One of my favorite kimjang memories is when I taught a kimchi class with my unofficial Korean sister, Irene Yoo, to a group of my co-workers a few years ago. Irene and I had a different approach to making kimchi. Her kimchi recipe was very traditional, including a few key ingredients like fermented shrimp paste. But, my recipe, a combination of everything that I've learned from watching many kimchi videos on the Internet, used my secret ingredient to make the kimchi seasoning paste extra delicious: apricot preserve.
We loved sharing our personal stories and happy, delicious memories around kimchi with a group of my co-workers, who were eager to have their first kimjang experience. Growing up in Korea, I didn't have any memories of doing a kimjang with a family. My mom often sourced delicious homemade kimchi from her friends (and frankly, I didn't think she knew how to make kimchi!). So, having this kimjang experience with a big group of people helped me celebrate and be proud of my Korean roots.
We served our freshly made kimchi with crispy tofu and a platter of bo ssäm, which was a perfect ending to the class.
Eater's James Park, known as Jamesy, is a recipe blogger and has one of our favorite Instagram accounts.