Baechu-kimchi is made by fermenting brined Korean cabbage with Korean radish, vegetables, salt-fermented seafood, ground red pepper and various seasonings. Kimchi is a quintessential side dish that is served without fail on dining tables in Korea. Kimchi was approved as an International Standard Food by Codex in 2001. Certain studies have shown a link between kimchi and cancer prevention. Baechu...

Marja Vongerichten’s new cookbook and public television travel/culture/cooking series share the same name: “The Kimchi Chronicles.” The choice of kimchi in both titles was easy. “Kimchi is so distinct to Korea,” Vongerichten says. “It’s the first thing people think of. It’s a great attention-grabber.” The condiment stars in Vongerichten’s book, “The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an Amer...

Old residential neighborhood morphing into bohemian cafe street A brief taxi trip away from college hub Hongdae stands its significantly more serene cousin, Yeonhui-dong. Just a decade ago, the place was a quiet residential area. Then, coffee shops started springing up. The pace quickened about a year ago, spreading the word that the area might very well become the next Garosugil, a hip hang-o...

LA CADIERE D’AZUR, France ― It is day four of cooking class at La Bastide des Saveurs, and many of the 14 students are looking for chairs to catch a few minutes of rest before the whisking begins. But it is also dessert day, so a delicious reward at the end is guaranteed. Such are the joys, and challenges, of a gourmet cooking class at the estate of the Hostellerie Berard in La Cadiere d’Azur, F...

Looking for an alternative to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc? Lately, some interesting whites are coming out of Rioja, and Allende’s Rioja Blanca is one of them. A blend of Viura and Malvasia aged in French oak, the 2008 is a rich, almost oily wine, with an extravagant scent, from this relatively new estate. It’s made in a more modern style than the oxidized whites of the past, crisper and more ...

Gungjung-tteokbokki is a dish made of white rice cakes, beef and a variety of dried and raw vegetables stir-fried with soy sauce for seasoning. Tteokbokki was not spicy and only made with soy sauce until the 18th century. Now, however, it is cooked with a spicy red chili paste, which has been seen in recipes since the 1950s. This is a recipe for a traditional style. Gungjung-tteokbokki (Institut...

MUMBAI ― Cooking Korean food for foreign palates in foreign lands requires much creativeness and resourcefulness. Chef Bae Han-chul, formerly with the InterContinental Hotel in Seoul and currently a professor at Gangdong University, who served a five-course hansik meal for 200 people at a Korean food promotion gala event in Mumbai last week had to prepare the menu in Seoul, exchange numerous ema...

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 least, new to me). Two such drinks, one a bitter, the other a vermouth, caught our eye, and pala...

Liege waffles, salted caramel éclairs, madeleines and more Nearly 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 shops and pastoral vibe running throughout the hilly roads, weekend visitors flocked to the village, spu...

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. Hobaktteok (Institute of Traditional Korean Food) Ingredients ● 5 cups non-glutinous rice powder, 1...

Taj Mahal hotel group hosts Korean Food Promotion events in Mumbai, New Delhi MUMBAI ― 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 a gala dinner at the historic five-star hotel. Korea Consul General Lee Seo-hang, publisher a...

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 everywhere. So the ingredients we use for cooking are actually universal. But in the world of wine they wer...

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, Orvieto. But winemakers in Todi, a medieval hill town near Perugia, use the native grape on its own to...

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, phosphorus, iodine and iron. Daehajjim (Institute of Traditional Korean Food) Ingredients 4 la...

Crafted classic or done up like haute couture, the sweet stands the test of time Songpyeon, 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 centerpiece of which is the ceremonial table. Come Chuseok morning and tables will be groaning...