Welcome to the Pippa Park Crush at First Sight Blog Tour!
Follow along all week for exclusive guest posts from author Erin Yun, plus 5 chances to win a special, limited edition Pippa Park Scavenger Hunt Gift Box!
My Favorite Food from Pippa Park Crush at First Sight
by Erin Yun
In Pippa Park Raises Her Game, I included some of my favorite Korean snacks and dishes, from sweet walnut cakes filled with red bean to comforting kimchi-jjigae. In Pippa Park Crush at First Sight, Pippa is back with a whole batch of new problems—like Royal party hosting duties and a confusing love triangle—but at least one thing is the same: there is no lack of delicious food!
1. Oxtail Soup
“It was hard to describe the taste, except that it was like the richest, beefiest thing you could imagine. The ox was so tender it dissolved as soon as it touched your tongue, and the saltiness of the soup was perfection combined with the spicy sourness of the kimchi and the comfort of the rice. As soon as I had my first bite, my worries melted.”
Also known as kkori gomtang, oxtail soup epitomizes winter for me. As soon as the temperature drops, I crave this rich, meaty, delicious soup. This soup takes a full day to simmer, and oxtails can be expensive, so growing up, this dish was a special treat. My family would eat the broth for days—we’d boil the huge pot on the stove during the day and let the residual heat keep it warm overnight—but my siblings and I would always selfishly devour the oxtail meat within the first few bowls.
2. Chapagetti
“I had just started heating up a pot of creamy chapagetti for me and Mrs. Lee when Bianca texted me a single word: Downstairs. Nooo! She was supposed to text me when she was close. Abandoning the pot on the stove, I tugged on my jacket and hurried down the steps.”
While oxtail soup is my absolute favorite meal in Pippa Park Crush at First Sight, a classic pack of chapagetti is my favorite dish that costs less than two dollars. I adore a heaping portion of jajangmyeon—thick noodles with black bean sauce—but when I don’t feel like spending money on take-out or making the dish from scratch, a quick pot of chapegetti will satisfy that craving. And it’s so easy to prepare that even Pippa can nail it!
3. Jung-Hwa’s Party Feast
“There were crispy kimchi pancakes, savory dongtaejeon, and enough Korean fried chicken to feed the entire girls’ basketball team—and we could eat a lot. That alone would have been enough reason to salivate, but the make-your-own bibimbap bar was my favorite by far. Jung-Hwa had made a huge batch of white rice, and set out all the necessary accoutrements—bowls of bean sprouts, fernbrake, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and spinach in sesame oil, along with a huge vat of vivid red bibimbap sauce on the side.”
It would be impossible to pick just one dish from Jung-Hwa’s party preparations—so I included them all! I would be happy to munch on any of these dishes, but if I was at Pippa’s party, I would beeline toward the dongtaejeon and the fried chicken. I like to consider myself a pretty good chef, but I haven’t been able to perfect Korean fried chicken. For special occasions, my mom used to make sticky fried chicken wings with fresh peanuts—they’re both sweet and mildly spicy, and we kids devoured them. Mmm . . . now I know what I’m craving tonight.
Out September 13th!
“Pippa explores the highs and lows of friendships and first crushes in this well-crafted sequel to Pippa Park Raises Her Game. ..VERDICT This warm-hearted, feel-good series continues to realistically explore one Korean American girl’s middle school experience in a relatable way.”
—School Library Journal
“This is solid, classic middle-school drama fare that benefits from the interesting ways Pippa’s family background is developed. An engaging variation on a familiar theme.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Join Pippa Park as she juggles friendships, bullying, crushes, and family in the sequel to the compelling drama-filled middle school book Pippa Park Raises Her Game.
Korean American Pippa Park picks up right where she left off . . . trying to balance basketball, school, friends, working at the struggling family laundromat, and fitting in. Eliot, her math tutor—and the cutest boy at school—is finally paying attention to her. And Marvel—her childhood friend—is making her required volunteering much more interesting. But things with the Royals, her new friends and teammates who rule the school, still feel a bit rocky. Especially because Caroline, a head Royal, would like nothing more than to see Pippa fail.
So when Pippa is faced with hosting the annual Christmas Eve party that could make or break her social life, how can she say no? Will Pippa make enough money to cover the costs while juggling crushes and everything else? With courage and determination, Pippa sets out to host the party, find the perfect dress, pick the right boy, and stay true to her real self.
About the Author
Erin Yun grew up in Frisco, Texas, and used to play basketball as a middle grader. She received her BA in English from New York University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Creative Writing at Cambridge. She developed the Pippa Park Author Program, an interactive writing workshop, which she has conducted in person and virtually at schools, libraries, and bookstores.
About the Publisher
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Fabled Films Press LLC is creating original content for young readers and middle-grade audiences that combines strong literary properties with high-quality production values to connect books with generations of parents and their children. Each property is supported by websites, educator guides, and activities for bookstores, educators, and librarians, as well as videos, social media content, and supplemental entertainment for additional platforms.
GIVEAWAY
Win an Exclusive Pippa Park Scavenger Hunt Box!
Uncover the hidden meaning behind the clues in the box which include:
A Tarot Card, Holiday Snow Globe, Kimchi-jjigae Family Recipe from the Author with a jar of Gochugaru, Mini Basketball Stress Ball,
Golden Scrunchie, Signed Editions of Pippa Park Raises Her Game in paperback and Pippa Park Crush at First Sight in hardcover and a Pippa Park Bookmark.
Blog Tour Schedule:
September 12th — Mama Likes This
September 13th — Bookhounds
September 14th — A Dream Within A Dream
September 15th — Good Choice Reading
September 16th —YA Books Central
Sounds like a good book.
This looks like a very entertaining read for sure.
Sounds cute, thanks for the chance to read!
how cool
I loved this post. This book seems like such a fun read. I have a daughter who will love this. She was so excited to see that Erin Yun has other books.
The kids would so love this one looks fun.
Thank you for sharing this sounds excellent!