Bittersweet surrender: Try these over ice and soda or in a cocktail

It’s a bitter world out there ― bitter as in a growing tide of cocktail bitters, digestifs and aperitifs.The taste imparted by bitter herbs, roots and tree bark isn’t for everyone. But I like the flavor, especially in pre- and after-dinner drinks, and am intrigued when encountering a new one (or at

Sept. 16, 2011

European sweets in a French village

Liege waffles, salted caramel éclairs, madeleines and moreNearly 30 years have passed since the residential area called Seorae Village began to earn itself a reputation as a charming French neighborhood. Drawn to the baguettes spun out by the landmark Paris Croissant, and to the quaint wine s

Sept. 16, 2011

Hobaktteok (Pumpkin rice cake)

Hobaktteok is a type of rice cake made with non-glutinous rice powder and steamed pumpkin. Tteok has a long history in Korea. It can be served as a main dish as a substitute for rice, or as a special food for a festive day or birthday. There are various kinds of tteok with different ingredients. Hob

Sept. 16, 2011

India bites into Korean cuisine

Taj Mahal hotel group hosts Korean Food Promotion events in Mumbai, New DelhiMUMBAI ― Korean cuisine was introduced to Mumbai, India, for the first time Wednesday night.The Korean Food Promotion, jointly organized by the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Corea Image Communication Institute, kicked off with

Sept. 15, 2011

First Asian wine master brings Asian vocab to wine

The first Asian Master of Wine wondered why only Western ingredients were used to describe wines and decided to try using those from Asia. “The significance of Asian cuisine is a pretty major force all over the world. You see Chinese restaurants, Korean restaurants and Japanese restaurants everywher

Sept. 13, 2011

Wine of the Week: 2009 Roccafiore Grechetto di Todi ‘Fiorfiore’

Fiorfiore is pale gold with a scent of tropical fruit and flowers. The 2009 is rich and round, but with a nice snap of acidity. (Los Angeles Times/MCT)The white grape Grechetto has a long history in Umbria in central Italy. It’s an essential part of the blend for the region’s best-known white, Orvie

Sept. 9, 2011

Daehajjim (Steamed prawns)

Daehajjim is a dish of large prawns steamed with seasoning. It has a light and clean taste. Daeha are large prawns that can be up to 25 cm long. Prawns are considered to be a healthy food that strengthens the kidney and provides vitality. Prawns contain a fair amount of good quality protein, calcium

Sept. 9, 2011

Songpyeon, a perennial Chuseok treat

Crafted classic or done up like haute couture, the sweet stands the test of timeSongpyeon, half moon-shaped rice cakes steamed over a fragrant bed of pine needles, are synonymous with Chuseok. Celebrated on Sept. 12 this year, the traditional harvest festival culminates with the ancestral rites, the

Sept. 9, 2011

Denny's launches beefy mac ’n cheese sandwich

Denny’s -- the US-based all-night casual dining chain that makes a sport of topping itself in extreme foods -- is at it again with the launch of a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with macaroni and cheese and a beef patty blanketed in Frisco sauce.Mac 'N Cheese Big Daddy Patty Melt (Denny's)Their Mac

Sept. 4, 2011

Yukwonjeon (Pan-fried beef patties)

Yukwonjeon (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)Yukwonjeon is a dish of ground beef or pork and tofu, shaped into patties then pan-fried. There are two thoughts on how the dish got its name. One is that the name came from the round shape of meat, and the other is from the shape of the patties which

Sept. 2, 2011

Old colonial period turf morphs into gourmet cul-de-sac

Two eateries set up shop in historic Tongui-dong buildingsTwo eateries ― Gastro Tong and Euro Gourmet ― have set up shop on a little tuft of historic turf down in Seoul’s Tongui-dong. Property owner Cho Kyu-yuen, who converted another space into an atelier called Creer, revealed that her clutch of b

Sept. 2, 2011

Wine of the week: 2010 Bodega Eduardo Pena ‘Maria Andrea’

I’m always on the lookout for something other than Chardonnay or even Sauvignon Blanc for a warm weather white. Recently I tasted the 2010 “Maria Andrea” from Bodega Eduardo Pena in Galicia. Brought in by the excellent local importer Antalva Imports in Los Angeles, Maria Andrea is an unusual blend ―

Sept. 2, 2011

Beoseot-jeongol (mixed mushroom hotpot)

Beoseot-jeongol is a hotpot made of different types of mushrooms and vegetables. This dish is clear, light in taste and has a wonderful aroma of mushrooms. It is a stew for the autumn season when the cold wind starts to blow. In olden days, people believed that mushrooms have a medicinal effect and

Aug. 26, 2011

Steak still going strong

Two new places offer a delicious take on grilled beefThough the dry-aged steak trend swept through Seoul a year ago, the fervor for grilled slabs of beef has yet to fizzle. Two new establishments specializing in steak opened this year, a sure sign that there is always room for more meat. What is int

Aug. 26, 2011

Wine of the week: 2009 Les Halos de Jupiter Vacqueyras

For Les Halos de Jupiter’s Philippe Cambie, “Grenache is the king of all grapes and the natural leader of all Rhone varietals.” The southern Rhone rising-star enologist makes wines for a number of famed estates, but Les Halos de Jupiter is his own project.His Vacqueyras is a blend of 83 percent Gren

Aug. 26, 2011

Songpyeon (Half-moon shape rice cake)

Songpyeon is a type of rice cake made by kneading rice powder with hot water and stuffing the dough with beans, sesame, chestnuts and other fillings. The rice cake is shaped into a half-moon and steamed. Songpyeon is served without fail on Chuseok, the biggest holiday in Korea. On the eve of Chuseok

Aug. 19, 2011