January 2012
1 post
October 2011
1 post
First, make rice
Fledgling sushi chefs spend months (sometimes years) doing nothing but making the rice for the head chef. If the rice isn’t right, it really doesn’t matter what else you do, you’re not going to be able to serve great sushi.
[…]
Too often, we quickly jump ahead to the new thing, failing to get good enough at the important thing.
— Seth Godin
September 2011
1 post
When enough is enough
In the English language, “enough” presents some interesting problems. It doesn’t sound the way it’s spelled, and it’s difficult to explain. The dictionary defines it as an adverb meaning “so as to be adequate or sufficient; as much as necessary.” In other words: when used to describe quality, enough is a matter of opinion; as a quantity, it is a matter...
July 2011
2 posts
June 2011
1 post
“The chorus of voices espousing the importance of food and cooking is growing for...”
– Roast chicken and sex: They’re good for you! - By Michael Ruhlman - Slate Magazine
April 2011
1 post
March 2011
6 posts
밥 and life
After nearly nine months in Korea, this is the first time I’ve posted anything resembling a recipe. It has taken me this long to feel as though I truly understand the culture and language enough to post something I can feel proud of, and it seems fitting that I should start with the most important ingredient of all: bap (밥). Rice.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that rice is the...
Korea Herald: Korean retailers to halt imports of...
Korean retailers said Monday that they have decided to suspend imports of foods and products from Japan due to growing consumer concern over their possible contamination with radiation released from an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant. Lotte Mart Co., Korea’s third-largest discount store chain, said it will not sell pollack which have mainly been imported from Japan, starting Tuesday....
February 2011
1 post
December 2010
7 posts
Pies top 2011 restaurant trend list | Nation's... →
Pies a-plenty, fried vegetables, yogurt in multiple forms and minimalism … if these predictions come true, 2011 is gonna be a good year.
“5. (C) Responding to a question from Ambassador King, Yu said the North Korean...”
– WikiLeaks Archive — A Selection From the Cache of Diplomatic Dispatches - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com
The fate of the Northern Korean regime will turn on many things, but among the most important things will be: food.
November 2010
8 posts
A cup of coffee...
is how I sought to begin my Thanksgiving, in the company of a Couchsurfer named Briana, a Brooklynite who happened to be crashing with me on Thursday, which was also her birthday. We headed to Hongdae for breakfast, to a small cafe that serves excellent coffee and sandwiches.
Along the way, my subway pass stopped working for some inexplicable reason, and I went to buy a new one. The Korean...
Weekends in Mungyeong
As in every country, in Korea there is a divide between the city and the countryside. As I wrote in A Woman of Questionable Morals, I suffer each time I leave the city and each time I return. But I’ve had the good fortune to meet a group of great people who live in the mountainous countryside outside Seoul, which has given me the best of both worlds.
The bus ride to Jeomchon,...
“Korean Moms invented self-sustainability. Does your backyard look like a scene...”
– Stuff Korean Moms Like: #55 Being Green
“If you cook, people will remember you.”
– food52, via the unforgettable Jess Perlaza
October 2010
20 posts
Whither acorn jello?
Image via Wikimedia Commons.
So this week, the New York Times and I delved into the semi-wild world of 도토리묵 (dotorimuk) simultaneously, though in different ways.
I found mine at a small market in Mokdong. I’ve been eating tofu and sundubu nonstop all summer, and while I love me some bean curd, I was ready to branch out into other protein sources. And as I inspected the wares at a stand...
“Tell him to grow-up. If he still insists on acting like a 3-year-old, withhold...”
– Serious Eats commenter Monsieur_Ghislain in response to the thread My boyfriend HATES vegetables…Help me!
“You make me feel like I’m...
Kimchi Crisis Leaves South Koreans In A Pickle :... →
More kimchi coverage, plus a pun-rific headline.
McSweeney's Internet Tendency: It's Decorative... →
A hilarious ode to an American fall tradition. With thanks to pg for the pass-along.
“Mr. Adrià still seems to have come out of nowhere. How did he become the most...”
– The money quote from an interesting, albeit lukewarm piece on Ferran Adria. I’m glad molecular gastronomy hasn’t hit South Korea yet. It’s already full of yellow dust … clouds of kimchi wafting through the streets would be too much to take.
Books of The Times - ‘Ferran’ by...
“If I had my way, I would introduce everyone in the whole world to each other....”
– Jim Haynes, who has been inviting strangers to Sunday dinners at his house for the last 30 years. You have to read the full story. (With thanks to Jessica for passing this on.)
Invite the World for Dinner :: Sunday Dinner with Jim Haynes
Wine Challenge: Korean Cuisine - WSJ.com →
More good stuff from Joshua Hall, seemingly the go-to guy for wine in South Korea. This article features some brilliant and unexpected pairings, such as syrahs with bindaeddeok (earthy mung bean pancakes), non-oaky merlots with galbi (grilled meat), dry rieslings with pajeon, and rosés with everything else, from bibimbap (mixed rice) to japchae (spicy noodles). 좋아요! Choayo! I like it!
September 2010
9 posts
