[Weekender] Is brown sugar healthier than white?

In the world of sugar, frankly speaking, color makes no difference at all. The misconception may stem from some generalized ideas that brown rice is healthier than white rice, and wheat bread over white loaves. But brown sugar is not healthier than white sugar -- they are basically similar both nutritionally and in calories, experts say.The reason why they look different is because their manufacturing processes are different. After the extracting juice from sugar cane, the original sugar soup is

May 13, 2016

Chamchi (tuna) gimbap

This variation of gimbap is made with canned tuna (chamchi in Korean). You can make the tuna filling the way you make tuna salad with mayonnaise and other ingredients. I added a bit of dijon mustard, lemon juice, and diced celery. A bit of diced onion will be nice as well. 　You can add any typical gimbap ingredients such as egg, eomuk (fish cake), pickled radish, carrot or spinach. In this recipe, I used romaine lettuce, perilla leaves (kkaennip), cucumbers, crab sticks, and pickled radish. The

May 13, 2016

Bom namul at their peak

As most places around the world that experience four distinct seasons, springtime is symbolic as a time of rebirth or awakening after the dormant winter months. There is no better representation of this than in the first plant shoots that emerge from the cold soils and trees as young and tender sprouts ready to bring in a new season.　In Korea springtime, is a time to enjoy the season’s culinary bounty, young spring greens known as bom namul, appreciated for their unique taste and freshness when

May 13, 2016

CU launches rice to go with ramen

Convenience store chain CU has launched rice specifically designed to go with cup noodle products, Tuesday.  Priced at 700 won (60 cents), this 125-gram rice is called “ra-mal-bap,” short for “ramenae-marameokgi joeun-bap” which literally translates to “rice that is good to put in ramen.”Ra-mal-bap (CU)It is common among Koreans to add rice to instant ramen for more filling portions. Unlike the past instant-cooked rice products, ra-mal-bap is a basic white rice shaped into a ball that is conveni

May 12, 2016

Korea’s top five chefs head to NYC for W50B gala dinners

Hailed as the five best chefs in the country, Choi Hyun-seok of Elbon The Table, Jang Jin-mo of A&ND, Yim Jung-sik of Restaurant Jungsik, Tony Yoo of 24 Seasons and Kang Min-goo of Mingles will participate in the upcoming KoreaNYC Dinners event in New York City next month. 　Organized by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants (W50B) association and local gourmet food magazine La Main, the culinary masters will partner with U.S.-based chefs Dan Barber and Carlo Mirarchi and take part in catering multiple

May 9, 2016

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

 Sheraton D Cube City presents Sheraton Wine Market　　Sheraton Seoul D Cube City is holding Sheraton Wine Market from noon to 9:30 p.m. on May 1-31.　During the promotion period, guests can enjoy wine with no corkage fee during the meal, and purchase a great selection of wines -- red, white, sparkling wines and champagne -- at special prices. More than 20 kinds of wines are available, including the sparkling wine Chandon, the chocolate, blackberry, and fresh black pepper scented Clos du Val, and t

April 29, 2016

[Home Cooking] Saeu ganghoe (Green onion-tied shrimp and asparagus)

Spring is in full swing! Gorgeous spring vegetables are everywhere. Among them is asparagus, which tastes best at this time of year. Another spring treasure is tender, thin green onion, called shilpa. It’s mild and sweet. I decided to put these two spring vegetables together with shrimp for these little rolls.  Saeu ganghoe　Ganghoe is a general term that refers to a dish that is made by tying ingredients with a thin green onion. It’s a spring favorite. Nakji (octopus) ganghoe and ojingeo (squid)

April 29, 2016

Piccolo lattes and hefty cookies at Hayley’s Cafe

There is something deeply satisfying about a cookie, especially when it is fat and plump, cake-like on the inside but crackly crisp and caramelized around the edges -- like the ones at Hayley’s Cafe in Sinsa-dong, Seoul.　The bakery-cafe chain, which opened its third outlet near Apgujeong Station last November, serves five kinds of cookies, including an oatmeal raisin and a cranberry variation, but it is the dark chocolate chip that is the most popular at the Sinsa shop, says owner Cho Jae-kun. 

