Every year In Defense of Animals based in Marin County, Calif., organizes protests in front of the South Korean consulate in San Francisco and Korean-run grocery stores in Oakland, protesting loudly against a small segment of South Korea’s population who still enjoy dog meat despite the cruel ways the dogs are raised and slaughtered. These…
Food Review: Saffron Road Gochujang Chicken microwave meal
Some time ago, after finding my review of Saffron Road’s Korean Tacos, they sent me an email offering to send me free samples of their Korean cuisine line of microwave meals. I accepted their offer and within a few days, I received a package of four microwave meals, packed in a cushioned styrofoam box with…
Recipe: Walnuts wrapped in dates (Daechussam 대추쌈)
I bought a large container of dates leading up to Passover this year. After making Moroccan charoset and Moscato charoset for this year’s celebration, I still had over half the carton left. I needed a simple recipe to use up the rest of my massive carton of dates. My mind went back to Maangchi‘s recipe…
Food Review: Saffron Road Korean Taco with Tofu
Korean food continues to expand into America’s frozen-food aisles. And while navigating one at a local Whole Foods Market grocery recently, I came across Saffron Road’s packaged Korean Taco With Tofu. Saffron Road, a Stanford, Conn.-based food company, has brought several Korean-themed meals to the public, including Gochujang Chicken, Bibimbop With Tofu, Beef Bulgogi and…
Recipe: St. Patrick’s Day 비빔밥 Bibimbap
St. Patrick’s Day is March 17 and usually coincides with the Catholic fasting season of Lent. This year is no different. One common way to celebrate Lent is to abstain from indulgent foods, such as meat and candies. Another way to celebrate Lent is to simplify one’s diet in solidarity with the world’s poor who…
Recipe: 애호박 나물 Ae-Hobak Namul (Sauteed Zucchini)
I know it’s not summer yet and zucchini are not in season in Korea or in Northern California, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to introduce you to another simple 나물 namul (seasoned vegetable) recipe that will play well in your 비빔밥 bibimbap or as 반찬 banchan (side dish).The Korean hobak is a…
Recipe: “Clover” Salad 괭이밥 나물 (Seasoned Wood Sorrel)
Foraging has become trendy here in the San Francisco Bay area, with people paying money to take classes to learn how to find local foods such as miner’s lettuce, local seaweeds and mushrooms. But there’s one very common plant that’s probably taking up a good portion of your front yard that you had no idea…
Koreans cringe at American kim snack attack
I never thought this seemingly innocuous Facebook post on Feb. 13 would cause any kind of uproar or irritation: “Raleys grocery stores in Northern California are selling their own line of seaweed (김Kim/laver) snack packs.” Comments such as this one on that post likely aren’t helpful or relevant for a grocery shopper in Northern California:…
Kidney beans in Korean food?
Nation’s Restaurant News Jan. 24 e-newsletter included a recipe for Korean Red Bean Lettuce Cups. I had visions of Adzuki beans dancing in my head, so I clicked on the link. Rather than the little sweet red beans common to Korean desserts, I found the “red beans” in question were dark red kidney beans —…
Korean Street Food Review: KoJa Kitchen truck, Larkspur, Calif.
Hubby and I drove down to Marin Country Mart in Larkspur, Calif. to check out KoJa Kitchen’s Korean-Japanese “fast casual” food truck at the Off the Grid (OtG) street food gathering. This is a view of the OtG Larkspur from the Ferry across the street taken last spring. (Tammy Quackenbush/Koreafornian photo via Instagram) KoJa (which…