MILKimchi From Jang Mo Bip Korean Restaurant In Garden Grove, CA And Wine Pairings For Korean Food

Lauryn Chun thinks her mother makes the best kimchi in the world.

She's not the only one: Chun's mother, Young Ja, is the chef-owner of Jang Mo Gip, a Korean restaurant in Garden Grove, California, known for its excellent kimchi–not only in Orange County but also here in New York, where it has a small-but-devout fan base.

For years, Chun has brought suitcases full of her mother's fiery kimchi back from California for her friends in the city. But now we can all try it: She recently launched MILKimchi, a pungent, probiotic product made from her family's recipe and named after her mother's restaurant (Jang Mo Gip is Korean for "mother-in-law's house").

A wine industry vet, Chun sees many parallels between kimchi and wine, so much so that she offers pairing advice on MILKimchi's website: Dry Furmint and Txacoli both work with kimchi's pungent spiciness; Chardonnay doesn't. Try it for yourself at Bowery and Vine wine shop this Saturday (4 to 7 p.m.), where you can sample MILKimchi alongside Chun's favorite pairings.

Find MILKimchi at Marlow & Daughters or at Best Farm Fruits and Vegetables in the Essex Market, 120 Essex St. (between Rivington and Delancey sts.); essexstreetmarket.com