Praise for The Spice Necklace

“The Spice Necklace is pure pleasure from start to finish. It not only makes me want to run off to an island in the Caribbean, but somehow, it makes me feel as though I already have, as though I knew the place, as though I were a part of it. Ann Vanderhoof is a remarkably smart, funny, and generous writer: she brings us on her journey, and in the process, in her words and her recipes, she gives us a journey of our own. I would follow her anywhere.”
           —Molly Wizenberg, author of the New York Times bestseller A Homemade Life


“Vanderhoof’s second book…will have you slipping away to the Margaritaville mentality while aboard Vanderhoof and her husband’s 42-foot sailboat, the beloved Receta.…The best part: If an island getaway won’t fit into your tight budget this year, ‘every little thing gonna be all right’ because Vanderhoof offers 71 delicious recipes that will have you relishing a Caribbean staycation in your kitchen …These island concoctions are tasty enough to make you feel anything but landlocked.”
            —Elle, “Top 10 Summer Books for 2010”


“The Spice Necklace more than whets your appetite for the Caribbean, and in particular, Caribbean cuisine. It evokes the character, personality and strength of such wonderful sun-blessed countries. The words and recipes offer a true Caribbean escape.”
           —Gary Rhodes, celebrity chef and author of New British Classics and Keeping It Simple
 

“Ann Vanderhoof gives us real soul food, and a heartfelt recollection of the people who showed her and her husband what Caribbean food is all about. If you have ever doubted the allure of the Caribbean, The Spice Necklace will show you why you want to go and how to eat when you get there.”
           —Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin, coauthors of In Late Winter We Ate Pears


“Ann Vanderhoof takes readers on a lively gastronomic adventure through the delightful islands of the Caribbean. You can even retrace her experiences personally through the 71 authentic West Indian recipes she provides. Altogether tasty.”
           —Cheryl and Bill Jamison, authors of Around the World in 80 Dinners
 

“Ann Vanderhoof serves up a rich stew of impressions and observations about food and culture in the islands…An interesting and engaging book either to read straight through or to dip into.”
           —Globe and Mail (Canada)
 

“Vanderhoof’s tale is incredibly airy and bright…Her native island recipes, many developed in the small kitchen aboard her boat…are the book’s highlight. Twice-fried plantains, coconut drops, pepper shrimp and mango chow—many sound good enough to induce hunger pangs just by reading their names.…Vanderhoof does an admiral job of making them accessible to any North American kitchen.”
           —Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)
 

“Prepare to be hot and hungry this winter: The Spice Necklace is a fabulous fusion of travel writing, food lore and island culture.”
           —More Magazine (Canada)
 

“Part guidebook, part cookbook, part memoir, Ann’s latest book is the perfect read for food lovers who crave adventures in the sun. …You’ll like it if: you like food, adventure and sun, not necessarily in that order.”
           —foodnetwork.ca (Canada)

 

Praise for An Embarrassment of Mangoes

“Reading Vanderhoof ’s evocative descriptions of the food, you’ll want to rush to the kitchen to turn out your own tropical dishes. . . Vanderhoof captures sailing jargon, island patois, gorgeous vistas, and the sting of salt water. Her smooth, confident writing brings their journey to life.”
           —San Francisco Chronicle
 

“Full of humor and insight . . . travel writing at its best.”
           —The Washington Times
 

“Excels in painting a perfect picture of every island.”
            —Publishers Weekly
 

“Finely crafted…highly satisfying…enrapt island portraits that prompt us to see and to yearn: what travel writing is all about.”
            —Kirkus Reviews
 

“…memorable portraits of the successive islands, anchorages, and engaging characters she encounters [with] seriously seductive regional recipes between the chapters.”
           —Elle
 

“With an eye and an ear for the colours, characters, and flavours of island life, Vanderhoof describes places where watches are superfluous and total strangers say good morning to each other.”
           —The Globe and Mail (Canada)
 

“A gently passionate story . . . captured in writing so engrossing it often seems you’re witnessing their journey, not just reading about it.”
           —Winnipeg Free Press (Canada)
 

“[a] gracefully written and poignant account of [a] two-year maritime odyssey. . . . It’s a splendid adventure, engagingly told and teasingly punctuated with recipes from the trip.”
           —Explore
 

“This foodie’s take on armchair travel is a perfect read for this season of new hopes and resolutions.”
           —Canadian House & Home