David Norman

This time our Korean Food Fan is David Norman, who lives in Wilton New Hampshire! Some of you may be familiar with his id “ddnorman” from the forums, where he’s well known for his kimchi made with his homegrown napa cabbage, radishes, and perilla leaves! Everything he grows looks to be of the best quality: fresh, beautiful, and clean. He’s also a hardcore Korean food fanatic! So let’s hear about how he came to be so crazy about Korean food:

What is your name and where do you live?
My name is David Norman and I live in Wilton New Hampshire.

Me and my garden, korean radish second planting, kkaetnip, leeks and arugula in background

Tell me about the first time you ever tasted Korean food. Where were you, and what did you eat?
The first time I tasted Korean food was at a fantastic family owned Korean/Japanese restaurant in Nashua NH called Shira Kiku. The family who owns it is Korean. My wife and I were already fans of Indian, Thai and Vietnamese food and wanted to try Korean food. The only thing I knew about kimchi was the phrase “I’m in deep kimchi” which is not very flattering.

Now I’m growing my own Korean vegetables and using them in Maangchi’s kimchi recipes! Of course at the restaurant I ended up having kimchi pancakes, bulgogi, kimchi jigae and grilled croaker. The meal started out with banchan which was about 8 different types of homemade kimchi including sweet potato, cucumber, mung bean sprouts, soybean and some kind of small dried fishes. I loved it at first taste! Spicy and flavorful, just the way I like my food.

Then for dessert, they had fish ice cream. I had no idea what it was so I had to order it just to see! It turned out to be fish shaped ice cream with red bean sauce wrapped in ice cream cone. I get them at the Asian market now for home. We are now good friends with the family that owns the restaurant, but that’s a story I’ll have to tell in another post! ^^

How often do you cook Korean food following my recipes?
I’m only a novice in the kitchen, but I have jjajangmyeon at least 3 times a month. Also I frequently put my home made kimchi on hamburgers and hotdogs. I have also made tteokbokki and gimbap once as well. All from Maangchi’s recipes.

What are your favorite Korean dishes? Choose 3, please!
I don’t know if I can limit it to 3 but I will say Jjajangmyeon (Maangchi’s), Kimchi Tofu Jeyook Bokkeum (Kiku) and Kimchi Jigae (HMart food court restaurant). Note: it goes without saying that baechu kimchi and kkakdugi (Maangchi’s) are at the top of my list, which is why I don’t list them.

What’s your best Korean dish, the one that everybody compliments you on when you make it?
Without question it is the baechu kimchi and kkakdugi! Even my Korean friends said it tastes good!

Jjajangmyeon

baechu kimchi and kkakdugi

gimbapwith kkaetnip garnish

My first attempt at a Korean dinner included Manduguk, Easy Bulgogi and Kimchi Bokkeumbap with kimchi & kkakdugi banchan. I shared the kitchen with my sister-in-law who is a big Indian food fan. It was all a big hit. My sister-in-law took half the soup home and my brother-in-law and his girlfriend loved the Bulgogi with lettuce & ssamjang and Kimchi Bokkeumbap!