Soju Party

Drinking is an essential part of Korean culture, one that's guided by a complex web of unspoken rules, deep tradition, and lots and lots of food. With Soju Party, food writer, chef, and co-owner of Brooklyn’s Orion Bar Irene Yoo has written the book on drinking like a Korean. She introduces the classic Korean alcohols and how Koreans typically like to drink them, including the viral Milkis Shot and a heart-stopping Seoul Train, and serves up unique cocktail recipes featuring Korean-inspired riffs and nostalgic twists, like a Jujube Ginseng Negroni and a Banana Milk makgeolli. Of course, you can’t drink without eating, and there are plenty of recipes for tasty anju (drinking foods), from simple snacks like the salty and sweet Honey-Butter Bar Nuts to essential comfort food like the savory White Ddukbokki and the super slurpable Kimchi Carbonara, with a dedicated party section featuring a large-format Watermelon Soju Hwachae and sweet-and-spicy Chimaek Chicken. In addition to recipes, Yoo explores the history of Korean drinking, with illustrations explaining proper serving and drinking etiquette, drinking games, food pairings, and more. A book that promises late nights (don’t worry, there’s a section on hangovers!), this is a party on the page. Geonbae!