Coffee cup kid

When I was a kid, my mother called me The Mad Scientist. It wasn’t that I was an ace in science, but more that I liked to mix stuff in tiny cups ―and leave them scattered around the house.So when I stumbled on a recipe on the Prudent Baby blog (www.prudentbaby.com) for a coffeecake in a coffee cup, I was hooked. The ingredients were insanely tiny (1/2 an egg! drops of vanilla!) and the results could be tasted in minutes because the cooking was done in the microwave. The instant gratification mea

April 20, 2012

Wine of the Week: 2009 Felsina Berardenga Chianti Classico

Hankering for a Chianti? The 2009 from Felsina is a beautiful mouthful, everything you want in a Chianti Classico ― an explosion of cherries with mellow tannins and a chiseled structure. Lovely finish too. Delicious drinking from a consistently excellent producer.● Region: Tuscany, Italy● Price: About $18 to $22● Style: Classic Chianti● What it goes with: Pasta, pizza, roast chicken, grilled chopsBy S. Irene Virbila(Los Angeles Times)(MCT Information Services)

April 20, 2012

Brunch revisited

Brunch for breakfast, lunch and dinner still popularIn Korea, brunch is not bound by the time of the day. What originally arrived as a breakfast-lunch deal is being enjoyed at all hours. “Koreans tend to view brunch as a meal that can be enjoyed most any time of day,” said Pancakes Original Story managing director Amy Song. The popular brunch spot originally served a separate dinner menu when it first opened in Hannam-dong nearly three years ago. Then, into its second year of business, Pancakes

April 20, 2012

Doubts cast on food intolerance tests

Doctors say no scientific basis for most new testsCHICAGO ― According to one lab that tests for “toxic food syndrome,” eating green peppers may cause bloating or lethargy. Lemons might trigger headaches. Other common foods like corn, soy, egg whites, whey and chicken “may act like a poison in your body,” the website warns.This company and others promise to detect such hidden problems with blood tests that can range in cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on how many foods are te

April 18, 2012

Houston eatery serves up 'Titanic' feast

Foodies and history buffs remembered the Titanic this weekend at a Houston restaurant that recreated the last meal served to the ship's first-class passengers.Maitre de Ryan Roberts leads guests in a moment of silence for the 1514 people who died when the RMS Titanic sank during a re-creation of the final first class dinner served on the ship, Saturday. (AP-Yonhap News)The Cullen's Titanic Experie

April 16, 2012

Red wine may boost weight loss

Red wine, believed to protect the body from heart disease and cancer, may also help the body lose weight, U.S. researchers suggest. (MCT)Dr. Kee-Hong Kim of Purdue University in Indiana said the substance piceatannol -- a metabolite of resveratrol -- delayed the generation of young fat cells and prevented them from growing into mature fat cells, the Daily Telegraph reported. The study published in

April 15, 2012

What to do with all that Easter candy

For some cooks, seasonality means shopping at the farmers market for the freshest local produce. For me, it means checking out the new candy in aisle 5 at the Sag Harbor Variety Store. Just as farm-to-table fans celebrate in late August when heirloom tomatoes are ready to harvest, I rejoice when chocolate Easter eggs appear on the shelves.While Christmas beckons the baker with candy canes (great for cake decorating when crushed), and Valentine’s Day beguiles with conversation hearts (to press in

April 13, 2012

Tangpyeongchae, (mung bean jelly mixed with vegetables and beef)

Tangpyeongchae is a dish made of jellied mung beans, sprouts, beef, watercress and eggs. It is sweet and sour in taste, rich in nutrition and harmonized with colors from the meat and vegetables. The name “tangpyeongchae” came about when the dish appeared on the table for the first time during discussions of tangpeongchaek (unbiased policy) in the Yeongjo era of the Joseon Dynasty.Ingredients● 300 g mung bean jelly, 3 cups water (seasoning: 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sesame oil)● 100 g beef (seasoning:

April 13, 2012

The price of ‘free’ foods

“Free-from” food products, whether they’re labeled sugar-free, fat-free or gluten-free, are fast becoming a trendy lifestyle choice, regardless of allergies or intolerance.The popularity of these products, tastier and more widely available than ever, is driven by health-focused consumers, research firms say. These so-called avoiders are also swayed by the “health halo,” or the perception that the product is better for you because it’s lacking an ingredient or nutrient, said Andy Bellatti, a Seat

April 13, 2012

Jogaetang (clam soup)

