Kimchi Mamas

"Kimchi Chronicles" on PBS

Marja Vongerichten, wife of three-star Michelin chef Jean-George Vongerichten, has created a series that seems tailor-made for us Kimchi Mamas.  Part travelogue, part documentary of self-discovery, part cooking show, "Kimchi Chronicles" takes the Vongerichtens around Korea, highlighting all the different dishes and culinary traditions, then interpreting them for the home kitchen with the help of...Hugh Jackman.  Here is a clip of Marja introducing the rest of the gang to what looks like 육개장 (yukgaejang).

An extra-long preview of the series can be seen on the New York Times site.  There, you will be bombarded with image after image of HD deliciousness...I can't watch it without drooling!

Marja will also be publishing a cookbook in August, and it's already up for preorders on Amazon.  Just think about it: authentic Korean recipes adapted for the western home kitchen, written in English, from a Michelin-star family...I can't wait to get my hands on it!  Here are some pics:

The show will make its nationwide debut in July, but it is currently running in New York (you lucky bums).  If you have seen it, please let us know what you thought below!  How's the cinematography?  Does it accurately portray Korea and Koreans?  How much does Marja's personal life story come into play?  Is it  food porn, and/or Hugh porn?  Enquiring minds would like to know!

--Julie

PS: Later this summer when they are released, we will be giving away DVD sets of the series as well as the cookbook, so stay tuned!!!

PPS: All throughout writing this, I kept misspelling "Hugh Jackman" as "Huge Jackman."  Freudian much?

PPPS: Man...I am HUNGRY.

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Priscilla Ahn

I will readily admit that I was at first interested in Priscilla Ahn because of her undoubtedly Korean last name.  Korean American musicians were rare at the time (of course, still rare now, Far East Movement notwithstanding), and so I bought her album mostly as a gesture of cultural support.  It turns out, however, that she is a talented folk-pop singer-songwriter with a voice from the angels, so although I'm still a bit embarrassed by my patronizing gesture back then, I am so excited to nominate her to our Kimchi Mama Honor Roll!

In an interview with Koream Magazine, she credited her own Kimchi Mama for introducing her to singing:

Kay Hartranft [Priscilla's mother] sang regularly in choir and encouraged Priscilla to participate in a Christmastime recital.

“It was fun,” Priscilla recalls. “It was my first time singing in front of people, and I remember liking it a lot. I was 8 years old, and I was like, ‘I can sing! People like my voice!’“

Well, time has passed since then, and her debut album, A Good Day, has earned high acclaim and the lead single, "Dream," has appeared on various movies and TV shows.  I even heard it playing at a quirky little sweet shop at Shibuya Station when I was in Tokyo a couple years ago.  Here's my favorite version of the song, played live and shot beautifully by La Blogotheque.  It really showcases the sweetness of her voice and her musical chops:

Split Series Priscilla Ahn - Dream
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Explore more music videos.

Now it's time for album #2, coming out in May.  In the fanciful, charmingly-produced title track, Ms. Ahn asks the question moms everywhere have asked of their children: "When you grow up, what kind of person will you be?"  You can listen to the whole track here, and even download it for free!

Priscilla Ahn's official website

Priscilla Ahn's blog

Priscilla Ahn on Facebook

Shout out to Angry Asian Man for the heads-up on the new single!  I think he has a crush on her...;)

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Lt. Dan Choi

I've had my eye on Lt. Dan Choi for a long time.  A West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran with a specialty in Arabic language, he ignited an intense national debate over the ethics of Don't Ask Don't Tell when he publicly came out of the closet on "The Rachel Maddow Show."  He was the first Arabic linguist to be discharged from the military during the Obama administration under Don't Ask Don't Tell, but quickly re-enlisted to fight another war: the war for social justice and equality in the military.

And it turns out that Lt. Choi's own Kimchi Mama played a role in all this by doing what Korean moms do best: nagging him about marrying a Korean girl and making Korean babies.  She nagged him so much, in fact, he said: “I am not going to marry a Korean girl, nor am I going to marry a white girl.  I am gay, and I was born that way, and I tried to pray the gay away.” (source: Iowa Independent)  Once he came out to his parents, coming out to the rest of the world was easy by comparison.

And now, less than two years since he uttered the words "I am gay" on television, Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed by the Senate. In response, Lt. Choi released a statement:

President Obama, you are not off the hook. The compromise bill passed today puts the moral imperative squarely on your desk. Sign an executive order instituting a full non-discrimination policy throughout the military. If you do not, if you drag your feet and politicize this with your theoretical calculations as you have these past two years, you will be guilty of abetting those who loudly proclaim homophobia from their platforms and pulpits. Provide them no shelter or safe haven. Institute justice now.

Wow, right?  Them's fightin' words: fearless, passionate, and intelligent.  

Lt.Choi's accomplishments both as a soldier and as a civil rights leader are too manifold to list individually here, but let me just say that for the West Point grad, Arabic linguist, infantry soldier, church-going, justice-fighting, and darn handsome young man he is, he is pure Korean mom swooning material, and therefore the inaugural member of the Kimchi Mama Honor Roll!

