Soup

Acutally, I've heard the "too americanized" a number of times in my life and it doens't really bother me. I can even understand that my pallet, because I have live in this country for over 30 years, may be different from a "true" korean. However, I would argue that with all the regional differences in korean cooking you'd be hard press to find one true pallet or even the one true recipe for anything. I've seen enough variation in korean dishes to know that they are never exactly the same. For anyone to say that his or her recipe is the "truth" or that a non-koreans cannot appreciate its finer points of korean culture, they are promoting the views that have made some aspects of korean society xenophophic. I'm not sure where this comes from but I think the holyer than thou attitute really stinks. You may not be from the "right" culture, have the proper upbringing or is knowleadable about the cusine. However, the great thing about food is that everyone can decide for themselves what they like and how they choose to eat it. Soup

Never thougth about that? We don't hardly ever set knives but forks we do set sometimes but to be honest have never used it in that manner. As for the chopsticks, it good entertainment after the meal. Give it a try.

One week and counting. The non-air thight one is coming along well. The flavor was a bit more vinegary then a few days ago. I think I'm headed in the right direction but we are still a long ways from that "tang" I'm looking for. The air-tight one, still no real flavor development. I'm thinking if I need to take the cap off. Any thoughts?

Hey Food TV network, were you watching?

I don't know what I picked but I was comparing the pictures of myself @ my Dor and my two son's at their Dor as we were deck out in the full outfit. It was amazing to see we looked alike. And, I think we all look pretty good.

About the metal chopsticks, I like them better than the wooden ones or plastic (which is my least fav). I, for some reason, think (this is non-scientific) it is cleaner without the treat of splinters. I also like the metal ones because it produces the best tone when my son and I use them like drum sticks. As you can tell, I don't like a whole lot of formality. I think many things about the Korean culture are formal enough or overly formal. That formality doesn't need to invade the most fun and relaxing parts of my day (i.e., anytime I'm setting down with friend and family to eat). Soup

Well its day three, I have two gallon jars. One is sealed air tight and the other is not. On the down side, both jars are showing signs of the green onion (green parts) going a bit brown. Not sure why this is happening. I did a taste test on both. Air tight one doesn't taste quite right. It taste more or less like a salty water. No real character yet. The Non air tight one tastes great. It is no where near ready but it smells right and I can tell it is already developing that taste I'm looking for. Will keep you posted. Soup

There are a "few etiquette" rules when dining at a proper korean meal but in my life I think I observe them maybe 5 times and all but one was at someone home. And I certainly do not know all the dining rules. Let's say my parents wern't really into formality at the table and neither am I. As for in most korean resturants, I've not been to anything really formal around DC and none of the waitresses care that much. They are impressed with you if you try to speak a bit of korean. In addition, I've heard them try to steer non-koreans to certain dishes. Don't let them do that. As for Banchan, I start eating that as soon as they arrive and ask for refills when I empty the ones I like. What Jason said about the spoon and not picking up the bowl to your mouth is true. Although I have no idea why? But I've also done it so...

Sorry, Can't help you on the cake but best of luck. I did however, like your website. Please let us know the next time you offer your cooking class. I've been looking for an indian cooking class. Soup

I just check the prices on the link. You might want to check out prices at a local korean grocery store. You may be able to save yourself some $.

I have Zojirushi and my folks have the National. I can't comment on price but for short grain rice and basmati both have turned out excellent rice. It also does Black beens and rice really well. There are couple areas of problem (however minor) I have with Zojirushi. When cooking brown rice, I presoke. Even with the presoke, the rice doesn't come out as done as I would like. I've taken to using the stove top. In addition if I use chicken stock or water with a bit of salt, the rice (brown or white) comes out a bit brown on the bottom. Other than that, I've owned my current rice cooker for almost ten years with a weekly usage rate of about 5 to 6 times per week. No problems.

