The first thing I thought after reading the first paragraph of this cookbook is that the author obviously knows how to write a cookbook. He writes in a way that helps you taste the food even as you’re reading. I’m certainly glad I put that packet of dried seaweed in my cart at Target before going home to start this book. Stunning photographs and heartwarming family stories complete the book beautifully.
A note for the casual reader/cook, this book will take you deep into the heart of Korean American cooking. If you want something that will provide a casual foray into Korean food, this probably isn’t the cookbook for you.
Regardless, in the spirit of this mother-son cookbook, I tried out a recipe with my mom. We made Dakdoritang. I believe we would have had better results if we cooked like professionally chefs. Unfortunately we’re pretty average in the kitchen, so the results were… pretty average. So again I say, this cookbook is not for beginners. Make sure you have some previous experience and knowledge before diving in.
And yes, I cried during the epilogue.

I am constantly on the lookout for new cookbooks and when I saw this on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. I loved the meddling of the cultures and the creation of new recipes. They are easy to make and follow. I tried the recipe for Caramelized-Kimchi Baked Potatoes and it has become a staple for dinner. Next on my list is the stews and the lobster.

Korean American is an incredible cookbook full of insightful stories, eye-catching photos, and exciting recipes! Each recipe is a fantastic combination of Korean pantry essentials with American comfort food, creating surprising dishes from two traditional cuisines. The stories included provide insight into Eric’s cultural and culinary heritage:
“These recipes explore the tension—and the ultimate harmony—between the Korean in me as well as the American in me. I am at once both and neither, and something else entirely: I am Korean American.”

The vast majority of ingredients are all easily found in your grocery store (and include many common pantry staples), the directions are easy to understand, and I do not feel overwhelmed or intimidated by any of them. Basically, I'm ready to begin working my way through this book one recipe at a time!

Thanks to Clarkson Potter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home is scheduled for release on March 29, 2022.

It's easy to see why Korean American by Eric Kim is one of the most anticipated new cookbook titles of 2022. The writing is superlative, the colors and food styling are gorgeous, and the recipes all sound delicious. And given Eric Kim's fantastic recipes that are published in the New York Times (I made his famous root beer ham for Christmas and it was perfect), there's no doubt that the recipe development is solid. The fusion recipes in this book really appeal to me: Creamy Bucatini with Roasted Seaweed; Cheeseburger Kimbap; Sheet-Pan L.A. Kalbi with Sprite. The chapters of the book are playful and more about social context than time of day. So instead of the standard "breakfast, lunch, dinner" there's sections called "TV Dinners," "Kimchi is a Verb," "S is for Stew," and "Korean Bakery." There are also a lot of recipes that will push me out of my comfort zone -- they're just foods I haven't tried before and don't even know how they're supposed to taste. But I have faith from this book that those kind of "blindfold" recipes will turn out alright. This cookbook is fun to read, a delight to cook from, and sure to be one of the best books to come out in 2022. Thank you NetGalley for the advance digital review copy.

A great book filled with recipes that are varied and appetising. All recipes are well set out and the photos of the food all look incredible

This cookbook is absolutely beautiful. The pictures, the personal touches, the author's mentions of their mother and how she learned to make traditional meals with ingredients she could get in America. I will certainly be trying many of the recipes!

Such a loving tribute to his mom and to his culture. Author Eric Kim takes us on a journey with him though his exploration of food and cooking that are integral to his story as a son who left his first generation Korean family then returned home. Through the stories he chose and the recipes both traditional and those created as fusion of his family and American flavors, he has taught us why white rice is important to Korean culture, what a Korean pantry looks like and the history of Korean food in America. And so much more.

I felt like I got a warm hug as I looked at how a Korean pantry can spice up some of my classic American dishes and visa versa. I cannot wait to make several of the recipes, including Crispy Lemon-Pepper Bulgogi with quick pickled shallots and several of the Thanksgiving dishes.

Thanks to #netgalley and #tenspeedpress for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Incredibly accessible Korean fusion cookbook. If you pick up gochujang from the international aisle, you can make most of these recipes from what you already have in your kitchen. The Korean toasts and Kimchi fried rice are incredibly addicting. I'm excited to get to the short rib and taco recipes when I get the chance.

<i>Thank you Netgalley for the arc for a review</i>

I am a massive fan of Korean Food, our local farmers Market has a stall selling traditional Korean food and I always stop by to pick something up. So when I was offered the chance to review this book, I jumped at the chance.
Eric Kim shares stories of his past, ranging from his mother Jeans influence on his cooking to running away to his cousins house. He shares his love for the food and how his life impacted on his desire and passion for this book and it shows. The photography is fantastic, colourful and blends with the rest of the book making it a brilliant addition to any cooks library.
The recipes range from covering Kimchi to baked goods, to stews. Eric offers alternatives to ingredients to make the recipes more accessible. Honestly, I tried the Jalepeno-Marinated chicken tacos and my god, I loved them and will be making them again. Next up is the Salt and Pepper Pork Chops and Smashed potatoes.
Yes I will be buying a copy of this book when it’s released and I’ll be recommending this to anyone who loves Korean food as much as I do.
I was given an advanced copy of Eric Kim’s Korean American cookbook in exchange for an honest review. My thanks #NetGalley and #ClarksonPotter #TenspeedPress for the advanced copy

