Granny Choe's Kimchi

Nothing beats the pure flavors and vinegary spiciness of homemade kimchi, and finding that perfect combination in a store-brought jar is next to impossible. Recently I found the closest thing I've ever gotten to it: Granny Choe's Kimchi. The California company began selling kimchi online last year when Connie Choe-Harikul convinced her grandmother to try mass-producing the recipe she learned growing up in Korea. The packaging isn't perfect—the contents are jarred under pressure and can explode, so open with a dish towel over the sink—but the kimchi has just the right amount of bite for me, and the longer you keep it around, the stinkier and tangier it gets. I'm not the only one who feels this way about Granny Choe's—her recipe also won this year's Critter Kimchi Contest in San Francisco. I suggest trying it for making another California favorite, Kogi dogs, or Korean chicken soup.