[Home Cooking] Buchujeon (savory pancake)

Buchujeon is a savory pancake made with Korean garlic chives, or “buchu,” and it is a very common pancake in Korean homes. Buchujeon can be made simply with buchu, but I usually add thinly sliced onions to add delicious sweetness to the pancakes. You can also add thinly sliced perilla leaves (“kkaennip”) and/or chili peppers. If you like it a bit meaty, add some minced pork. When savory pancakes are seasoned with “gochujang” (red pepper paste) and/or “doenjang,” (fermented soy bean paste) they a

Sept. 23, 2016

[The Palate] Buckwheat makes its autumnal arrival

Regional food references are tantamount to culinary seals of approval, as such descriptions proudly tell you about the quality, authenticity or style of whatever you are buying. When it comes to buckwheat -- “maemil” in Korean -- Bongpyeong in Gangwon Province is the place most widely recognized for producing the best quality buckwheat in the country and where an annual festival is held each autumn in its honor. Buckwheat purveyors and restaurants around the country know the marketing power of B

Sept. 23, 2016

[Weekender] Making full use of Chuseok leftovers

Chuseok is usually a time of gluttony. Meals during the Korean Thanksgiving holiday typically include copious amounts of the following: “jeon,” slices of vegetables, fish, or meat thinly coated in batter and grilled; “namul” or seasoned vegetables; “japchae,” vermicelli noodles with assorted vegetables and meat; and songpyeon or a type of traditional rice cake. Overwhelmed with inevitable leftovers, Chuseok observers often let them go to waste by forgetting about them in the fridge, or even wors

Sept. 9, 2016

Blueberries plus zucchini make for awesome cake

Here’s the thing about cake. It can help make or break a celebration.I say that because earlier this month I threw a bridal shower for my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and of course I wanted to make the best impression. Special occasions require equally special desserts. But because I was doing all the cooking, I wanted to serve a cake that was relatively easy, and at the same time as beautiful as the woman who captured my son’s heart.I found a winner in this luscious two-layer cake developed by A

Sept. 9, 2016

‘Collective kitchen’ GBB defies boundaries

GBB Kitchen, a new grub-centric spot that opened this April in Cheongdam-dong might have more than one foodie scratching his or her head in confusion. There are no signs, no indication it exists on the sixth floor of a building near Hakdong Intersection and the menu-less brunch, only available on Saturdays, requires a reservation. Cooking classes are held twice a day, Tuesday through Friday, and spontaneous dining events are announced via the spot’s Instagram account. In short, GBB, which stands

Sept. 9, 2016

[The Palate] Healthful and humble Wild Perilla plant, deulkkae

There are foods and dishes that are instantaneously identifiable with certain cuisines and become culinary symbols for whole countries: Italy and pizza, Argentina and steak, the US and hamburgers. If there were ever a dish that exemplified Korean cuisine it would most certainly be kimchi. Synonymous with the pungent spicy fermented foods of Korean cuisine, and currently enjoying its moment of fame having stepped out of a less than appealing light, kimchi has crossed many borders and palates arou

Sept. 2, 2016

[Home Cooking] Ojingeo gui (spicy grilled squid)

Cooked in many different ways, squid (ojingeo) is an essential and versatile ingredient in Korean cooking. Grilled squid is highly popular as street food or drinking snack food (anju), but it’s also popular as a main or side dish at home. I used a small variety of squid called hanchi, which has thin flesh and short tentacles. You can also use larger squid for this recipe. The squid are marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce which gives it an intense flavor with heat! Typically, the whole squid is

Sept. 2, 2016

Unconventional Korean desserts at Atelier DoSuHyang

None of the Korean-style desserts at Atelier DoSuHyang, located in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul are what one would expect to find at a traditional Korean rice cake shop. While there are “injeolmi” -- rice cake made by pounding steamed glutinous rice flour into sticky submission -- and “yaksik” -- glutinous rice treats customarily seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil and honey -- neither are the kind commonly found at rice cake shops in Korea. Absent are the more recognizable rectangles of injeolmi coate

Aug. 26, 2016

[Weekender] Korea’s budding winemaking scene

YEONGCHEON, North Gyeongsang Province – Popular wines in Korea are mainly sourced from countries such as France, Italy and Spain, but recently, locally produced Korean wines have been carving out their own share of the market.Korean vineyards started to venture into winemaking in the late 1990s and benefited from an unprecedented wine boom driven by the hit Japanese wine-themed comic “The Drops of God” in the early 2000s.Vineyards on the island of Daebudo on the west coast jumped into winemaking

