woman, and the restaurant they opened together. Tung escaped from Vietnam as a refugee in the mid 1970's. As a pregnant young refugee, who spoke no English, she wound up living in......more

Goodreads review by Shannon on July 13, 2022

An incredibly moving memoir from two Miami restauranteurs. I loved the dual perspective narration as we get to know both of the women's history behind a popular Miami restaurant. Full of insightful Vietnamese immigrant experiences, this was a hard to put down audiobook that will delight fans of Ruth......more

Goodreads review by Emma on June 03, 2022

Mango and Peppercorns was a compelling read that kept me hooked from start to finish. I really enjoyed getting to know Tung, Kathy, and Phuong Lien over the course of the book. The recipes at the end of each chapter fit perfectly with the topic of each chapter, which was a real delight. If you're a......more

Goodreads review by Oyinda on August 11, 2021

Book 238 of 2021 This was such a beautifully written memoir.......more

Goodreads review by Dominic on January 18, 2025

This is a sweet story about unexpected found family. I read it slowly, savory-ing it. The relationship between Tung and Kathy is a bit salty at times, but their love of “their” daughter never sours. Their story displays some bitter truths about immigration and tensions among and between contested ho......more