Eating Korean

I mentioned “gimjang” in my previous post without giving an explanation (sorry I just got back from Korea and I’m still thinking in Konglish). So, I wanted to give a bit of explanation here.
Gimjang is serious gimchi-making. It’s the traditional annual event when families make huge load of gimchi in preparation for “eumdong,” the [...]

Read the rest of What is Gimjang?

Just a couple of weeks ago, I made my way through the curvy mountain roads of Gangwondo, the most mountainous province in South Korea. Tucked in one of its hilly corners are the largest fields of napa cabbage in the country.

We rushed to get to the fields, but alas, they had farmed most of [...]

Read the rest of The Baechu Fields of Gangwondo

I was very sad to hear a few weeks ago that Gourmet Magazine will be closing its doors. They cancelled the Gourmet Institute and Marketplace (I was scheduled to sign my latest cookbook there, but had to cancel my trip to New York.). It was a very sudden surprise for me and many of the [...]

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While elbowing my way through Namdaemun Shijang (market) this afternoon in Seoul, I saw a long line of people clutching won in their hands waiting. Since I can’t just walk by a group of people waiting for food. I joined the end of the line to get my share of the freshly steamed mandu (dumplings) [...]

Read the rest of Mandu Joint in Namdaemun

Well, I’m always a day late and a dollar short. But I hope y’all had a lovely Chuseok! Chuseok, is Korea’s Harvest Moon Festival, celebrating the bountiful harvest by paying respect to our elders and our dead, on the day of the “boleum dal” (harvest moon).
I had a busy day visiting relatives and meeting new [...]

Read the rest of Happy Chuseok!