ABOUT

I’ve spent the majority of my life in and around New York City. Many of my favorite memories revolve around food. Starting in Chinatown: my friend’s mother ordering on our behalf in Chinese, at The Nice Restaurant, family-style. Me, avoiding the clams and lobster, but happily eating the black bean sauce and glass noodles that accompanied them. My dad making room for Häagen-Dazs ice cream afterwards. Pistachio for him; mint chip for me. Having Korean barbecue at The Gomtang House in a private room because it was a large party each time. Loving the smoke and ability to grill our own meat. Learning table manners from my grandfather at The Russian Tea Room. Stopping by Gray’s Papaya for their hot dogs and tropical drink on occasion. Taking my husband to Haveli, around the corner from Curry Row, on our first date. Then, being trusted for recommendations when he high-fived me at Kate’s Joint. Their Tofu Francese still unmatched. I can go on and on. The point is, a lot of these places have closed and I want to remember all the ones that left an impression, whether it was the food, the space, and/or company. 

Cooking is equally important to me. It became apparent when I moved into my first apartment and stocked the kitchen with all the staples I grew up on. Even more so when my food blog, Paper & Plates, was in full swing. My husband and I cooked the most then. As a result, I had time to reflect on the dishes that we often craved at home. It’s no surprise that many of them were linked to experiences we shared or from our childhood. We may not be cooking as much these days, but we can retrieve the recipes here at any given time, from anywhere. The beauty of the internet! I may even be inspired to recreate something I ate in the past and fulfill that goal of having one more bite. 

Jiyeon Hoshine