FOOD ORIGINS: The Churro
Whether they are covered in cinnamon sugar or dunked in a thick gooey cup of Spanish hot chocolate, churros are one of my favorite snacks or desserts. The chewy inside and crisp fried outside…mmm! What’s not to love? While many of us know these doughy sticks of deliciousness as a Spanish and Portuguese treat (or […]
Cheese in Asia: A Brief History
Cheddar. Gouda. Burrata. These are just a few of the endless options that come to mind when I think of cheese. Almost unsurprisingly, all of these cheeses are attributed to Europe or North America. This got me wondering: why do we never think of cheese from Asia? According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, over 90% […]
Pandan is the New Green
Growing up, colorful meals were always the best. Bright red tocino, fluorescent orange kwek kwek, and deep purple ube halaya were just a few of my favorite vibrantly hued Filipino foods. The fun colors always signaled good eating was ahead. Pandan was no exception to this rule. When I was younger, I had only seen […]
Gimbap: Korean Comfort Food To Go!
In the fall of 2023, I finally sat down to watch Extraordinary Attorney Woo (이상한 변호사 우영우) on Netflix, and like so many around the world, I fell in love with Woo Young-Woo’s brilliant, earnestly sweet nature. Gimbap’s comfort and consistency in her life, the expression of care and love illustrated by her appa, and […]
Bibimbap. 비빔밥.
When I was living on my own for the first time after college, a guy I was seeing looked over at me from the driver’s seat of the car and said with a hushed, mock-incredulous tone: “You’ve never had bibimbap?” As a Korean adoptee who grew up in white, rural Pennsylvania, of course I had […]
Hawker Delights Cuisine: Your New Favorite Asian Restaurant
Hawker food culture is a culinary force to be reckoned with. With its roots coming from a storied Asian lineage, its appeal is undeniable. Gone are the days when food labeled as such can only be found on the streets and food courts. It has garnered such a huge fanbase that it has reached Illinois […]