giving thanks

This year, I spent my favorite holiday thousands of miles away from home. Thanksgiving is a celebration of family and of sharing rich, heart-warming comfort foods with those we love. In Seoul this Thanksgiving, my new family of friends and i put together a vegetarian thanksgiving feast warm enough to fill any expatriate's heart and belly with all the memories of food and family they can handle.

We and 20 other eaters from our community gathered around a warm stove this last Saturday, cooking together, reflecting on thanksgiving memories, and sharing a meal of beautiful seasonal food. on the menu:

mulled winewarm leek and apple salad with wasabi vinaigrette
sweet potato latkes with persimmon chili chutney
pumpkin risotto with homemade ricotta
pumpkin bread
ginger snaps
persimmon kombucha
and of course... ryan's mama's apple pie :)

It was an event to remember and a very satisfying way to share a most beloved tradition with new friends from around the world. 

WARMTH | a vegetarian thanksgiving feast

Fall is here, pilgrims, and the holiday season is just around the corner. It's time to bid farewell to our beloved bowls of mul nangmyeon and usher in a new season of WARM foods and cozy ondol-heated evenings. And what better way to do that than to gather around a WARM stove with other food lovers in Seoul, just in time for American Thanksgiving?

We can't think of a better way... so we're doing it. On Saturday November 2oth, at the O'ngo Food Communications School in Insadong, we're hosting a vegetarian feast around the theme of WARMTH. Join us for a hearty taste of seasonal vegetarian foods, from WARM mulled libations to a WARM apple dessert.

30,000w per person includes a WARM apertif, four courses of seasonal comfort foods and good company. Bring a homemade vegetarian dish of your own and get in for 20. (note that the cooking studio has a handful of ovens, so let your imagination run wild here).

Come early if you'd like to help cook the meal and swap a few tricks for preparing new Thanksgiving recipes with Korea's bounty of fruits and veggies. And regardless, be sure to bring your own WARM memories from Thanksgivings and falls past to share!

persimmon chutney

the first frost has fallen and it's getting cold here in korea. while the ginko and maple trees are dying a vibrantly colored death, the persimmon trees have already lost their foliage and look like naked christmas trees ornamented in bright orange globes of glass. this time of year, all the persimmon trees are decorated with fruit and, as a result of the practical korean tradition of giving food as gift (a tradition i wholeheartedly intend to take with me), we have received many a bag of the sweet autumn fruit.
their sweetness is perfect enough eaten fresh but, with so many rapidly ripening persimmons to work with, i was inspired to use them in almost everything i ate this month. here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy persimmons and i hope you will enjoy them too...

frozen and eaten with a spoon... a natural sorbet!
spiced apple and persimmon compote with yogurt.


persimmon chili chutney...

6 fuyu persimmons, peeled and diced
1 lemon, juiced and 1 inch of peel retained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 whole cloves
8 peppercorns
1 green chili, minced
4tbs vinegar
1t salt
½ cup sugar
¼ cup Water
1tsp cumin seeds

simmer the cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, chili, salt and sugar in the vinegar, lemon juice and water until spices have steeped, about 15 minutes...
add onion, garlic and lemon peel and simmer for an additional 10...
add persimmon and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes until thickened.
serve over anything and everything!

rice harvest

korean tea

korean tea is different from what we commonly regard as tea because it can be made by using fruits, grains, and roots... much more than just leaves.

korea's commitment to eating seasonally extends beyond fruits and vegetables. it has been said that by ingesting the season's bounty as tea, our bodies assimilate the season's vital energy (chi). traditional teas embrace centuries-old wisdom used to link human life to nature. just as we naturally desire water after eating salty foods,  teas made with seasonal ingredients provide elements our bodies crave at particular times of the year.

autumn's tea is omija. in korean, 오미자 (omija) means 'five taste berry'. the five flavors of this berry - sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent - are uniquely distinct but can be somewhat compared to a cranberry.

our region of mungyeong is said to be the finest omija-producing region in the country. the pristine conditions deep in the mountains provide the perfect environment to cultivate the berry prized by epicureans and herbalists alike.

the omija harvest has just come in and i was oh-so-pleasantly surprised to receive a gift of the idolized berry from one of mayo's co-workers. i delightedly washed my three kilos of omija, layered them in a large glass jar with equal parts white sugar and sealed the lid to start the 100 day fermentation process. i'm thrilled to observe my berries as they ferment into the sweet and sour fruit extract i will be using to make omija tea to keep me warm in the new year!

get cooking

now is a great time to start and here's some healthy inspiration from food52:

"We think cooking is really important — especially now. Over the past decade, many studies and books have shown that children from families who eat together do better in school, that eating "whole" foods is healthier, that eating sustainably will save the environment. But no one has pointed out that the only way to achieve all this in a comprehensive, lasting way is for people to cook.

