Book: Korean Food, the Originality and Korean Food, the Impression

and
Korean Food, the Impression

This two-volume set is both interesting and annoying. Interesting because it's as much about Korean culture as it is about the cuisine, in particular Korean Food, the Originality.

The book tells us about the importance of rice and other grains; describes different cooking methods; talks about Korean table etiquette; and goes into great detail about the various fermented bean products, such as soy sauce ( ganjang), soya bean paste (doenjang) and spicy soya bean paste (gochujang), that are integral to Korean cuisine.

There's a fascinating chapter on the significance of obangsaek - the "five colours" (black, red, blue/green, white and yellow) used in a Korean meal - that explains how they aren't just there to look pretty (although they do). The colours describe the five energies and directions of the universe and infuse "the forces of the cosmos in a single dish". Readers are told, "Eating such food means to internalise these forces and become a part of the universe in a sacred experience."

And, of course, it goes into detail about the many varieties of kimchi.