February 2026 Winter Comforts

- A selfie taken in Times Square-

Thank you so much for the kind and comforting messages you sent after my January newsletter!
I’m doing well. Time flies when I’m cooking and developing recipes. Learning new things, like working on my website and editing videos, feels rewarding, and eating food I’ve cooked reminds me how much I truly love what I do. : )

There are moments when loneliness comes, but knowing that so many of you are thinking of me and cheering me on brings me strength and comfort.

Boneless dakgangjeong, a sweet and crunchy chicken that’s quick and easy to make at home! The video was filmed in a beachfront kitchen during my trip to Montauk, and it brings back such warm memories of cooking in a beautiful, relaxed space. Enjoy the recipe!

This month, I recommend stir-fried garlic green beans that’s both delicious and healthy. You can easily find green beans at any grocery store, even in the middle of winter. The key tip for this recipe is to blanch the fresh green beans until tender before stir-frying them. Check out the detailed recipe here!

I’m so impressed by Mirjam’s two kinds of kimchi!
Radish water kimchi on the left and white cabbage kimchi on the right. They both look delicious, and that slightly cloudy brine will taste very refreshing and lightly fizzy once fermented. It’s a great reminder that even people who can’t eat spicy food can still enjoy making kimchi. Is regular kimchi too spicy for you? Then it’s time to make white kimchi!

Reinier has been cooking Korean food for years. Recently, he made bugeoguk (pronounced boog-eo-guk), a soup made with dried pollock and radish. In Korea, this soup is well known as a hangover soup because dried pollock is rich in amino acids and taurine that help the body process alcohol and support the liver. It’s simple, comforting, and very soothing. Check out the recipe here.

Carole, who lives in France, spent the whole day making kimchi with napa cabbage and radish. By the end, her house was filled with the smell of garlic seasoning, and she was completely exhausted. I understand exactly how she felt because I’ve been making and eating kimchi my entire life. By the way, the kkakdugi she made looks so crispy and juicy, doesn’t it?

For me, when the house fills with the smell of freshly mixed kimchi seasoning, it actually brings joy. I think, “Ah, now I won’t have to worry about side dishes for a while.” The cubed radish kimchi (kkakdugi) recipe is here!

You always inspire me, make me laugh, brighten my day, and touch my heart! Here are some comments and messages I want to share with you this month:

Amulya’s message made me so happy. I could easily picture her toddler enjoying the carrot cake muffins she made. So cute~!

I tried your recipe and it is the most easy and delicious recipe. My toddler enjoyed it. I must agree while you say less sugar and less oil.

Chong Z made kimchi, and when her friends tasted it, they asked if it was store-bought. When she said she made it herself, everyone loved it and they even took some home when they left!

themean69 made Buldak (Fire chicken), and their comment was so funny. : )

I made this buldak last weekend and took leftovers to work for lunch during the week. By the third day my stomach had gotten used to it 😂 incredible flavor, will make again for sure in spite of the punishment that a 1/2 C of extra spicy flakes can put on a person.

Phillip made twisted doughnuts, and he was so happy that they turned out just like the ones I made!

Just made them for the family and kids, they all ABSOLUTELY loved them!! Came out perfect, just like yours!

This is a spicy fish stew I recently made and really enjoyed. It’s been extremely cold here in New York lately, so I cooked a bubbling pot of maeuntang with whiting fish and enjoyed it with rice! The spicy, piping-hot broth and the tender fish filled my mouth with flavor, and with every spoonful I found myself saying, ‘Ah, so good!’ : )
This easy and simple maeuntang recipe will be coming next month. Stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed reading my letter. I will see you next month on March 1st!
Enjoy many happy moments with your Korean cooking!