Note, you're not bound to the convention center since traveling via metro is very easy. Mark, I'll try New Big Wong again (the first and only time I was there, I didn't have a good experience but you are now the second person to say good things about the new big wong). What dish do you recommend? Soup

Yummy, If you need a fix, you grab what you can. I used this product a lot, especially during my HS and college days. Since I have more choices very close by now, I just get my korean noodle fix at my favorite resturants. But I still by this and Nissin ramen. It like junk food and I sometime get the craving. BTW, Mul naengmyun is the best during warm summer months. Although good JaJanmein, or Jampong definitely has its place. I've fallen of the Bebim Gooksu wagon. The last time I made it (a week ago), I kind of "winged" the sauce receipe and it came out overly sweet an the noodles a bit slimy. Highly unstatisfying.

malonpan, got on the website. Like some of the stuff but much of it, I couldn't figure out because my IE browser doesn't display korean. Any hints?

I didn't add the greens to the first brining, just the mu. To correct the situation, I added 3 TBL to each gallon jar today. About an hour later the water started turning a bit cloudy white from what was crystal clear. Did I complete screw it up? Sould I start over? Soup

Why on vacation around SF, we went to a farmer's market in redwood city. My wife spotted a Knish cart and we decided to get one. I guess Knish are that common in the redwood city area because vendor had a sign explaining what it was. Anyway the woman in front of us said "I have one nish please". Soup

Here are couple of places... Skip all the chinese places except Full Key. Chop house is good for a crowd of people and is 4 blocks from the convention center. Legal Seafood is also on the same street but only 3 blocks. Both are good but not anything special. The metro system in DC is clean and safe. I would utilize it to go somewhere more interesting like around du pont area. Cashion's Eats is my favorite place up that way. Never had a bad meal or bad service there.

1. Rice 2. Bread 3. Kimchi I always thought I could do without bread, until I was put to the test on a trip to asia. After four days, I was definitely craving bread.

Near Hearst castle, is a resturant called Robin's that we've gone to a number of times and have really liked. The great eastern resturant in china town in SF is great. Congrats.

I started making it last night. I do have a couple of questions. I cut the mu from the green stem and am doing the initial pickling with the mu only. I am not the initial brining/pickling on the green stems. Is this correct? Second when I assemble, how much water to mu and green stems should I be using. I'm also curious, did you leave out salt by chance on the recipe or there is no salt beyond the coarse salt for the initial brining which I plan to wash off. Soup

Ellencho, thanks for the heads up but I want to try to make it. At the local super H (large korean grocery) they make Urgurie (I hope I got the name right. The fresh made kimchi that is not yet fermented) every weekend I've been there. I'm going buy a bag but ask them to keep the cabbage and the sauce mixture seperate. I'm going to add a pint of raw oysters to the sauce and boil the pork belly in salted water and there you have it. I'm a bit worried about using raw oysters because I'm planning to use the one that come in the platic can and not shuck them myself (maybe I'll skip the oysters). Soup

Bo-Ssam. That is the name. Thanks for the name and the recipe. Will try to make it real soon. Melonpan, Thanks for the links. I'm going on right now and to see what they got. Despite my inability to understand everything, I really like the show. I actually look for it again tonight but it must be a weekly thing. Soup

I was channel suring last night and came across a food show. My cable has two channels that are korean. The Korean TV show I think is geared toward show casing different types of dishes served in different resturants in korea. The show's name roughly translated is called "delicious TV". My korean is not that great so I didn't understand much of what they were saying but the food looked great. As far as I can tell they picked 10 restaurants and showed various people eating the house specialty. The food looked great. Has anyone seen this show? There was one dish that I saw that I had not thought about in a long time. I don't know what it is called but it basically pork belly (boiled) and eaten rapped on a blanch napa cabbage leaf with a past made of GochuGaru, oysters, and other things. Anyone know what it is called and how to make it? Soup

Soup. The most perfect food for anything. Soup

I have many favs but I'm going to list the sandwiches I eat the most... 1. PB&J 2. Egg and Cheeze on toast 3. Ham 4. Turkey 5. Bhan Mi