Lt. Choi, as the Koreans say, FIGHTING!!!  We heard you are currently in the hospital, so we wish you a quick recovery back to health so you can return to what you do best: fighting the good fight!

Additional Source: http://ltdanchoi.com/

아줌마 (Ajumma)

When I was in college, I had a bet going with my friends, a bet I would almost always win.  If we were attending a party or other gathering that required me to introduce myself to new people, inevitably one or more of those people would mention how much they loved Margaret Cho and thought she was SO funny.

WTF, right?  I look nothing like her.  And these weren't just your typical ignorant folk either; somehow the magic combination being Korean and overweight and funny made people make the connection.  I probably should have been flattered.

Regardless, I resented the hell out of it, not because I didn't like Margaret Cho's comedy or her philosophies, in fact I consider myself a fan.   However, I think everyone likes to believe that they are a unique little snowflake in this world, and that there is room in people's hearts for more than one outspoken, witty Korean woman.  But no, my chances of fame are forever dashed because she came first!  Why are the fates so cruel!  I raise my fist to the heavens and cry, MORAAAAAAN!!!

Anyway, I was reminded of this today when I asked my husband in a husky, too-eager voice, "TIM!!!  I made an awesome kimchi jjigae, take a picture!"

Then a warning buzzer rang in my head: uh oh, I just loved my own cooking.  That is #4 in Stuff Korean Moms Like.  I am no longer Margaret Cho.  I'm Margaret Cho's MOM.  I am officially an ajumma, a visor-wielding, self-medicating matron.  Oh well, at least now I get to talk smack about you in front of your face while I polish my Corningware.

While we're on the subject, here is Margaret Cho on being a Korean American role model (warning: bad words), which is ironically very much similar to my views on being a Korean American:

America needs Pororo!

As many of you already know, I'm currently halfway through a year of living in one of the most densely Korean populated areas in the United States.  Seriously.  There are condo complexes around here that are occupied entirely by Koreans.  That's 100%.  I know this for a fact because someone I know just moved into a complex and she says she kicked out the last non-korean family who lived there.  

The downside to this is that the McDonalds and Dennys in the area are filled with lots of loud Korean talk in the morning over coffee, I park my humble Camry in parking lots filled with luxury cars and since I'm usually dressed in non brand clothing and carrying a bag from Target, well let's just say that I get looks that say I need to do better.

BUT, it also means great Korean food everywhere (omg the soondubu and dongchimi kooksoo rocks) not to mention lots of choice in Korean products and entertainment.  Which we have been totally taking advantage of and is probably why suddenly the Little Einstein and Go Diego Go DVDs have slowly been pushed aside to make room for Pororo the Little Penguin.  And what a relief it is.  I actually like watching it.

Pororo is a cartoon about a cute little penguin who dreams of flying and lives in the arctic.  He has several cute and warm hearted friends to keep him company.  The creator, Choi Jong-Il, has actually been featured in Time Magazine for possibly changing the preschool cartoon world.  The episodes share simple stories, usually with some social lesson.  A big part of the success though, seems to be that unlike most Korean children shows, the lead character is not an adult.  Pororo is 4, and acts like a 4 year old would.  It's been translated into multiple languages and currently shown on cartoon networks in 80 different countries.  Not in America though, I have no idea why.

There are DVDs with multiple episodes in either Korean or English.  The English ones have much more simple dialogue because I think they're meant to teach Korean children English (judging by the occasional Konglish.)  But, they're still really enjoyable.

At first I was disappointed a bit by how although the characters spoke Korean, very little of anything else was Korean.  They ate with forks and knives, and none of the set looked Korean.  I guess the makers might have done this on purpose so it wouldn't look out of place anywhere else.  But as I kept watching, I realized I might have judged too quickly.  The lessons taught through story are certainly more Korean than not.  For instance, there's an episode all about keeping one's face and hands clean.  That's a top priority as something to teach for parents in Korea.  Even now my mom makes me and my kids wash our face and hands before going out anywhere, or coming home for anywhere.  But it's not something American parents may feel the need to take a whole episode of a show to teach.

I've look online, and currently you can find DVD sets of Pororo at different sites that sell entertainment products from Korea, BUT make sure to check the region code of the DVD player it needs to be played in.  We are region 1, but the DVDs on those sites state that they sell region 3.  I have found though, that I can change the region code on my computer so it will play region 3 DVDs.  They also sell them at Korean video and DVD stores here, which is where I've been getting ours.  I find that I can play these on our regular DVD player attached to our TV.

I know not everyone is so lucky to live by so many Korean choices, so I'm willing to buy them and ship them to you Kimchi Mamas out there in what I have been calling "true America."  Of course, because the cartoon is not yet on American TV, you can also find episodes of it on Youtube.  But if you need them for a car trip or something, I could get one of those flat rate boxes and fill it with your favorite ramen and some choco pies too.  ^^

-jooliyah 

Stuff Korean Moms Like: Stockpiling

"This from a woman who has no uterus," says my sister.

Kimchi Mama Stefania Pomponi Butler is in Hawaii visiting her mom and coveting her stockpiles of feminine products, toilet paper, shampoo, soap, pasta, and cereal.