A pie to remember

Sunday mornings other Minneapolis families went to church; we picked up bagels at the Lincoln Del. That’s how I knew we were Jewish.Dad ordered a baker’s dozen, sliced lox and cream cheese. Also Max’s half dills, whitefish wrapped in paper and a block of gritty halvah. I helped by gazing into the glass case. It was cold, bright and packed with astounding confections. I was mesmerized by the frog cakes, cut to reveal raspberry smiles.Once, the woman behind the counter lifted out a chocolate-cover

Oct. 24, 2014

Around the hotels

‘Hip flask cocktails’ at Park Hyatt SeoulThe Timber House at Park Hyatt Seoul is serving “hip flask cocktails” in the whisky bottles that people put in their pockets to heat them with body temperature during the cold season. The Timber House is presenting the unique experience of enjoying cocktails in these hip flasks. The hip flask cocktails come in five different kinds. “Talking to Myself” has a bittersweet flavor from a blend of rum, Campari liquor and orange essence. “Butterfly Effect” has s

Oct. 17, 2014

Bewitch is back

Over six years ago, a veteran fashion industry insider-turned-chef turned a tiny little dry cleaning store into an off-the-beaten-path bistro on Seoul’s Garosugil. From that charmed, sweet nook, she churned out lemon pies with bouffant clouds of meringue and cupcakes slathered in coconut-cream cheese frosting, reeling in seriously committed regulars who came back time and time again for her treats.Then she just as quietly slipped away, closing her little cafe this spring for a six-month hiatus,

Oct. 17, 2014

Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge)

Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge) (Korean Bapsang)With the weather getting colder, we could all use some warm comfort food. For Koreans, juk (porridge) is a popular comfort food either as a light meal or a snack. Hobakjuk is typically made with danhobak and sweet rice. Danhobak means sweet pumpkin or squash and is a variety of winter squash. Traditionally, there are two ways to incorporate sweet rice into this porridge. One is to add small rice cake balls made with rice powder, and the other is simply

Oct. 17, 2014

Ojingeo muchim (spicy squid salad)

Ojingeo muchim (spicy squid salad) Korean BapsangOjingeo muchim is a spicy, sweet and tangy dish that’s made with boiled squid and fresh vegetables. It’s also called ojingeo cho (vinegar) muchim. Along with ojingeo bokkeum, stir-fried squid and vegetables, ojingeo muchim is one of the most popular ways to prepare squid in Korea. Cucumber and Korean radish (mu) are common vegetables for this dish. I did not use radish in this recipe to keep it simple, but try it for an extra crunch factor. If you

Oct. 10, 2014

Popular Japanese treat lands in Seoul

Croissant Taiyaki, a popular Japanese dessert brand that specializes in red bean-filled, fish-shaped waffles called taiyaki, launched its first Seoul outlet this month. While taiyaki ― called bungeoppang in Korean ― is an age-old street snack prevalent throughout Japan and Korea, Croissant Taiyaki’s variation of the traditional sweet is a drastic departure from the fish treat of yore. A special croissant dough is used in lieu of the usual flour-based batter and then sprinkled liberally with a Ja

Oct. 10, 2014

Around the hotels

Fall trekking around JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul presents a trekking package which invites guests to explore the historic places surrounding the hotel. Guests can choose from three packages: a room-only package, a room and breakfast package and the executive room package. The package, available until Nov. 30, is priced at 299,000 won for the Deluxe Room, 349,000 won for the Deluxe Room with breakfast for two at Tavolo 24 and 369,000 won for the Executi

Oct. 10, 2014

Stumptown coffee and pancakes in Seoul

The Pancake Epidemic, a creative agency in California, launched its first South Korean flagship cafe near Seoul’s Apgujeong-dong on Sept. 19. A division of the Los Angeles-based marketing agency StreetVirus, The Pancake Epidemic started out as an invitation-only gathering spot. “Private brunches were held every Friday,” said The Pancake Epidemic Seoul general manager Tony Lee, explaining that the original folks in California kept their caffeinated get-togethers exclusive.  The Pancake Epidemic S

Sept. 26, 2014

Around the hotels

‘Discover Korea’ promotion at Grand Hyatt IncheonGrand Hyatt Incheon’s Restaurant 8 presents Korean cuisine until Oct. 31 in celebration of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. The “Discover Korea” promotion menu includes pancake rolls, seasonal green salad, snow crab meat salad with yuja dressing, Korean beef tartar, sweet pumpkin porridge, assorted Korean pancake and Jedong beef stew. For dessert, seasonal fruit, rice punch, Korean crackers and rice cakes will be offered. The promotion offers a veget

Sept. 26, 2014

Kongnamul bap (soybean sprouts rice bowl)

Kongnamul bap (soybean sprouts rice bowl) (Korean Bapsang)Kongnamul bap is basically rice cooked with kongnamul (soybean sprouts). Simply add soybean sprouts to your rice, and cook the rice the same way you normally do, using a little less water because the sprouts will release liquid. The rice soaks up the nutty flavor of the soybean sprouts as it cooks. It’s also very common to add slightly seasoned beef or pork, giving it another layer of flavor, and making it a more substantial dish. Another

