The Culinary Leaves
Minsoo Sung
What does comfort taste like? Sometimes, it’s a bowl of warm, familiar food that soothes. At the heart of every comfort dish is a small but powerful ingredient—leaves—an ingredient that carries stories of heritage, tradition, and migration. Living in a foreign city, I searched for familiar tastes, only to realize that something as small as a single leaf can bring me back home. Like people, leaves travel across borders, carrying the flavors and memories of home, blending into new culinary landscapes.
This book is an immersive study of twelve culinary leaves—such as basil, cilantro, and lime leaves—each with its own distinct story and flavor. It traces their roots across diverse regions, exploring their cultural significance, historical background, and traditional uses in everyday cooking. Through unique recipes, the book reveals how these leaves bring comfort and nostalgia to those living far from home. Each leaf featured in the book has been carefully collected and digitally scanned to capture its exact texture and color—preserving its natural details as faithfully as possible.
The book’s visual language is as integral to its storytelling as its words—shades of green form a rich, layered backdrop, while a unique typeface shaped by the organic contours of leaves reinforces their diversity. Together, they create a sensory journey through taste, memory, and belonging. Through engaging with the book, the reader’s own memories of culinary leaves are gently stirred, evoking emotional connections to people, places, and the comfort of home.