This cookbook is super quirky and one-of-a-kind! The prologue, which is like a comic book, really drew me in and made me feel close to the writers. They do an awesome job explaining why certain ingredients matter, and I particularly enjoyed their chili spice level guide. It's such a fun and unique approach to a cookbook - I'd love to see more like this!

This is the quirkiest & most unique cookbook ever!

There was a prologue at the beginning that made me feel very connected to the authors/characters. The prologue is done in comic book style created a visual connection between the reader & author.

I love the authors go in depth to explain the importance of specific ingredients. My favorite was the chili spice level guide.

Truly such a cool concept for a cookbook. I would love to see more in this style.

My only gripe with this is the font choice. It was a little hard to read, especially on white background.

This graphic novel is part Thai cultural history book, part cookbook, part memoir, and all fun! I loved how approachable Christina and Mallika made the cooking part feel. They made great suggestions on how to achieve authentic Thai flavors and what kinds of tools to use. It also made it feel like something I could attempt myself! I love when a cookbook really makes you feel capable.

The art style is wonderful and I am really here for the illustrated steps of the recipes. I also super appreciated the tips on how to find ingredients that my white-ass local grocery stores probably don’t have. Tips on where to look in the local Asian markets were great. I am admittedly just learning to explore my local markets after being introduced to foods like tteokboki and rediscovering a love for mochi (neither of which are Thai, so I can’t wait to find some of those too).

This is a great book for your library and your cookbook shelf, don’t miss it!

I loved the mix of comics, lists of items, tip, and recipes, Especially loved learning more about the authors themselves and seeing their experiences with food.

I would have appreciated this more, I think, if presented as a graphic novel about Thai cuisine. As a cookbook, it's overwhelming == there are too many specialty ingredients and complicated processes. I'd never try any of these recipes, plus I found the many cross-references and the frequent use of Thai language confusing. Perhaps I'm not the right audience to engage with this, as I haven't eaten a lot of Thai food, so I needed more introduction to the dishes and what they were supposed to look and taste like. More photos would have helped. I didn't mind the artists' cartoony, simple style, but it wasn't great for realism.

I also would have preferred the illustrated life stories later in the book, as I was eager to find out more about the food, and all the background dampened my interest.

On the other hand, if I knew someone interested in a deep dive into making Thai food and they were willing to let me taste their attempts, I’d be happy to give them a copy.

A great cookbook in comic book form that adds a lot of context to the recipes presented. This book isn't just a list of recipes but also a short history of Thai cuisine and regional variations along with the personal story of the author. The recommendations for substitutions is especially helpful for those who do not have access to fresh ingredients.

Graphic novel cookbooks are becoming more popular and I couldn't love it more!
It's such a fun way to learn more about food.

This book is both filled with excellent recipes and excellent information all told in a fun and creative way.
I would recommend it to anyone who's interested in Thai food or enjoys a good and creative book about food.

This was a unique take on a cookbook. It gave a great overview of Thai food for a mostly American audience. The authors tried to remove as many barriers as possible and identified the ingredients that may be more difficult to find and some possible alternatives. As someone who frequently uses curry paste it was nice to discover how to actually make and how to enhance the store bought paste for a better flavor. Along the way they also discussed the history of the Thailand and the dishes specifically. It was interesting to see where different flavors came from and how other cultures influenced Thai food today. Highly recommend as a great visual cookbook for your kitchen.

I received an eARC of this from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Loved this graphic novel cookbook. The explanations are fascinating and the recipes are well explained and accessible.

The first thing I did when I finished my advanced copy was to check if it would be out before my granddaughter's birthday - Alas, it will be published after her birthday, but I'm the grandma so she'll get this anyway. She is turning 12 and loves to cook, and growing up in the Bay Area she has been able to name her favorite Korean, Vietnamese and Thai dishes since she was 2 years old.

I thought this book was delightful and amazing. At a solid 200 pages, there are more recipes than I ever imagined, including directions to make certain sauces and ingredients you might not have access to in your local store. It's not just a cookbook, it tells the very interesting stories of the two authors, and gives a lot of history and information about Thailand and its influences. There is a lot of information and many stories packed in here.

When I received my ARC I was just expecting a cute little Thai comic cookbook that I could gift my granddaughter, but instead I was immediately immersed in the great stories being told. And it's far from "little". This is a seriously comprehensive Thai cookbook that may have few photographs, but it has lots of drawings and if you know your Thai food, you'll be able to find your recipe here. It's maybe not for someone completely new to Thai food who just wants a cookbook, but if you want to learn about Thai culture or are familiar with their food, this is a fantastic book. I am really impressed.

5 Stars from me, and many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to Ten Speed Press who continue to publish fantastic books.

This is such a unique format for a cookbook! I loved the artwork and backstories, and the recipes all sound amazing!

This is a fun comic book style Thai cookbook written by two people. their stories of childhood food memories make the book fun to read. Easy-to-follow recipes have some substitutions or resources for harder to find Thai ingredients. It has fun drawings. Not all of the recipes have photos, I do wish there were more actual food photos, but then again how many photos can you add to a comic book? All in all a charming book that I would gift to a fellow foodie.