Jogaetang is a soup made by boiling whole clams after they have been soaked to expel sediment. Jogaetang has a light, refreshing taste. It is enjoyed after drinking alcohol because clams are high in taurine which is believed to protect the liver.Ingredients● 300g short necked clam, 3 cups water, 2 tsp salt ● 20g small green onion ● 1/2 ea red pepper ● 6 cups water ● 1 clove garlic ● 2 tsp salt 1. Wash and clean the clam’s shell, put in the salt water for 3 hours for the clams spit out watery sed

April 6, 2012

From curds to quark: Homemade cheese made simpler

Take some milk, add a little acid and give the mixture time to do its thing ― who would have thought homemade cheese could be this simple? What with all the equipment and specialized ingredients I’d read about, cheese making sounded like it was better suited to a chemistry lab than my tiny kitchen. That is, until I tried quark.I know. Hear the word “quark” and you may conjure up images of dancing physics particles or “Star Trek” characters. Or winding your way through “Finnegans Wake.” Any of wh

April 6, 2012

Wine of the Week: 2007 Adega Algueira Ribeira Sacra ‘Algueira’

Looking for something different in terms of red wine? Try this lovely 100 percent Mencia aged in French oak from the tiny, highly regarded Algueira winery in Galicia. It tastes of blueberries and blackberries, cool forest and earth. Rich and intense, the 2007 Adega Algueira “Algueira” is reminiscent of a northern Rhone and has the acidity to hold its own against big, bold flavors.● Region: Galicia, Spain● Price: From $25 to $32● Style: Rich and full-bodied● What it goes with: Brisket, calves liv

April 6, 2012

Cultural exchange on a plate

More expatriate chefs importing culinary aesthetic to warm local receptionFor veteran chefs like Roland Hinni, the culinary landscape of Seoul has changed drastically over the past three decades. He has seen the transition of Itaewon from a bar-hopping night scene into a veritable mecca of authentic ethnic eats and hip hang-outs. He has seen a tiny clutch of expatriate chefs working in restaurants transform into a growing group of business-minded owners, helming their own establishments, putting

April 6, 2012

Wine of the Week: 2011 Red C Sauvignon Blanc ‘Dry Creek Valley’

Need a bottle of kosher wine for the holidays? Look no further than this second vintage of Red C Sauvignon Blanc from Covenant Wines. Made with fruit from the Dry Creek Valley’s Allan Nelson Vineyard, this is a beautiful example of Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. Jeff Morgan just let the natural yeasts do their thing, and the 2011 Red C is grassy with ripe golden fruit tempered by a bright thread of acidity and an appealing minerality.● Price: About $22● Style: Crisp and nuanced● What it goes with: Smok

March 30, 2012

Sogalbigui (marinated and grilled beef ribs)

Sogalbigui is a dish of beef ribs that are pre-marinated with soy sauce seasoning, then grilled over a charcoal fire. This is a favorite dish for many Koreans. Sogalbigui may have originated from maejeok which was a method of barbecuing skewered pre-seasoned beef over a charcoal fire. Ingredients● 4 ea beef short ribs on the bone ● minced garlic, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tbsp sesame salt, 1 tbsp sesame oil ● 1 tbsp edible oil, 1 tbsp pine nuts ● seasoning (1): 40 g pear juice, 1 tbsp ref

March 30, 2012

A meal to remember: 100 years later, dinners re-create the last meal on the Titanic

The Henry Ford Museum is readying a sold-out dinner for 400 as it opens “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” which begins a long run in Dearborn, Mich., on March 31. In Royal Oak, Mich., a Titanic dinner will kick off the Stagecrafters’ production of “Titanic: The Musical.”The Kirby House, a bed-and-breakfast in Saugatuck, will put on its annual Titanic dinner, and in Alma, the public library will be turned into a ship’s dining hall for a buffet-style affair for 125.Titanic enthusiast David McMac

March 30, 2012

New Yangjaecheon restaurant puts French bistro fare in spotlight

Seasoned chef’s hotspot attracting crowds with good food in picturesque settingIt is hard for a restaurant to get everything perfect. In an ideal world, decor, food (from savory to sweet), service, pricing and surroundings would all blend seamlessly together to create the ultimate dining experience. Alas, in reality, that is no easy feat.Newly minted hotspot Cuisson82, however, comes pretty close to it. Given its idyllic location near Yangjae Stream, its rustic French fare and well-mannered staf

March 30, 2012

Park Jin-young opens Korean barbecue restaurant in New York

Korean music mogul Park Jin-young has become an owner of a Korean barbecue restaurant in New York, featuring a special grill that he invented. Park, CEO and founder of JYP Entertainment, a major K-pop record label and management company in Korea, held a press meeting in New York on Monday announcing

March 28, 2012