This month’s Secret Recipe Club dish comes from the blog Cooking Whims. Megan, its editor, started cooking for the same reason many of us did: necessity. As she said, At first, I started cooking simply because I had to. After I moved out of my parents’ house, it suddenly dawned on me that I had to…
Restaurant review: Korean BBQ Plus!, Concord, Calif.
Serendipity brought me to this restaurant on the east side of the San Francisco Bay area. I had an appointment with friends in Concord early one February morning. By noon, our meeting was over, and I was hungry. Rather than waiting until I returned to more familiar territory to eat, I followed my instinct — and…
What do peppers and cats have in common?
Last week, I finally started my Korean peppers. They are tropical plants that need lots of warmth and time to grow well. I started my peppers on a south-facing window sill to give them a good headstart. During the day, this is probably the warmest spot in the house with the sun light coming in…
Recipe: Asiago Serrano Polenta (from Bale Grist Mill)
This past summer, my husband and I visited Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, located three miles north of St. Helena in California’s Napa Valley. Since I brought my single bag of stone-ground polenta meal home, I’ve been looking for a recipe that represented Northern California’s Mexican-Italian heritage. The park, located at 3369 N. St. Helena Hwy….
Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken Nuggets (양념닭)
I received a box of Kikkoman Kara-Áge Soy-Ginger Seasoned Coating Mix courtesy of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program to review. I didn’t sign up for it the first time around because I couldn’t think of a Korean way to use this classic Japanese cooking technique. By the time the chance came around again, I knew I wanted…
Hidden kimchi: Java Hub, San Anselmo, Calif.
Many assume the territory between San Francisco and Sonoma County wine country an hour’s drive north is bereft of Korean cuisine. I did, too, until I discovered a venue for such fare long-disguised as a coffee shop. Java Hub Cafe is Marin County’s only noted venue for Korean victuals. It’s a simple coffee shop in San Anselmo,…
A wonderful birthday present: Yonhap published my latest article today
Yes, I admit it. I have a birthday once a year on January 11. Yonhap News inadvertently helped me celebrate my birthday by posting my latest article for them today. Here I am with Korean Consul General Lee Jeong-Gwan (r) and his wife Park Jong-Ran (l). Tammy Quackenbush photo In early October, San Francisco’s Korean…
Starbucks pairs Korean cuisine with coffee
Koreans are just beginning to learn the art of pairing traditional foods, such as Korean barbecue, japchae and bibimbap with wine and now coffee. Starbucks Corp. wants those captivated by Korean cuisine to consider serving coffee alongside each course of a meal, rather than as a dessert complement, according to Philippine Daily Inquirer. Starbucks hosted…
How to store fruits, veggies artistically (w/o a fridge)
Many make New Year’s resolutions, promising to improve themselves in the coming year. Pledges to quit smoking or lose weight are admirable, but I have a different set of New Year’s resolutions. One is to reduce the amount of food I waste. According to Enviromental Protection Agency, nearly 31 million tons of food waste went…
Koreafornian Cooking in 2011
In 2011, I grew as a writer and a cook of Korean cuisine, venturing beyond Koreafornian Cooking to write posts and feature articles for WineKorea and Yonhap News Agency. “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” —Hal Borland The…