I came for the delicious recipes and stayed for the beautiful personal anecdotes. As a Korean American myself, I felt like Eric Kim hit the nail on the head with his descriptions of unique Korean American experiences, such as sohn mat ("hand taste") specific to our mothers or how our parents had to live through the "immigrant time warp" and adapt recipes to ingredients available in U.S. grocery stores. I love to cook and own many cookbooks, and none contain writing that compares with this one. The recipes sound delectable and even tugs at my heartstrings by melding Korean and American influences so seamlessly. The author included a description of commonly used Korean ingredients that make the recipes feel accessible even if the reader is less familiar with Korean cuisine. The photography is also stunning and vivid. The physical copy immediately made its way to my wishlist upon its release date. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Not many times can I say a cooking book is perfect. This is one of those times. I loved all of the photographs (especially of the doggy). And the recipes looked delicious. As a Korean umma, let me tell you that my own sohn mat continually frustrates my daughter--who, like Eric, wants to learn exactly how I cook something. I can finally show her this beautiful book, so she can make her own special touches on Korean American food. My favorite section of the book was the kimchi section, and I look forward to making the perilla kimchi this summer. My perilla reseeds itself so much that it has gone wild in my backyard.

Korean American
My thanks to #NetGalley and #ClarksonPotter #TenspeedPress for the advance copy eBook in exchange for an honest review. I had seen Eric Kim speak about #Korean American at a convention, and I knew I had to read it. The stories within the pages are captivating, and the photographs are beyond beautiful, they further tell the story. There are recipes, sure. The recipes are fantastic, not too difficult, not too wild, but it’s the narrative that makes #Korean American such a fantastic book. Eric Kim tells the story of being a first generation American, bridging the two cultures, being a part of two very diverse worlds. It’s an honest, often raw, look at what it means to be an American, a son, a man. It’s a beautiful memoir wrapped in recipes. Such a beautiful book.

This a a great cookbook for those interested in trying to make their own Korean food at home. I loved the beginning where it walked through all the ingredients and what purpose they hold. This is a great beginner cookbook!

Gorgeous photography, consistent styling, great set of recipes, and amazing narrative. it's a book that you may not necessary keep in your kitchen, but by your bedside to flip through and read before falling asleep. Highly recommended. Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A true fusion cookbook, Korean American has a few Korean staple recipes and many mixtures of American and Korean flavors. Kimchi and cream cheese toasties share space with girts and pancakes. Southern American specialties get pride of place, leading to combos that seem odd but are insanely tasty.

A lovely cookbook full of foods that aren't too intimidating for the average home cook. While there are occasional special ingredients, overall I found the recipes to be within my grasp, and I'm no chef. I also liked the more casual recipes that blend foods with a Korean pedigree with more casual ingredients you can find in America, like Spam.

Korean American is a cookbook you read and savor from cover to cover. You soak in the familial love of a son for his mother Jean. You read the stories behind each dish and feel the longing for the familiar foods from home of immigrants in the 80s. Not being able to get many of the seasonings, sauces and veggies from Korea forced Jean, Eric’s mom, to get creative. Using Korean techniques and substituting similar things she created her own dishes. Eric follows in his mother’s footsteps taking American dishes and giving them the flavors of Korean.

Fans of K-dramas and K-pop will find these dishes easily accessible. The beautiful photography and styling plus the helpful tips and fantastic explanations will make these dishes doable for the home chef. The rang of flavors will make many of these family favorites. I plan on making the Spam dishes and Gyeranbap first.

This was such a great find and you can bet I will be purchasing a copy!

I’ve been into making Korean dishes at home for a few years, and the amount of gochujang and gochugaru I go through as a person who lives alone is a little embarrassing.

This book was beautiful and colorful, with a compelling dive into Korean American culture, an extremely helpful ingredients glossary, and insightful explanations of terminology and cultural expressions. And most of all, beautiful personal touches from the author’s family.

Eric’s Kimchi Fried Rice with Egg Yolk is already a new staple for me, and i can’t wait to keep exploring this book and it’s recipesㅌ

This book is fantastic! The content, from the gorgeous photography to the satisfyingly descriptive background stories of each dish, is extensive, and it is clear that the author has put a lot of heart into this cookbook. I really appreciate how he made the ingredient section a fun and educational read (yes, he did entice me to actually read the part I usually skip).

Kim recognizes the differences among how foodies often use the word "authentic" and forewarns readers that this book is specific to the culinary traditions of his family, nostalgic family photos and memoire-esque prose included. A joy to explore, readers will really feel like they're getting to know the author and his food. This book makes Korean cooking so much more approachable.

I tried several recipes and they all came out great (Korean friend approved), largely in part due to Kim's clear instructions and tips.

One suggestion: I loved that Kim included the hangul names of specific ingredients, which made shopping for them so much easier. I wish he did the same thing with all the dishes, mainly so that I could google different interpretations and recipes of the same dish more accurately.

This is a great (as by the name) korean american fusion recipes. There are atleast 10 recipes I want to try. I love the infusion of the personal family stories between the recipes an the food sections are well laid out. The food pictures in the book are so vivid and bright.