Because:

• If you cook, your family will eat dinner together.
• If you cook, you will naturally have a more sustainable household.
• If you cook, you'll set a lifelong example for your children.
• If you cook, you'll understand what goes into food and will eat more healthily.
• If you cook, you'll make your home an important place in your life.
• If you cook, you'll make others happy.
• If you cook, people will remember you."

autumn glow

autumn's last glow over the rice fields...

a festival of apples

the region we live in is home to several agricultural products of which the locals are extremely proud. apples, shitake mushrooms, rice, korean beef and omija (5 taste berry) comprise the list of tasty healthful foodstuffs that are grown/raised on mungyeong's local soil.

this weekend was perfect to head up to the mountains to enjoy, perhaps, our region's most famed product: the apple. there were more than twenty five orchards at the annual apple festival selling dozens of varieties. we sampled all of them. when we finally settled on which one was more delicious and juicy than the rest, we bought a five kilo box for a very fair price and spent the rest of the perfect afternoon strolling lazily through the provincial park and soaking up the autumn sun. ahhhh.....

veggie cooking school

my darling friend ryan and i have recently joined forces to share our love of vegetarian food with the seoul community.  we held our first seasonal, local vegetarian cooking class last month and are whipping up the final details for our next gathering on october 23rd at O'ngo Food Communications Culinary School in insadong, seoul.

take a look at what we did last month...

and stay tuned for more info on october's event, themed:
WARMTH-an evening of warming fall harvest food and warm hearts around the table

a taste of what we'll be sharing:

mulled wine
warm spinach and pear salad
ginger and seasonal greens soup
pumpkin risotto
and a heart warming apple dessert

... just in time for my favorite season

food and love

"Hello Jessica,

Thank you so much for yesterday's class!  You sure do know how to make things simple and beautiful.  Deeply appreciated. I am happy to report that all my US friends are jealous!

Your class inspired a poem out of me...

FOOD AND LOVE

Offerings to the gods,
.....gratitude,
..........life,
...............continuance.
Celebration
.....success,
..........hallelujah G*d call
Bemoan
.....grasping failure
..........spaghetti squash brained schemes.
loss of self
.....liquor... and sugar... and flour.
..........fog of forgetfulness
erasing failure.
.....food-glorious food!- forgotten celebration of life.
Life from food
.....flavors and scents
..........stirring and heating
...............tantalize, awaken
The skin of love
.....The skin of grapes
..........pacifier for the soul.
Eating - intimate, life giving.
Abstinence
heightened senses
fire charring
burning feral need
Biting and tasting
pleasured love making
follow
fallow
love
Breathe sweet
.....sweet nectar
..........slipping down
inhale
.....taste
..........drink
salt simmer of life."

a thank you note from a beautiful soul and new friend, pamila

sunday dinner

“Every week for the past 30 years, I’ve hosted a Sunday dinner in my home in Paris. People, including total strangers, call or e-mail to book a spot. Every Sunday a different friend prepares a feast. Last week it was a philosophy student from Lisbon, and next week a dear friend from London will cook.

People from all corners of the world come to break bread together, to meet, to talk, connect and often become friends. All ages, nationalities, races, professions gather here, and since there is no organized seating, the opportunity for mingling couldn’t be better. I love the randomness.

I believe in introducing people to people. People are most important in my life. Many travelers go to see things like the Tower of London, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and so on. I travel to see friends, even—or especially—those I’ve never met."

a beautifully refreshing idea by Jim Haynes...

enjoy the rest of the story here:  invite the world for dinner

coconut cassava greens with pumpkin

aunt rose's cassava greens with pumpkin in coconut milk...

el nido, palawan, philippines

we stumbled upon this really unassuming guesthouse off the beaten path in el nido. Makulay Lodge is such an incredible secret. the guesthouse has only two rooms tucked into the jungle with views overlooking the sea. the place was quiet and very charming on its own but the owner, rose, was the reason we stayed much longer than intended. her way of always giving just a little something extra made us feel like we were guests in her own home.

there was no restaurant at the guesthouse... just a small but functional kitchen and a few cozy tables under a thatch roof in the courtyard decorated with lush tropical plants. the menu was whatever was fresh or harvested that day.

one of my favorites was this bowl of cassava greens with pumpkin in coconut milk which i made myself (the coconut milk that is)! making coconut milk is a very simple but slightly labor intensive process - but the result is so freshly delicious that, had korea any coconuts, i'd be putting fresh coconut milk on just about everything!

garlic rice

garlic rice...

a simple and delicious filipino twist on the asian staple

an island market

calamansi

calamansi...

my new favorite citrus fruit

heirloom tomatoes

heirloom tomatoes...

