Notes on Things Korean

I am a novice cook and have recently started cooking from this book. I am Vietnamese and my husband is Korean. The recipes are super-fast and easy to prepare. All the dishes I've made have turned out delicious, with the exception of kim-chi. My husband told me that Kim-chi is very difficult to make. I can't vow to the authenticity of this book since I am not Korean; however, both my husband and I enjoy the food very much. Some of our favorite foods include spring chicken soup, chicken in soy sauce, cucumber with pork, and the homemade dumplings.

Having had Korean food in New York City, I looked everywhere for a good, comprehensive Korean cookbook. Korean food is a revelation if you've never had it, perfect for a cold winter night. Believe me, friends, this you want to try at home. I finally found this book, and I was pleased with the number of recipies it includes. But on closer reading, I saw that the recipies seem somewhat simplified compared to a few other Asian recipe collections I have. (Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook is THE BIBLE of Asian cooking; that's what I'm comparing to.) Also, it looks like the quantities of cayenne pepper has been reduced, no doubt to cater to Western tastes. This book was written in the 1970's, before Americans got real adventurous in their kitchens and accpeted the use of chilies in their food, so I can forgive this toned-down version of Korean cuisine. But by all means, if you are interested in a wide ranging collection of Korean recipies, and I have no doubt they are authentic, this is a good volume to own. And if it's too bland for you, just toss in more cayenne pepper. It can't hurt...