Holiday Travel Gifts: Momofuku Cookbook

While I normally wait till after Thanksgiving to start featuring travel gifts for the holidays, it’s clear that this year people are shopping earlier, hoping to budget their gift expenditures over a few more pay checks.  And that seems like a very practical idea!

So, today I’m starting with my first holiday travel gift guide post. Some of these products I’ve tried out myself, some I’d like to, and others may just be a pipe dream. . . this year.  The products span a variety of different price points, and all are appropriate for the special travelers in your life.

Fans of the New York restaurant Momofuku Noodle Bar will enjoy the newly released cookbook from Chef David Chang.  As long as they don’t mind heavy doses of irreverence and profanity.  Oh yeah, and the recipes are complicated and full of unusual ingredients.

If you thought those were drawbacks, you’d be wrong though, as Chef Chang is one of the hottest chefs around, and this is likely to become one of the hottest cookbooks around.  His explanation for the gritty language is that it’s an accurate glimpse as what really goes on it a restaurant kitchen, rather than all prettied up for public viewing.  Despite his blunt attitude, his signature Asian-All American flavored cooking style has made him well known and respected in the restaurant world.

It’s doubtful that the traveler in your life will boil a pig’s head for pate, but it might be the only glimpse they have of the restaurant Momofuku Ko, where the cheapest meal is $125.  And there are plenty of recipes that won’t be too daunting, and he is able to coach you, and encourage you, through many of the techniques.

Chef Chang is not a stickler in some areas, though.  He’s flexible in substitutions, and in using ingredients and recipes in different ways.  He sums it up simply — “Is it f*ing delicious?”

Patrons of his restaurant answer YES!  Gifting this book to someone’s who’s visited the restaurant, or longs to, will likely result in the same answer.

Momofuku was released a week ago and is already destined to be a best seller.  You can find it at your local or online bookstore.  Retail price is $40.  It is available from Amazon for $24 (aff. link).

Photo credit: Amazon