july has been steamy and my garden is loving it. i have more tomatoes than i ever thought i could manage and i'm quite enjoying it... creamy tomato soup, fresh tomato juice, gazpacho, pasta arrabiata, and beautiful summer salads to name a few.

creamy carrot soup

creamy carrot soup...

for 2

3 cups of chopped carrots
3 cups of water
1 onion - roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic - chopped
scallions, fresh chili peppers (optional - i like it spicy!) and sesame oil to finish

saute garlic and onion in olive oil until fragrant
add water and carrots... cover and bring to a boil
simmer about 20 minutes until carrots are soft but still bright orange
puree carrot soup until smooth (much easier using a hand blender!) and salt to taste
garnish with scallion, a drizzle of sesame oil, and minced chili (if you want some spice)

a whisper of summer

"the flower of the lotus represents purity of the body, speech and mind as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. "

the pond up the hill from our house was a humble pool of murky stillness when we first arrived at our farmland refuge in march. it's banks lined with miniature tents housing fishermen through the long and bitter winter, the pond seemed to have once enjoyed the long lazy days of summer. we couldn't see it. the pond was no different than the land surrounding it: barren, colorless, lifeless. was this the rural life we had hoped for?

without much notice, spring soon came and life began to take shape in the landscape. seedlings of rice were planted, cherry blossoms marked the first warm days of spring followed by brilliant wildflowers and a wash of green over everything. over the last two months, i have been thankful every day for the natural world that surrounds me and even more grateful for my choice to live within it.

a summer stroll up the hill to enjoy a warm july sunset brought us to revisit that same pond from several months earlier. the sweetness of summer had kissed every inch of our village and the pond had not been overlooked. delicately blushing lotus blossoms dotted the pond like an impressionist painting... sedating our souls and quieting our minds until well after sunset.

...

"when raindrops fill a lotus petal, the petal sways for a while with each drop, and when the water has pooled to a certain extent, the petal pours the pure water away without any regret or attachment.

when the water falls onto the leaf below, there again it wells up and rolls right off again, emptying into the stillness of the lotus pond.

the lotus petal takes on only as much weight as it can hold...

the principles for living in the world are exactly the same. "

beop jeon, korean buddhist master

in yun

fate would have it that i felt drawn into a traditional tea shop at the park and the three of us sat down for a free cup of nokcha (green tea) served in the traditional way. the tea master made small talk with us as she explained korea's tea customs. she asked where we had been while in seoraksan and i mentioned the situation at the sauna the night before. without hesitation, she invited us to stay with her and her husband in their home. these are the experiences that we dream of as travelers! we gladly accepted and came back to the tea shop a few hours later to pile in her wagon (mayo in the trunk) and head down the mountain road to her home.

her husband was waiting for us when we arrived and, thankfully, spoke more english than his wife. we learned that their daughter is living in vancouver and marrying a canadian next year. they love their son-in-law to be and they were happy to share the same kind of hospitality with us in their country as they know their daughter is receiving in canada. amazing! we had dinner with them and their friend and talked for hours about cultural differences, tea, country life, korean food.

they even showed us their daughter's wedding dress which i noticed had my name on the label. i pointed it out and the tea lady brought up the topic of In Yun. In Yun means destiny and it is an important part of korea's ideas about relationships. they believe that all relationships (even fleeting encounters) are a part of our destiny and she felt this when she met us at the tea shop.

the concept of In Yun is much deeper than english translation can explain but, in essence, every encounter has great significance. no meeting is by chance. no interaction is without greater universal meaning...

happy birthday buddha

for buddha's birthday, a korean national holiday equivilant to memorial day, we spontaneously decided to take advantage of the long weekend and make our way up to seoraksan (korea's most regarded mountain and national park). situated in the far northeast corner of south korea (and with the help of holiday weekend traffic), it took us nine hours to get to seoraksan by bus. luckily, we had the company of our lovely friend amy and chatted the time away with ease...

you may be wondering where i've been...

i admit i'm a bad blogger. i haven't posted since we've moved to the countryside four months ago. certainly, we have been spending so much time enjoying the natural world that surrounds us that sitting in front of a computer is the last thing i want to do.

however, something else has been keeping me busy these days... mayo and i were filmed for a documentary about our life in the country. for two weeks, we were followed by cameras from morning to night. at first, we declined the offer out of bashfulness and in attempt to keep our personal life private. we were convinced that it would be a great opportunity and decide to go for it.

the theme of the show is slow food/slow life. it was quite strange adjusting to a camera in my face during routine tasks such as chopping vegetables for dinner, making tea, washing my hair... but it quickly became easy to forget the cameras were there and it was well worth it because we were afforded beautiful experiences that we would never have stumbled upon on our own.
stay tuned for a video post once it airs!

an unexpected salad

at our slow food retreat, we learned about the process and sampled many of the fermented sauces and extracts. we learned a traditional salad dressing recipe of the region that was fantastic. if you can find korean doenjang, i highly recommend giving it a try! mix the following together and serve over your favorite fresh greens...

