Jessica's Dinner Party

by jessica yoon

recipes

Tiramisu Cake

I really love baking for birthdays.  Cakes, cupcakes, frosting, sprinkles, piping…is there anything more delightful than that?  My cakes never turn out as pretty and whimsical as I imagine them, but I try not to let that get to me, it’s all part of the fun.  I do though get stressed out a little bit before I start baking, when I’m trying to decide what cake to bake. There are so many different recipes out there and so many resources to get them from, that I find it overwhelming to say the least.

There is a sort of thought process that I go through when a birthday starts to approache.  I first think of what kind of sweets or desserts this person likes and try to create a list of flavor profiles like: chocolate and strawberries, or lemon and almonds.  Then I start the “research.”  I look everywhere.  I go to food blogs, the Food Network, my cookbooks, magazines, and I also go to the bookstore where I grab any cake/baking book I can see and look through each one of them.  This thought process lasts for hours, days, sometimes even weeks and in the end I usually end up with two or three recipes that I like.  There’s always one cake candidate that models the flavor profile list pretty well, while the others are more geared towards something I would like or something I think would taste amazing.  I mean, don’t some people say you should give a gift you would like for yourself? Well, in the end I usually do the right thing, and pick the right cake.

…

Read More

Zucchini Pancakes

Zucchini Pancakes | Jessica's Dinner Party

Everyday around 4 pm my stomach starts to grumble a little bit.  No matter how filling and satisfying lunch was, at 4 pm food begins to enter my thoughts.  It’s been engrained into my body to want an afternoon snack ever since I was a little.  When I got home from school my mom always had a little something prepared for me to eat.  I remember mango slices, dumplings, mini hamburgers, and strawberry yogurt.  My favorite, however, were Korean zucchini pancakes.  They are slightly doughy with a soft crunch.  The subtle sweetness of the zucchini paired with the salty tang of soy sauce and vinegar is perfection.

Zucchini Pancakes | Jessica's Dinner Party  Zucchini Pancakes | Jessica's Dinner Party

On Sunday, as I was slowly coming out of my food coma from brunch, I started to think of these savory pancakes.  I had a couple of zucchini in my fridge, flour, eggs, milk, and sugar, the ingredients typically included in a pancake batter.  All I needed now was the exact recipe.  I called the ultimate source, my mom, and was surprised to hear that you only need two main ingredients, zucchini and flour.  How simple!  The recipe is so easy and fast that you’ll be amazed at how delicious they are.

Zucchini Pancakes | Jessica's Dinner Party

…

Read More

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

 

I grew up mostly in Seoul, Korea.  I attended an international school where I was taught entirely in English.  The world I lived was very normal to me, but when I really think about it, it was a little bit strange, unique, and pretty interesting.  I lived in an Asian country, in the land of my ethnic origin, but was primarily immersed in a Western based society that followed American pop culture.  My background is a fusion of both American and Korean cultures. I watched Full House, had a crush on Zach Morris, and learned about terminal sicknesses and everlasting love through Korean melodramas.  I ate tons of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Korean takeout Chinese noodles, and these chewy treats.  I usually had two Thanksgiving breaks, first in early-mid fall and later in November.  I was fortunate to experience parts of both cultures and am really glad I grew up the way I did.

 

 

While I was in Korea, I think the most exotic and foreign part of America was its food and food products.  It was easy to find out about American music and movies but a box of Sun-Maid Raisins and Betty Crocker Cake Mix, not so much.  One of the products I found so fun was Quaker Oats.  I know!  It’s a sort of mundane, everyday brand here, but back then, that cylinder cardboard container was special.  I probably bought them for well over their normal price at the black market where they sell American food items.  I’m not sure why they call it the black market in Korea because those place are not illegal.  Maybe it’s because everything is ridiculously expensive but people still find the need to buy them.

 

…

Read More

Browned Tofu In Spicy Soy Sauce

In general, I don’t cook Korean very often.  I have a tendency to be drawn towards rustic Italian dishes or interesting ingredients like quinoa and wheat berry.  These foods feel more exotic to me so many times I skip the Korean and cook up something I’ve never eaten before.  I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but I do think it’s a bit sad that I barely know how to cook what I call my comfort food.


To redeem myself a little bit, there is one Korean dish I know well and have almost mastered.  It is a browned tofu in a spicy soy sauce.  In Korean it’s called tubu chorim, 두부조림, which roughly translates to tofu boiled in sauce.  It’s very easy and fast.  It does require a couple of Asian condiments like soy sauce and sesame oil, but if you don’t have those in your pantry I highly encourage you to get them.  Soy sauce is well known, but sesame oil may not be.  It is a vegetable oil made from sesame seeds that is intensely fragrant and used in many Asian dishes.

 

 

…

Read More

Sausage Baguette Sandwich

 

When I first decided that I wanted to start a food blog, the person who was most excited was my mom.  She has been a pioneer foodie ever since my siblings and I were babies.  She continues to master traditional dishes while also innovating them with a modern-fusion twist.  She’s given me a lot of ideas and inspiration while I’ve been in San Diego.  Many of my posts, including this one, will be dishes from her recipe book, so get ready to salivate!

 

  

  

…

Read More