A Mouthful of Stars

  "There is a big difference between traveling to escape and traveling to discover. A Mouthful of Stars is a book that shows the beauty of learning about yourself, the food you eat, the world around you, and the wonderful people at every stop. It''s a poignant voyage through the smart writings and wonderful recipes of Kim Sunee."
-- HUGH ACHESON, author of A New Turn in the South

  "Kim Sunee''s food, life, and writing are the stuff of pure genius. When she cooks, I am hungry, craving not just her food but also the essence of her presence and the mindfulness with which she lives. She has taken recipes from near and far, and served them to us with doses of stylishness, honest ingredients, playful spices,and haunting flavors."
-- SUVIR SARAN, Top Chef Master and author of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking

  "A Mouthful of Stars will immediately draw you into Kim''s culinary journey through the stories she shares of cooks and how they connect with their food. Get ready to be transformed into her world of Flower and Ice, Down-and-Dirty Rice, Tipsy Melons, and more. A Mouthful of Stars is a tasty and thoughtful combination of Zen and gourmet."
-- SARA FOSTER, author of Sara Foster''s Southern Kitchen and The Foster''s Market Cookbook

  "Kim Sunee is one of the most compelling memoirists writing today, and on top of that, she is a gifted cook. I want to follow her everywhere she goes, reflect on every thought in this moving story, and make a meal of A Mouthful of Stars. I loved being immersed in the context of each recipe, and was impressed by how effortlessly Kim can transport dishes from near, far, and wide to her own kitchen and into ours."
-- MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN, food columnist for the New York Times

  Bestselling author of Trail of Crumbs and former food editor Kim Sunee offers up her first cookbook. A Mouthful of Stars: A Constellation of Favorite Recipes from My World Travels is a collection of Kim''s interpretation of cherished recipes and cooking discoveries from across the globe. From Tuscan crostini di fegatini and Louisiana dirty rice to the flavors of her birth country, South Korea, and favorites from the ten years she spent eating and cooking in Provence and Paris, you''ll find A Mouthful of Stars in the cookbook section. However, this book''s breadth also extends to travel and food writing. The author''s time in many lands and cooking in many kitchens has inspired this beautiful, unique, exotic, and delicious culinary journey.

  From the foreword by Frances Mayes:
"Trail of Crumbs established Kim Sunee as an outstanding literary writer, not only about life, but about food. . . . Now, after Kim''s brilliant debut memoir, she serves forth A Mouthful of Stars. What an astonishing book. I zoomed through the pages with an increasing feeling of joy. A Mouthful of Stars is original. First, she brings to her recipes zest, energy, and a raucous spirit of fun. Second, she praises, philosophizes, and celebrates . . . She knows that life isn''t worth living without friends who know how to eat the heart out of a taco. This sense infuses every bite. How could I help but dash to the kitchen to try Grilled Peaches Wrapped in Prosciutto, Pan-fried Peppers with Coconut and Tamarind, Roasted Cherries with Burrata, and Quick Pickled Fennel. I love her delicate balance of flavors and aromas. Is she alchemist, conjurer, poet, or cook? All of the above. Even the few classic recipes (roast turkey and pizza) include a particular Kim-twist.

A Mouthful of Stars makes a cultural leap out beyond the landscape where most cooks stir their pots. Kim''s allegiance is to a global kitchen. A citizen of the world, she''s not tied to a particular terrain. This is the future. She''s already where we''re headed. And the food, paradiso!"