World to Table • Korean

Oct 26, 2009

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Korean Cuisine Redefined

Ravioli, pickled beef tongue, and sashimi were just three of the dishes that were served earlier this month for Korean Cuisine Redefined — none of which you will probably find on the menu at your local Korean restaurant. Held at the Korean Consulate in New York on October 5th, the tasting featured five Korean American chefs and their own take on redefining Korean cuisine. To get to know a little more about the food and the inspiration behind it, let’s meet the chefs!

Rachel Yang, Akira Back, Youngsun Lee, Andrew Chang, and Tommy Lee

Tagged: Akira Back, Andrew Chang, Asian plums, beef tongue, Bulgogi, chestnut, chestnut honey, eggplant, Gochujang, Honshimeiji, jujube, kimchi, kohlrabi, korean, Korean Consulate, Kwang Eo, lamb, octopus, pickled, pork belly, pumpkin porridge, pumpkin seed oil, quail egg, Rachel Yang, ravioli, red bean, rice cake, rum raisin, sesame, shallots, summer roll, tofu, Tommy Lee, Vietnam, Vivian Lee, water chestnut, Youngsun Lee

Food Culture

Oct 19, 2009

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National Day and Armed Forces Day at the Korean Ambassador’s House

When I was growing up in LA, eating Korean food meant one thing: an all-meat dinner cooked over the grill at the restaurant, Woo Lae Oak. Each visit was pretty much the same experience — billowing clouds of meat-scented smoke, sharp, vinegary kimchi, marinade-drenched bulgogi or kalbi and the sizzling sounds from the grill complemented with the loud, sucking vacuums above each grill. Little did I know, I had only skimmed the surface of Korean cuisine.

Earlier this month, I was asked to help in the Korean government’s latest efforts to promote and globalize their cuisine at a celebration of National Day and Armed Forces Day at the Ambassador’s home in D.C. And this time there was no grilled meat involved… Ok, maybe a tub or two of bulgogi.

Tagged: Ambassador, Armed Forces Day, bibimbop, Bulgogi, Chuseok, kimchi, korean, National day, rice cake, Scallion pancake, Songpyeon, tteok, Washington D.C., Woo Lae Oak

Wunderkammer

Jul 5, 2009

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Fancy Food Findings

Last weekend was spent at the Javits Convention Center in New York, eating my way down the aisles of the 54th Annual Fancy Food Show. From sampling black truffles to trying the latest Jelly Belly jellybean flavors, there was something for everyone. Equipped with comfortable walking shoes, a camera in tow, and an empty stomach, I managed to do some investigatory tasting and gathered a few new finds that I thought would be awesome new taste-bud-tantalizing additions to your kitchen cabinet:

Sweet & Sour Tamarind and Sweet Tamarind
Sweet & Sour dried Tamarind is nature’s answer to Sour Patch Kids. Shelled, pitted, baked twice, then sprinkled with brown sugar and Thai chili, it tingles your tongue, stunning it with a tart zing, then it rounds off with a spicy kick at the end, leaving your mouth slightly numb and wanting more. I must confess I didn’t get the chance to try the Sweet Tamarind, but I’m curious to know how to prepare it, any ideas?

Tagged: african, black garlic, cashew apple, dried, fruit, jam, korean, sour, Sweet, tamarind