My April letter to you

Hi everybody! Some of you may be wondering how I’ve been doing lately, so I wanted to share this photo. It was taken recently when I was invited to the New York premiere of The Forsytes. I watched the first episode and really enjoyed the evening.

Last time I shared a recipe for spicy fish stew made with whiting fish, which I had never seen before in Korea. This time I’m making grilled branzino with a Korean-style seasoning sauce, served as a delicious side dish with rice. Here in the U.S., where I live, this fish is quite common, although it’s a little pricey.
It’s also called European sea bass. I almost regret discovering it so late in my life because it’s such a delicious fish! : )
Many steakhouses even serve “grilled whole branzino” on their menu for fish lovers. It’s one of the popular fish here. One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s perfect for sharing at the table. Try making it this way!

Have you ever tried my cinnamon rolls?
I originally posted this recipe with a video, and I’ve kept the footage all these years. Recently I edited it again just for you.

Some of you may have already made these cinnamon rolls with the older video, but I hope this refreshed version inspires you to bake them again.

Soft and thin dough spread with plenty of butter, filled with lots of nuts and raisins, rolled up, sliced, and baked into fluffy cinnamon rolls. Umm~ : )
Find the original video and the detailed recipe here.

Christy, who lives in Canada, made this buchu-kimchi! It’s delicious both fresh and fermented. I especially love the sour smell and taste from long fermentation. It’s a perfect side dish to serve with BBQ.
Seeing this buchu-kimchi photo brings back a wonderful memory from my trip to Paris in 2016, when I had a potluck meetup with my readers. I went to a Korean market in Paris and picked fresh buchu and napa cabbage, and also bought fresh oysters. I made buchu-kimchi and oyster kimchi and brought them to the home of one of my readers, Maria Saad.

Her house was amazing! You could see the Eiffel Tower right outside the window! But what touched me even more was the kindness of Maria and her husband.

You should watch the video from that meetup. Everyone brought delicious food to share. Ah, that was already 10 years ago! Check out the recipe and the more detailed video here!

Take a look at this mouthwatering bibim-guksu Jeff made!
He described it as “cold kimchi noodles, simple to make, full of flavor, and absolutely delicious.” The recipe is here!

My 6 year old son said he wants to hug you. I just wanted to let you know! Something about you, maybe your energy, that makes a little boy like him want to give you a hug. We love you! I’ve been a fan of yours for over 10 years!

When I read this comment, it really warmed my heart. When I thought about it from her perspective, I could feel how deeply she cares for her grandson. It touched me very much. Don’t you feel the same?

I used to make this delicious egg bread with my fabulous little grandson. I am watching it again and I am feeling very sad as he emigrated last year to New Zealand. I am hoping to visit before long and hopefully make it again with him and his little sister.

Have you ever compared the taste of homemade kimchi with store-bought kimchi?
I recently received this message and it made me so happy! It’s from a kind subscriber who made my easy kimchi with love for a dear friend.

I made this kimchi for my friend who was pregnant. She was craving kimchi so much but could not eat the store bought kimchi because it made her feel sick during pregnancy. She said this recipe I made for her was the only kimchi she could eat without feeling sick. Thank you for this recipe!

This is a story from Qandeel, who lives in Pakistan. Since her mom first discovered my dakgangjeong recipe 7 years ago, she has been making the sweet, crunchy chicken for special occasions. On the day Qandeel sent me this message, her mom was actually making dakgangjeong again. I could feel her joy through the message.

It's been more than 7 years I guess since my mother discovered your recipe. Since then, this recipe has always turned out amazing. The chicken is so delicious and the sweet syrup is just cherry on top. I'm writing this now as once again my mother made it today! It was delicious!! Thank you so much maangchi for building up a part of my life. Love from Pakistan🇵🇰🇵🇰!!

I hope you enjoyed this month’s letter and found something delicious to make. Stay cozy and happy cooking! I’ll see you next month on May 1st!