6 tbs doenjang (soybean paste)
3 tbs strawberry extract (made by fermenting equal parts strawberry and sugar)
1 cup of soymilk
1/2 cup of chopped peanuts
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vinegar
1-2 tbs honey

fermentation

in korea, fermented foods were traditionally stored underground when most homes didn't have refrigerators to keep things cold. the below ground temperature was natures refrigerator. now, fermented foods are kept above ground in earthenware jars that keep cool in the heat.

slow food

preserving korean culinary traditions

(our teacher and her niece, a student of korean slow food)...

one of the highlights of the documentary was a trip to gyeongju, the ancient capital of korea, for a lesson on korean fermentation processes. korean cuisine is the epitomy of slow food because its core ingredients are doenjang (soybean paste), gochujang (chili paste), kanjang (soy sauce) and of course kimchi... all are fermented, some for up to five years. the longer it is fermented, the higher quality and richer taste it has.

life in technicolor

the 30 minute ride on my bicycle to and from work is the best part of my day. the scenery is mostly farmland and rice fields laid in perfectly aligned rows.  the new blanket of green since planting time has made me feel like my black and white world has been painted in brilliant color... 

hello neighbor

...

age is nothing but a number

the 30 minute ride on my bicycle to and from work is the best part of my day. the scenery is mostly farmland and rice fields laid in perfectly aligned rows.  the new blanket of green since planting time has made me feel like my black and white world has been painted in brilliant color...

my companions on the old farm road are other cyclists that are nearly triple my age. at times, i feel exhausted by the ride but i’m filled with a new energy when i see farmers the age of my grandparents in the fields on their hands and knees planting, weeding, pulling... working harder than i ever have in my life. they use no machinery. they have no strong young grandkids to help them (they’re probably in town at their after school academy and have no time to help on the family farm). i say hello to everyone as a ride by and i’m always greeted with a huge smile and a look of surprise. i’m probably the only foreigner they’ll ever see.

village life

when i got home, i stopped at the corner pharmacy to visit my favorite neighbor, kang, the 69 year old pharmacist whom I call dad. we sat on a bench in front of the store eating ice cream and talking about life. we sat together until sunset and then kang left to meet his friend for dinner.

before heading up to my apartment, i paused to admire my garden that kang helped me with (actually he and his wife did almost everything without letting me help because he wanted to surprise me). my vegetable plants are so lovely, each with the promise of a beautiful dinner hanging from its stems. this summer will be filled with an abundance of beautiful green salads, grilled eggplant, creamy tomato soups, and spicy green curries.

summer in the country is here...

neighborhood charm

yesterday, i didn’t rush home to make dinner.  i took my ride home slowly, taking photos of my favorite spots along the way.  i felt a strong connection to my path and saw things i somehow missed before, even though i pass them everyday.

i stopped to say hello to my dog friends that live outside a tiny and very rustic farmshed. the owner, a toothless old woman whom i’ve never seen before, came outside and i apologized for bothering her and told her i couldn’t resist taking photos of her cute puppies. she smiled and said “no problem! come in, it’s dinner time.” i entered the clay and concrete shed to find six old men (probably farmers) taking a break to have dinner and  some drinks together. the woman’s small stove was aflame with pots of boiling stew and rice. i couldn’t believe what i thought was a shed is a restaurant! the old men were delighted to see me and invited me to sit with them for some steamed squid and makgoli (rice wine). i fared well with my korean conversation skills and, after a glass of mokgoli and a new excitement for life, i said goodbye, promised i’d come back soon with my husband, and hopped onto my bicycle... smiling all the way home.

in my backyard

home

the apartment is still not furnished and, thus, not photo ready...
but, in the meanwhile, here's a peek at the world outside our bedroom window...

life on the farm...

...or in the apartment next to the farm :)

we have made it to our new town and have met our new co-workers. the people here are some of the most friendly strangers we have ever met. we've already met both of our co-teachers' families and have been given the warmest of welcomes. we're really enjoying our adventure into small town life and look forward to the new friendships to be made here.

i am working in the city and mayo hit the jackpot with a beautiful little school in the mountains. we were lucky to find a brand new apartment in a small village between the two schools... there is even a farm next to our building which i hope to use while working on my green thumb this spring.
we'll be settling in this week making our house a home and will be posting photos soon!

mungyeong | a move

from here...

to here...

문경. MUNGYEONG. the mountain gateway. our new home...

a quieter kind of year awaits us...