Sept. 26, 2014

Former trader quits Playboy to open own Korean restaurant

Judy Joo is missing Playboy. The Morgan Stanley trader-turned-chef has quit the London club to open a restaurant and recalls the fun she had over three years, cooking for celebrities from Justin Bieber to Kate Moss. “Talk about a massive fun factor with the brand, and the stories I walked away from there,” Joo says. “It was incredible, hanging out in the Playboy Mansion in L.A. and looking after tons of rappers and footballers. ‘‘And I miss the bunnies. I love those girls. Who doesn’t love being

Sept. 25, 2014

Pulled pork parfait at new BBQ spot

Hefty ribs, piquant housemade sausages and pulled pork parfaits are the major edible attractions at Holy Smoke, a new barbecue joint that officially opened in Seoul’s Haebangchon district this Wednesday. Owner-chef Mongo Kim, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Australia, is the man crafting all this tasty protein, building each dish from the ground up, from the sauces to the sausages to each component of his hearty parfait. Given that prior to Holy Smoke the accomplished chef was doing French cuisine

Sept. 19, 2014

Kimchi bibim guksu, (spicy noodles with kimchi)

Kimchi bibim guksu (spicy noodles with kimchi) (Korean Bapsang)When there seems to be nothing in the fridge, bibim guksu made with kimchi comes in handy for a quick meal. Well-fermented kimchi is truly all you need for this humble dish. But, you can add other vegetables such as cucumber, carrot, red cabbage or lettuce, if available. I added some perilla leaves (kkaennip) in this recipe. In no time, these spicy, sweet and tangy noodles will be ready for your table.2 servings Ingredients:● 2 servi

Sept. 19, 2014

Around the hotels

Autumn package at Hilton Namhae Golf and Spa ResortHilton Namhae Golf and Spa Resort presents a fall accommodation package available from Sept. 21 to Oct. 31. The all-inclusive package includes a one-night stay, breakfast and dinner for three people and entrance tickets to the hotel’s spa facility. Guests who reserve for three or more people will be given a cosmetic travel kit of the organic skin and body care brand Dr. Bronner’s. The cosmetic kit will include the new product Green Tea Castile S

Sept. 19, 2014

Around the hotels

Tempura promotion at Millennium Seoul Hilton Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Japanese restaurant Genji is offering a tempura course meal featuring the seasonal ingredient pine mushroom. The eight-course dinner, priced at 180,000 won per person, includes a sashimi selection of sea bream, halibut, sea bass, abalone and cuttlefish; steamed lobster with pine mushrooms; deluxe pine mushroom tempura and more. A la carte items are also available, including pine mushroom tempura priced at 100,000 won. Tempura

Sept. 12, 2014

Lavender lattes and mousse at ‘Little and Much’

At Little and Much, a dessert cafe that opened on Sept. 1 in Seoul, mousse cake is the treat to order, robed in dark chocolate or filled with passion fruit. “The first thing we learned to make was mousse and we continued to make it,” coowner and pastry chef Lee Hwa-young, who runs Little and Much with her husband, said. “So we naturally came to do mousse.” Lee and her husband both studied baking and pastry arts at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, Canada, before returning to S

Sept. 12, 2014

Gaji bokkeum (stir-fried eggplants)

Gaji bokkeum (stir-fried eggplants) (Korean Bapsang)This easy but flavorful side dish is one of my favorite ways to cook eggplants. Look for slender eggplants with a dark-purple color and shiny skin. Eggplants are stir-fried with simple seasonings, and the gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste) adds a nice kick to the tender eggplants. As a variation, add some thinly sliced pork or chicken, adjust the seasoning accordingly, and enjoy it as a main dish. Ingredients:● 2 medium-size Asian eggpla

Sept. 12, 2014

[Weekender] Chuseok’s diverse culinary traditions

In kitchens across the nation, families gather together to make traditional Korean dishes for Chuseok, one of South Korea’s largest annual holidays. This Sunday, households will be busy crafting songpyeon, half-moon-shaped rice cakes, and other delicacies to offer up to ancestors in appreciation of a good harvest this coming Monday morning. Those ceremonial tables, loaded to bursting with carefully prepared food, will vary from home to home, serving as edible symbols of the foodways of each fami

Sept. 5, 2014

Around the hotels

Fall package at Lotte Hotel Seoul Lotte Hotel Seoul is presenting a fall package that includes a picnic at a royal palace in Seoul. The “walk package,” priced at 280,000 won, includes a one-night stay in a superior room, breakfast for two, a picnic box containing four pieces of bread and two cups of coffee, and an admission ticket to four major historical sites in Seoul, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine. The hotel will hold Oktoberfest 2014 from Sept. 20 to Oc

Sept. 5, 2014

Panda Express opens in Seoul

Korean staff present sample dishes during a celebration marking the opening of the first Asian branch of Panda Express in Seoul on Wednesday.Panda Express, a chain of restaurants serving American-Chinese cuisine, launched its first Asian branch in Seoul on Wednesday. The global restaurant chain joined hands with Seoul-based SF Innovation Co. to open Korea’s first Panda Express in the basement of Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul. SF Innovation is a Korean restaurant business well-known fo

Sept. 5, 2014