posted by
Samar on
July 4, 2016
On a recent trip to Japan and South Korea–from where I’m writing this post–it struck me, not for the first time, that for all the economic competition between the two countries and Korea’s historical grievances for Japan’s colonial past, when it comes to cultural and culinary matters there is a love affair between the two countries. K-pop and Korean cosmetics are hugely popular in Japan, while Japanese food is second only to Korean food in popularity in Seoul. Indeed, from the organization of their economy to convenience stores and bakeries, Koreans have made an art form of copying Japan, often putting their own spin on the original. I came across the most recent example of this in Seoul when I realized that Japanese korroke (croquettes) were suddenly all the rage (at least when compared with a year ago when I was last here). But not only the usual kare (curry) flavored ones. In an unusual and tasty twist these were stuffed with kimchi. Hardly surprising you might think–pizza topped with kimchi has been around for ages–but I don’t think I’ve seen the combination of potatoes and kimchi before.
posted by
Samar on
May 15, 2016
Norway has been much in the news lately. Its $850bn oil-fueled sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, owns an eye-popping 1.3% of the world’s stock markets. Not bad for a country of 5 million inhabitants! However, with power comes responsibility and it is now under pressure to use its not insignificant influence to be a more activist shareholder. But for the longest time-indeed, since the Vikings-Norway’s major export was not oil but stockfish (dried cod). I learnt this when, on a recent trip to Bergen, which was and remains the center of stockfish trading, I visited a museum dedicated to the history of the Hanseatic League. This was a confederation of German merchants and market towns set up to facilitate trade and protect its members’ interests. Founded in Lübeck, the Hanseatic League came to dominate trade during the 15-19th centuries in the Baltic Sea region and northern Europe. (I visited Lübeck, which is near Hamburg, a few years ago, attracted like a fly to its famous marzipan!)
posted by
Samar on
April 24, 2016
It is said that every cook should have at least one good chicken recipe in their arsenal. Judging by that, I would consider myself fairly well-armed, with a number of recipes in my regular rota. My favorite, though, is surely today’s recipe for chicken with mustard or poulet à la moutarde in its original French. Since I first came across it several months ago in David Lebovitz’s excellent and funny My Paris Kitchen, I’ve probably made it more times than any other dish. Apart from being extremely tasty, this dish has a number of things going for it. It is both quick and simple enough to throw together on those weeknights when you’re sorely lacking in energy and inspiration. Yet it is also posh enough to be served at a dinner party.
posted by
Samar on
April 6, 2016
When I first got into food and started writing about it I obsessively followed other food blogs. At one point I may have had a browser window with several dozen open tabs dedicated to them! I still do. But as my culinary journey has progressed the ardor has waned, and I can’t remember the last time I looked at any of them. With perhaps one exception: “101 Cookbooks“, a “recipe journal” by Heidi Swanson with a focus on healthy food that I somehow feel is very “Californian” in how Asian and Mediterranean flavors are creatively blended together. And while I don’t religiously follow “101 Cookbooks”, I do subscribe to it’s feed and have made–or been inspired by–many of the recipes on that site. These little patties–or “bites” as Ms. Swanson calls them–made of quinoa and kale are a delicious example of why I remain a loyal reader of her blog.
posted by
Samar on
March 5, 2016
New York is justifiably famous for some of the best–and poshest–food on Earth. But much as I miss the Japanese omakase restaurants, what I really pine for are those hole-in-the-wall places that make eating out in New York such an amazing experience. Places such as Xi’an Famous Foods in Chinatown and Taqueria y Fonda in my own former Upper West Side neighborhood. Not to mention the tamale vendor on W 96th and Broadway. Sadly, tamale ladies–or Mexican food of any kind–are rather thin on the ground in the UK, let alone Oxford. So when I had the chance to visit San Francisco a few months ago I made a point of picking up a few ingredients so I could make my own tamales!
