Momofuku

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I read this cookbook with the same exhilarating glee I previously had only experienced with my favorite novels. And then, just over a week before I post the recipe, I ended up reviewing David Chang’s newest show, Ugly Delicious. If you’re lucky the skin will puff up and blister into fabulously light crackling (although we always had some chicharróns ready to go, just in case). I think it was the use these two phrases: "the rest of the round-eye crew" and "I popped my meat glue cherry" that really won me over.

The reviews are sponsored; the resulting articles are unbiased, and the opinions expressed are my own. Now, if you’re willing to put in the time, and want some stellar Asian food, I might recommend it as well.Some of the recipes are very simple, but even the ones that are too involved for the home cook offer a fascinating window into the mind of Chang. The first step of this recipe, for instance, is "make sure there's not a lot of hair on your pig's head. Chang recognises that food is nothing without context, without history and a sense of place and purpose, a sense of its importance. They prompt me to think about what I’m going to cook from them, to make little lists of obscure ingredients, to get on the train to Leeds with the sole aim of raiding the shelves at Wing Lee Hong. With over 6 million of the world’s best eBooks to choose from, Kobo offers you a whole world of reading.

The most exciting cookbook of the season, to me, is without question, Momofuku, by David Chang and Peter Meehan. They talk about David’s personal epiphanies he’s had while cooking them, basic anatomy and service tips, how to shuck them, and so forth. I can't help but like his bombastic self promotion because he does it intelligently and with a sense of humor. It's given me a look behind the kitchen that shows like No Reservations don't give and shows like Top Chef give poorly. While some of the recipes are very involved and require some real dedication (Chang even admits that some are honestly crazy to attempt in a home kitchen, but shares the info anyway, which I find endearing), others couldn't be easier or would be easy enough to attempt with a little extra effort.A pretty common page in the book: ingredients are set in the margin, italics for the intro, then the steps, and then a bolded section for alternative approaches, along with a picture of the product. I'm burned out by the "let me brag about how amazing I am while making constant snarky comments about everything that doesn't live up to my personal vision.

The relatively low sugar content in cauliflower allows it to cook to a high degree of caramelisation without tasting bitter: this was the secret to the legendary cauliflower cheese of which we served hundreds each week at the pub (and which actually saved us from going under, but that’s another story for another day). I've been a little obsessed with trying the Momofuku restaurants since I saw Chang featured on the food porn episode of "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain last year, and reading this book just kicked my desire up to a frenzied pitch. Since then, Chang and his restaurants have won several James Beard Awards and been the subject of an extended "Chef on the Edge" New Yorker article and Charlie Rose interview. It's a very atypical journey but one full of creativity and hard work (with a dash of luck) that is truly inspiring. You can use the previous and next buttons to navigate or use the slide dots to navigate to a specific slide.You simply have to understand that Momofuku Ko is one of the most respected restaurants in the world because no one else can do it like Chang and Co.