Rating: 2/5
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book isn't bad by any means, but it did not grab my attention the way I thought it would. The writer received quite a bit of praise for his previous book, so I had high hopes for this one. I'm not sure if it was the way he writes or something else that left me a bit disinterested.
Don't get me wrong, the recipes he writes about sound good and look great from the pictures included. There are even some fun anecdotes to go along with the various recipes and sections that he covers. I wasn't really inspired to try to recreate any of the dishes though. Maybe experiencing them elsewhere like he has would prompt more enthusiasm to cook them. He certainly knows his stuff about the recipes presented in the book and the regions of Thailand that they come from.
It felt like he was trying to capture some of the edginess that you might find in an Anthony Bourdain book. He even mentions an encounter with Bourdain that reinforced that feeling. The problem is it feels more forced coming from Ricker and it got in the way of me really enjoying the book. Coupled with the style of recipes, think more appetizer or small plates, the book missed the mark for me. For the right audience it could be superb, but I would recommend seeking out other Thai cookbooks first.
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