I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Description
An approachable, fun comic book cookbook tour of Thai culture and cuisine with 50 recipes and stories from the country's main culinary regions

From an exciting all-female, all-Thai team, Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice combines easy-to-follow comic book panels with pops of vibrant food photography to perfectly capture the bright, colorful flavors and ingredients that are crucial to Thai cuisine.

Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice showcases real Thai food from the country’s distinct culinary regions. Journey to the northern Lanna region and dine “khan tok”–style with small bowls of chile dips, curries, sticky rice, and vegetables on a gilded pedestal tray for sharing; sit cross-legged on a bamboo mat around a spread of tangy salads and grilled meats in the northeast Isaan region; roam the bustling markets of central Bangkok for iconic street food treats; and lounge on a beach in southern Thailand with dangerously spicy seafood.

With recipes divided into six delectable sections for any meal or mood of the day, discover how to make world-class snacks and starters such as Som Tam (papaya salad) and Satay Gai (grilled chicken skewers), or iconic noodle dishes such as Khao Soi (coconut curry noodle soup) and Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles), as well as some lesser-known regional favorites to pair with rice such as Pad Sator (stir-fried bitter beans) from the south and Nam Prik Ong (Ong’s spicy pork and tomato chile dip) from the north. The book also teaches helpful cooking and preparation techniques such as how to properly grate a papaya, make sticky rice in the microwave, fry an egg to crispy perfection, and more.

In celebration of the warm, welcoming spirit of Thailand, Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice shares the secrets to making these dynamic Thai dishes at home, whether as a quick one-plate meal or a showstopping spread of multiple dishes for enjoying communally.

Such a unique twist on a classic cookbook format! As someone who knows very little about Thai cooking, I consider this to be a really good introduction to it. It contains not only recipes, but explanations on essential ingredients, concepts and staples. And on top of that, everything is illustrated in a very cute way!

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

The artwork was cute, and I liked that a few actual pictures were included. But, I think the recipe book/comic book combo didn't work out as well as it could have. In terms of being a comic, there was a lot of exposition in the beginning before even getting to any talk about food. As for a recipe book, some of the layouts, which are fine for comics, aren't as clear if you're trying to concurrently read directions while cooking. As such, it seems more like an illustrated tour of Thai food as opposed to a full on comic. Perhaps adding more structure like an actual comic would have been helpful. On the cookbook side, also adding a few more actual pictures could have been nice. I did like that they added illustrations on top of the photography to make it more fun. Overall, I thought this was a fun idea, but the elements taken from the two genres could have been chosen better.

Noodles, rice and every spice was a very cute, informative resource about everything noodles. If you are like me and enjoy Japanese cuisine and want to know how to serve some staple recipes this is the book for you. I enjoyed the visuals as well as ample information to take away on all things noodles and rice.

"Noodles, Rice, and Everything Spice" is such a fantastic cookbook that shows the Thai culture by sharing an extensive list of recipes featuring Thai food and cuisine. Not only were the comic illustrations a fun and engaging addition, they also acted as visuals to accompany the anecdotes, recipe steps, and ingredients featured in the book.

I was so impressed by how well-thought out this book was. The creators took time in including not only Thai dishes, but also went into detail about the different ingredients, brands, and chef's tips/tricks needed to make these Thai dishes as informative and easy-to-follow for any home cook learning or relearning Thai cuisine.

As a home cook who loves the flavours of Southeast Asian cuisine, I of course have already bookmarked a bunch of recipes:
- Satay Gai (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
- Por Pia Thord (Deep-fried Spring Rolls) & Nam Jim Por Pia (Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce)
- Khao Soi (Egg Noodles in Curry Broth)
- Pad Khee Mao (Drunken Noodles)
- Tom Kha Gai (Chicken Galangal Soup with Coconut Milk)
- Khao Niaw Mamuang (Mango Sticky Rice)
- Khao Niaw Sangkhaya (Sticky Rice with Steamed Custard)
- Cha Yen (Thai Tea)

What an absolute gem of a cookbook. I think more cookbooks should be in graphic novel form. I loved the introduction to the creators and the explanation of the different regions of Thai cooking. This book included a lot of helpful step by step illustrations as well as where you might find the proper ingredients. The list of tools, equipment, and common ingredients is thorough as well as the explanations for including them. This book will delight the person who loves Thai cuisine and has access to a good Asian supermarket.

The pantry section is super helpful, The recipes are detailed and easy to follow even for someone like me who struggles with cooking. The art is a cute touch.

4 stars

Thai food is one of favorites and I hope to make a trip to Thailand in the next couple of years! This cookbook is so much more than a cookbook and is absolutely adorable. I can't wait to try some of these recipes. They all have very clear instructions and have pictures for every step.

An interesting and fun book with authentic recipes and comic-style images that were fun on their own.
I enjoyed the information about the food and the style of writing. it felt like sitting with a friend and talking about food and recipes. i found the images of the recipe steps to be cute and clear instructions - which as a novice cook are very important as I can easily get lost in a recipe and get overwhelmed.
Recommend this book if you are looking for recipes done in a fun way.