April 29, 2016

7-11 launches ginseng kimbap

A ginseng variety of samgak kimbap was launched at 7-eleven convenience stores in Korea on Tuesday, in collaboration with Korea Ginseng Corporation. Samgak, or triangle, kimbap have long been a convenience store staple. Rice is formed into a triangle about the size of a baby‘s fist and wrapped in seaweed with any number of varying ingredients inside. Popular fillings are spicy bulgogi and tuna with mayonnaise.  (7-11 Korea)The newly launched product has rice cooked in Cheong Kwan Jang red ginsen

April 26, 2016

[Weekender] Tea fields in Boseong beckon with natural green splendors

BOSEONG, South Jeolla Province -- While nearby tropical nations like the Philippines and Indonesia have their hanging rice terraces in Banaue and Tegalalang that serve as major tourist attractions, Korea also has its own natural green splendors for tourism. 　Located at the southern tip of the peninsula is the Daehan Dawon Tourist Tea Plantation -- more often known as Boseong Green Tea Plantation -- in Boseong, South Jeolla Province.  　The lusciously vibrant green tea fields of Boseong is the nat

April 22, 2016

[Weekender] At one with nature, tea, others

Traditional Korean tea-drinking is not just about the beverage. 　It’s based on the harmony of all aspects involved in the process, including nature, attire, interior setting, teaware and people, explains Kim Eui-jung, who is recognized as Korea’s 27th intangible cultural asset for her expertise in traditional royal tea ceremonies. 　Kim’s mother, Kim Mi-hee, in 1980 helped restore Korea’s unique tea tradition which had been passed down for hundreds of years since the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) but

April 22, 2016

[Home Cooking] Beets, mint and lemon team up in a simple spring salad

The modern beet descends from the ancient sea beet. News that thrilled my inner biologist.　Imagine the sea beet, swimming the Indian Ocean. It must have slithered the depths, dodging eels, sharks and other toothy creatures attracted to its plump, red tastiness. Frantic, it fluttered its green leafy fins toward the shallows, and in an act of evolutionary heroism, sprouted legs, skittered across the sand and planted itself safely on earth -- where we farmers tended and, much like the sharks, downe

April 22, 2016

‘Breakfast for Dinner’ author gives meal its respect

Asked why she wrote the cookbook “Breakfast for Dinner” (Ryland Peters & Small, $19.95), author Carol Hilker admits that the morning meal doesn‘t always get the time and respect it deserves: “We skip breakfast a lot. We don’t always have time in the morning to stop and cook, but you can do it at dinner.”　While that bit of practicality sort of explains the impetus for eating breakfast foods at dinner, it doesn‘t completely account for the allure. Hilker says that’s easy: “We all need to indulge e

April 22, 2016

[Home Cooking] Nabak kimchi (water kimchi)

Nabak kimchi is a type of water kimchi that’s made with thinly sliced radish squares and other vegetables. It’s easy to make, yet deliciously refreshing.　Nabak kimchi is commonly enjoyed in the springtime when the kimchi made in the fall gets old. It’s also a traditional holiday kimchi. Growing up, we always had nabak kimchi with tteokguk (rice cake soup). They are delicious together. Nabak kimchi (water kimchi) (Korean Bapsang)　It’s a mild, clean tasting kimchi, so nabak kimchi doesn’t call for

April 15, 2016

Hanwoo expert uses skills to source prime beef for his restaurant

Samjung Hanu Pub CEO Han Deok-woo takes his beef very seriously, doing everything from sourcing it straight from the auction house to grilling it tableside for hungry customers. “Since I bring in the beef myself, I can check, taste and look at all the cuts, and decide which ones are optimal for eating that day,” said Han, 34, on how sourcing the beef directly enables him to keep track of his beef, from the minute it arrives at the restaurant to how it is aged or served up uber-fresh.  Samjung Ha

April 15, 2016

Salute! Italy toasts booming wine trade

VERONA (AFP) - As he swirls a glass of yellowy green wine made from the trendy pecorino grape, Fabio Centini purrs with enthusiasm.　“I hadn't even heard of this grape 15 years ago,” the Italian-born chef-restaurateur from Calgary, Canada tells AFP between slurps at a tasting of top pecorinos from the Offida area of the Marche region.　“But it is exactly what my customers want. People are looking for new varietals, new experiences.” A man walks past a column of wine bottles on April 10 during the

April 14, 2016

Busan’s latest hit street food

The saturated fishcake market in port city Busan has embraced creativity for its next-generation street snack. (@seung_ryeoll Instagram)Brainchild of tried-and-tested chef Lee Seung-ryeoll, 53, the chicken wing fishcake mashes together chicken’s savoriness with fishcake’s chewy texture. The recipe for this is simple. The chicken wing is first deboned and stuffed with fishcake, then it is cooked in an oven, roasted on a grill and served on a paper plate with sauce and sesame salt. Lee said he cam

April 12, 2016

Fruit not fruity enough? Get your money back

Lotte Super, a major local retailer, will refund all fruit that customers found unsatisfactory in celebration of the 16th anniversary of its foundation.CEO Choi Choon-seok on Tuesday said, “Neither the price nor the size of a fruit has any effect on customers if it is not delicious. We promise to refund or exchange all fruits that fell short of our customers’ expectations.” (Lotte Super)This new policy will be put into practice from Wednesday’s 16th anniversary sales event. Lotte Super will also

April 12, 2016