Korean American
Food That Tastes Like Home
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES AND LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • An homage to what it means to be Korean American with delectable recipes that explore how new culinary traditions can be forged to honor both your past and your present.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ART OF EATING PRIZE • IACP AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Bon Appétit, The Boston Globe, Saveur, NPR, Food & Wine, Salon, Vice, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, Simply Recipes
“This is such an important book: an enquiry into identity, and a rich repository of memories and deliciousness.”—Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, Repeat
New York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean immigrants. Food has always been central to his story, from Friday-night Korean barbecue with his family to hybridized Korean-ish meals for one—like Gochujang-Buttered Radish Toast and Caramelized-Kimchi Baked Potatoes—that he makes in his tiny New York City apartment. In his debut cookbook, Eric shares these recipes alongside insightful, touching stories and stunning images shot by photographer Jenny Huang.
Playful, poignant, and vulnerable, Korean American also includes essays on subjects ranging from the life-changing act of leaving home and returning as an adult, to what Thanksgiving means to a first-generation family, complete with a full holiday menu—all the while teaching readers about the Korean pantry, the history of Korean cooking in America, and the importance of white rice in Korean cuisine. Recipes like Gochugaru Shrimp and Grits, Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops with Vinegared Scallions, and Smashed Potatoes with Roasted-Seaweed Sour Cream Dip demonstrate Eric's prowess at introducing Korean pantry essentials to comforting American classics, while dishes such as Cheeseburger Kimbap and Crispy Lemon-Pepper Bulgogi with Quick-Pickled Shallots do the opposite by tinging traditional Korean favorites with beloved American flavor profiles. Baked goods like Milk Bread with Maple Syrup and Gochujang Chocolate Lava Cakes close out the narrative on a sweet note.
In this book of recipes and thoughtful insights, especially about his mother, Jean, Eric divulges not only what it means to be Korean American but how, through food and cooking, he found acceptance, strength, and the confidence to own his story.
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Drawing heavily from his Atlanta family's culinary heritage, New York Times food writer Kim maps out the intersection of Korean and American fare in this bold and delicious debut. The two cuisines merge in dishes like cheeseburger kimbap—invented by Kim when he was 13—and his Aunt Georgia's soy sauce fried chicken with jalapenos. Spam, widely adored in Korea, is the star of such sweet offerings as maple-candied Spam, as well as tangy dishes, including a Spam, kimchi, and cabbage stir-fry. Described as "the bedrock of Korean cuisine," kimchi gets its due in a chapter that boasts a classic version perfected by Kim's mother, as well as variations including naengmyeon kimchi made with Korean radish and "large red apple." Meanwhile, rice forms the foundation for scrumptious and filling bowls such as jjajangbap with cabbage and peas mixed with fermented black bean sauce. While there's no shortage of meat and fish recipes on offer, vegetables—especially those grown in Kim's mother's garden—reign, serving as the inspiration for a chapter of diverse delights, including gochujang-glazed zucchini with fried scallions. Elsewhere, a sprawling Thanksgiving menu ("the ultimate Korean American feast") substitutes yangnyeom roast chicken for turkey and employs Korean sweet potatoes in a honey-buttered goguma casserole. Old traditions lead to delicious new flavor combinations in this heartfelt collection.
