Before we get into the winning book, let’s talk about Korean cookbooks. In my previous post, I had just fell in food lust with my 1st Korean cookbook so of course I had to immediately pick up another. This one’s from London written by a critically acclaimed chef of Irish roots & his native Korean wife. Chef Jordan had been trained in Mediterranean cooking, but Rejina opened up his eyes & palate to Korean culture & food. Jordan has since been named the “winner of the K-Food Festival, a competition searching for the UK’s best Korean chef. And was also awarded an honorary ambassadorship by the Korean Foreign Ministry to promote Korean food in the UK after learning his craft in Korea from a number of the most respected chefs and food producers in the country.” I think you’ll adore this couple & the food they make as much as I did.
Our Korean Kitchen (view on Amazon) is an “inspiring guide bringing this delicious and healthy cuisine to your table. Jordan & Rejina provide a cultural history of the food giving context to the recipes that follow. This comprehensive collection of 100+ authentic and accessible dishes explores the ingredients and techniques needed to master Korean cooking.”
I can’t wait to try the Ki-rum ddeokbokki (Crispy Chili Rice Cakes) along with the sweet & salty Kamja jorim (Honey & Soy-glazed Potatoes). I also definitely need to make some savory pancakes & fritters along with delectable noodle & soup dishes. Yum! The various kimchi recipes look so interesting especially the Dongchimi (Radish Water Kimchi) which apparently isn't spicy at all. I never knew there were so many types of kimchi.
Which reminds me of an embarrassing kimchi story from my younger days. Read More
When I was younger & married to a native Japanese guy, he told me he loved kimchi so I went to an Asian store & picked some up. I didn't know what it was—only that it was a “homemade pickled cabbage dish” which were the only English words on the container. Well, half of my family is of Polish origins so to me serving cabbage means you serve it hot as a main meal or as a hefty side dish. I had nothing to serve it with so I just heated up the entire container & dumped it onto a big plate as a surprise. And oh boy, was he surprised & definitely trying not to laugh when I served it.
That's when I found out that:
- Kimchi is treated more like a condiment adding a spicy or sour note to cut through heavier dishes.
- The version I gave him was the spiciest of them all & never meant to be eaten alone.
- It was way too much kimchi…it’s not supposed to served up like Polish-style stewed cabbage or cabbage rolls. That huge container I gave to him would probably last a family of four at least a couple of weeks.
Oops - cringe - LOL
But WHat Book Did the group pick to read next?
You’re in for a surprise cause we had a tie. This has only happened once before in the entire 3 year history of the club! That’s when we implemented a rule to have the book club management team break the tie by choosing the book thought best for the club. In this case, we decided to go for the book which includes some elements the club hasn’t read before. That winner is…
“If you're looking for a book that will make you gasp out loud, you’ve found it.” - Kirkus Reviews
“Be forewarned: it might make you reconsider your interest in your neighbors, because it could lead to obsession and madness―or something odder and less reassuring than a tidy end, of which there are few in this wonderfully unsettling book of 10 masterful short stories.” - John Yau
“In these stories, readers will find tales of alienation and unruly behavior that will likely jar them as much as any narrative of sinister creatures and haunted spaces.” - Words Without Borders
”Here is, undoubtedly, one of the best translated short story collections of 2019.” - Books and Bao
“Praised for her meticulous descriptions and ability to transform the mundanity of everyday life into something strange and unexpected, Ha Seong-nan bursts into the English literary scene with this stunning collection that confirms Korea's place at the forefront of contemporary women's writing. From the title story told by a woman suffering from gaps in her memory, to one about a man seeking insight in bags of garbage, to a surreal story about a car salesman and the customer he tries to seduce, this book charms and provokes with an incomparable style.”
(Group read suggestion from Ivor Watkins, book club moderator.)
View on Amazon (US) | (UK)
…And the elements in the book above which haven’t been read by the club before are horror & the supernatural. In addition, we felt that a book of short stories might work better since so many of us are distracted right now. With this book, it’ll be easy to pick up & put down throughout the month of June.
The book that it tied with was The Plotters, a “darkly funny” crime thriller which I originally suggested that “soars with the soul, wit, and lyricism of real literary craft.” I’m going to be reading this book as well as the official club read because both books look just so d*mn good!
Happy reading!