Aug. 26, 2016

[Weekender] Koreans more adventurous with wine

For many Koreans of a certain age, hearing the word “Majuang” will bring a wistful smile. It is difficult to recall the taste, but in the days when imported wines were a rarity, Majuang ruled. 　The story has it that Majuang, launched in 1977, was created at the behest of the late President Park Chung-hee, who, while visiting Germany, hit upon the idea of producing grape wine in Korea as an alternative to the traditional rice wine. The country suffered from a rice shortage at the time and the man

Aug. 26, 2016

[Herald Interview] Wine master Jeannie Cho Lee talks pairing for Asian palate

When it comes to wine, most people would envision the sun-kissed vineyards of Italy, France or California. In contrast, Asia and its cuisine are not often brought up when discussing wine culture. 　But Korean-American wine critic Jeannie Cho Lee is looking to change this perception and put Asia on the international wine map. Based in Hong Kong, the author, journalist, consultant and wine educator is a highly regarded wine master in Asia.  Master of Wine Jeannie Cho Lee (Jeannie Cho Lee)　In 2008,

Aug. 26, 2016

Zucchini tart recipe will make you wish you had planted more, not less

Houseguests can be ingrates. Once, I invited an asparagus family to the garden and the whole clan stalked away. Perhaps my hostess skills need some work.Apparently to make asparagus feel at home, you have to cultivate loose soil, deep trenches and patience. So this summer, years after my first failure, I fluffed a comfy bed and opened a sack of “crowns,” which is to say roots. Each looks like a small, dehydrated octopus. I spread the tentacles, sprinkled dirt and practiced patience.Which was unn

Aug. 26, 2016

[Around the hotels] Round up of hotel events and news

Mediterranean promotion at Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Pangyo 　　Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Pangyo will be presenting the Mediterranean promotion at the hotel buffet MoMo Cafe from Sept. 1-Oct. 31. 　The promotion will offer guests a wide variety of classic Mediterranean dishes, including fresh Greek salad, grilled lamb chops, chicken and lentil stew, seafood paella, and more. 　The package starts at 37,000 won for lunch, and 49,000 won for dinner on Monday and Tuesday, and 69,000 won from Wednesd

Aug. 19, 2016

[The Palate] Cool and crisp lettuce wraps, ssambap

In the midst of this unusual heatwave, most locals tend to rely on the usual “go-to” summer foods in an attempt to cool off during these record-breaking temperatures. But, how many chilled noodle soups and chicken based dishes can one eat before the appetite starts craving something new?　　Abroad, salad is the summer “it” food and takes on many creative forms as a refreshing and cooling meal. A dish that requires little effort and zero heat to prepare, enjoying fresh raw greens and vegetables is

Aug. 19, 2016

[Home Cooking] Omurice

Omurice is fried rice wrapped in egg omelette. It’s a fusion dish that combines Asian fried rice with a Western omelette and ketchup. Flavored with sweet and tangy ketchup, omurice is especially popular with children. If you don’t favor ketchup in fried rice, it can be omitted. The fried rice will still be delicious inside the soft egg omelette. Likewise, you can increase or decrease the amount of ketchup to your liking. Use day old rice if available. If you need to make fresh rice, make it slig

Aug. 12, 2016

Korean food made simple? Yes, it’s possible, says Judy Joo

NEW YORK (AP) -- The American palate has gotten sophisticated enough that kimchi is considered a health food and bibimbap can be ordered alongside mac and cheese.But cooking Korean food still seems like a Herculean task. When you start thinking about the ingredients involved, like gochujang (fermented chili paste) and soju (a spirit used like cooking wine), and you may be tempted to order takeout.Don’t. Judy Joo is here to tell you that it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Her new book, “Korean

Aug. 12, 2016

Beyond wheatgrass: vegan junk food is all the rage

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Vegan diets are considered by most as healthy and environmentally responsible, with celebrity poster children touting benefits like weight loss, clear skin and increased energy.But even vegans -- who eschew all animal products like meat, eggs and dairy-- crave junk food. As the movement becomes more and more popular, temptations including donuts, pizza and mock hamburgers allow vegans to eat just as badly as everybody else.“There are a lot of unhealthy options. It's hard to r

Aug. 11, 2016