Korean Mugwort, Ssuk (쑥)

The Japanese sometimes use mugwort to color and flavor their mochi into beautiful green dumplings. In Korea, they also use mugwort to add…

Salt Sandspurry (세발나물)

Which region has the longer coastline, California or South Korea? I’ll give you a second to guess. I was surprised to find that South Korea…

Jajang Myeon (자장면)

At first glance, this dish does not look remotely appetizing. It reminds me of Italian squid ink pasta. Something about black or super dark…

Coastal Hog Fennel (방풍나물)

Korea has a rich food culture, and I’m astounded by the variety of greens they eat. They seem to be very well-versed in the local…

Korean Sauna Eggs (맥반석 계란)

I had my first Korean sauna experience yesterday. When my new Korean friend asked if I wanted to experience a Korean sauna, I said yes…

Korean Wild Chives, Dallae (달래)

Korea never ceases to surprise me. Chives in the West are never sold with roots, but as I was wandering in the department store for new…

Hotteok (호떡)

Over the weekend, we went again to Lotte outlets. I got a nice trench coat last time we were there, so we were keen to see what new deals…

Somaek (소맥)

I’ve been studying Korean while in Seoul. It’s a fascinating language. Hangul, their alphabet, is a brilliant writing system that is easy…

Gimmari (김말이)

During the ten-day quarantine, food was delivered to our hotel door every day. We had three square meals a day. With just a dorm fridge and…

Kimchi Cheese Jumeok-bap (주먹밥)

At first I thought it was onigiri, but kimchi isn’t Japanese. The rice ball (actually a triangular shape) reminds me of fond times watching…

Mian Pian in Seoul

There are dozens of convenience stores within walking distance of our apartment in Myeong-dong, but only one store that I know of (Lotte…

Raspberry Imposter!

Imagine the look and texture of raspberry, but the sweet taste of a distinctive herbal fruit. Korean raspberries are not like the…