Momofuku - A cookbook by David Chang

One of the most delicious, most satisfying meals I've ever had in my life was at Manhattan's Momofuku Ssam Bar. The five Momofuku restaurants, as you may know, are the babies of hot young chef David Chang. They are worshiped in New York, and nearly every article about Chang and his food spends at least 50 words expressing amazement that the hype surrounding him is completely justified.

If you want to slaver, just have a look through these Serious Eats posts. On the other hand, unless you want to go into debt with an unbudgeted-for trip to NY, don't look at those posts. Personally, I could easily justify a cross-continental trip just to eat Chang's food again.

Chang himself is a down-to-earth, extremely hard working, belly-up-to-the-bar chef who is not at all afraid to come clean about fortuitous kitchen mistakes. In October he released his first cookbook, which is also a detailed kitchen memoir. Here's a review from the Wall Street Journal, and another from Eat Me Daily.

By all accounts the cookbook is not for amateurs. But I think I'll buy a copy anyway, just so I can revisit that amazing meal. It'll be cheaper than a flight to New York.