103War II. He can also make a mean lu rou fan, pork belly sliced thin
and braised until tender in caramelized rock sugar with punches of
soy sauce, star anise, and cinnamon, as well as nourishing bowls of
fly’s head, budding chives stir-fried with pork, garlic, and Thai chiles.
At Win Son Bakery, Brown’s stoner sensibilities make an appearance
with a genius take on a classic New York staple: a bacon, egg, and
cheese. Brown folds a tender and buttery scallion pancake around
a gooey egg and cheese filling to remind you breakfast really is the
most important meal of the day. For dinner, he makes an eggplant
parm with chile paste, served on a squishy Taiwanese milk-bread
bun. You’ll want to try it with the white sesame seed–spiked Caesar.
Brown is quick to point out that the food he cooks at his two restau-
rants, Win Son and Win Son Bakery, is Taiwanese American. Emphasis
on the “American.” “We are trying to be really up-front with the fact
that I’m a white guy and my experience is not Taiwanese cuisine,
especially regionally specific Taiwanese food.” Regardless of how
you label it, there is no denying that Brown is making food that is
unquestionably good.
CLAMS WITH SHIRO DASHI
AND BASIL
TOTAL 15 MIN; SERVES 2 TO 4Clams are often covered and gently
steamed until they open. Here, Trigg
Brown cooks them uncovered over high
heat, steaming the clams and concentrat-
ing the cooking liquid at the same time.
The result: tender, juicy clams with a rich,
reduced broth in only 15 minutes.2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 lb. small clams (about 16 per lb.),
such as cockle, baby Manila, or
littleneck, scrubbed and purged
1 / 2 cup Asian-style lager beer (such as
Taiwan Beer)
1 / 2 cup Shaoxing cooking wine or dry
sherry
1 / 4 cup shiro dashi
11 / 2 cups halved Sun Gold cherry
tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more
for garnish
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 / 2 tsp. gochugaru- Heat oil in a wok or large high-sided skillet
over high. Add garlic, and cook, stirring con-
stantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Add clams, beer, Shaoxing cooking wine,
and shiro dashi; cook, uncovered, stirring
often, until clams open, 10 to 15 minutes.
Discard any clams that do not open. - Add tomatoes, basil, and butter;
cook, stirring constantly, until butter is
melted. Transfer mixture to a serving
bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and
gochugaru. Garnish with basil leaves.
WINE Vivid, lightly herbal Sémillon: 2018
Mother Rock Force Celeste
NOTE Shiro dashi is a concentrated soup
base available at Asian markets.
I HOPE WE REALIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF IMMIGRANT
WORKERS AND THE ROLE THEY
PLAY IN AMERICAN INDUSTRY.
pathways to citizenship should be viewed
as an incentive and reward system for
working hard and plugging into the
system. we should respect immigrants
and celebrate their diversity instead of
shoving them into the cracks and
rendering them invisible.” —trigg brown