Oct 07, 2014 Thug Kitchen cookbook release and book signing
My friend Una Kim can do no wrong, so how could I say no when she invited me to a cookbook release party and book signing at her Keep Company shop on Fairfax. She knows I don’t eat meat and thought that I might be into what the folks at the Thug Kitchen blog do and dig their brand-new publication. And, of course, she was right.
The Thug Kitchen crew doesn’t just encourage healthy, simple eating. They cuss you out for eating lousy, unhealthy processed food: “Your lack of fiber is going to cause serious problems for your asshole. Yeah, wake the fuck up and take this seriously. Do it for your asshole; you two have always been close.” But then they use the same over-the-top NSFW language to encourage you to change your diet for the better. Their slogan is “Eat like you give a fuck.”
Of course, the Thug Kitchen blog is intended to entertain as much as instruct and the tough-guy persona is a hook. I think it’s funny (and intelligently written with flawless grammar and spelling) and appreciate that the writers are having fun with subject matter that usually comes across as new age, hippy dippy, or anything but thuggish.
The creators have received some heat from a small-but-vocal set that interprets the “thug” voice as blackface. The connection between cussing and blackness seems like a stretch to me–and an insulting one for African Americans. I personally don’t find the book to have racial undertones but it is clearly not for everyone and definitely not for impressionable kids or sensitive souls. My wife Wendy and I brought our daughter anyway. It wasn’t a book reading but a party.
Pure Luck had prepared jackfruit tacos and sliders, which were hearty and delicious. I love how jackfruit falls apart in your mouth and there was just enough spice to lend real character without burning our tongues off. Also, I thought it was cool that there were piles of farmer’s market produce to go along with our signed books in our Keep/Thug Kitchen gift bags. We tried the recipe a couple of nights later, and it was tasty!
The cookbook itself features a lot of the usual suspects for vegan fare (tofu, seitan, soba, beans of every kind) but keeps the ingredient list in check as well as the preparation. “Cooking isn’t fucking rocket science,” they say and they mean it. To me, the variety of dishes has a Los Angeles feel, as well, with recurring themes of Asian, Southwestern, and comfort food. It’s right up my alley.
Una told me that she was approached about hosting the event because the authors were big fans of her vegan shoes. Talk about a perfect fit, and I saw so many friends from the worlds of art, video, skateboarding… Some of the most selective people around. But who wouldn’t love meatless food, especially when it’s so yummy? Actually, I kinda wish the Thug Kitchen team would do some more swearing about the environmental benefits of eating low on the food chain. If most people cut back on eating meat even just once in a while, how much water and grain would be saved?
With full stomachs and a hefty gift bag, we made sure to meet the authors before leaving. They were as polite and gracious as could be and then signed our book “Eat more fucking tacos!” Perfect.
If you can handle salty language and flavorful food, visit thugkitchen.com. And follow Imprint Culture Lab via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more articles, events, and announcements…