Seoul, Before the Wedding

It was a family affair. My daughter was getting married half way around the world and we all had our plane tickets. Mother, father, aunts, and brother arrived at Seoul's Incheon airport from the west, the midwest, and northeast US. We were met by my daughter, Sam and her fiancé, Young Ju. What a sight for sore eyes they were! After going from Boston to Chicago to Tokyo and finally Seoul, I was refreshed just to see their faces. They had planned a whirlwind week for us and it was falling into place. We all arrived on time, which is a miracle these days, and spent the night by the airport in Incheon. Sleep was good, and meeting for breakfast to start our day was filled with excitement. The 14 hour time difference was made easier by arriving at night, so we felt pretty rejuvenated the next morning. My daughter, future son-in-law and his family had organized the week complete with agenda, hotels, and car with driver. We didn't have to think about a thing except taking in the experience. What fun it was to have the family gathered so far away. My sisters and my son had never been to Asia and we were all excited. After breakfast we made the 1 hour drive to Seoul, checked into the new hotel and met for a few gift openings before going out for the afternoon. Sam and Young Ju really wanted to show us the city of Seoul. We started at Gyeongbokgung Palace, that has a long history of building, destruction and restoration since 1395. The palace was guarded by the real and the symbolic. We had a lovely and very informative English speaking guide to lead us through the many areas of the palace. There was so much to take in. The Korean culture is proud of their history and are excellent record keepers, so there was a lot of information. This hemispheric sundial was invented in 1433 by Jang Yeon-sil. The national treasure is called, 'Angbuilgu', which means an "upward looking kettle that catches the shadow of the sun." The sun was definitely shining, and if we were here just a little later the cherry blossoms would have been in bloom making it even more spectacular. We left the palace for lunch, which was to become one of many delicious meals here. After lunch, a little shopping seemed to be in order which was a visual feast full of typical Korean wares and street food. I liked the man painting rice paper in the back of a very, very cramped store and brought home a few rolls, among other things. I hadn't changed any money yet so that held my shopping down. I was ready for a seat and tea anyway, and could have sat in this comfortable tea house all afternoon. My daughter and my sisters were still out there shopping and I didn't want to miss anything, so back I went! We had to work up an appetite for an elaborate Korean barbecue meal planned with Young Ju's uncle. What a charming and generous family he has! Arriving at the restaurant I really didn't know how I could eat all of the courses of the meal, but somehow I managed. The soup and fish courses weren't heavy so that helped. We filled leaves with several different fillings and folded before eating.Our server lit the gas pits recessed into the table and barbecued slabs of beef, tending to it to make sure it was done perfectly. When the barbecue was done, I could barely stop eating it because it was so tasty. A seaweed soup with oyster and tofu was the last course, and a cup of tea finished our meal. We left very full and satisfied. Bed looked good that night! Amazingly jet lag didn't seem to affect us, and after breakfast the next morning (how could we even be hungry again?!) we headed out for another taste of Seoul. There were happy faces all around.I finally changed some money. Young Ju said the best rate came from 2 ladies, the grandmas, who change it in the shopping district. He was right, and now I had scored Korean won to trade with the vendors. In hindsight, I wish I had taken advantage of more bargains, but not knowing what was around the corner, I spent conservatively. I'm also very aware that I have to cart it all back home, too! Street food was everywhere. The sweet, and steamy savory aromas made us stop and look. I'd like to think I'd try most things, but the ick factor of silkworms cooking away in this cauldron nixed that idea! They are an eco-friendly delicacy, but this was not going to happen. I guess I'd be voted off of the island! Instead, I bought some persimmons, hoshigaki, that are massaged and dried in a Japanese manner. It is a fascinating process and I'm sure a tastier option than the previous. We ate some of the persimmons plain which were soft, thick and sweet in the center. I think I'll make a tagine with the rest of them. It was now lunch time...more food...and the plan was to have lunch at Din Tai Fung, a Chinese noodle restaurant. So far our planned agenda was very satisfying in every way and watching the dumplings being made, I knew this would be good, real good. I was starting to feel like a dumpling myself, though, and hoped I would still be able to fit into my wedding suit. I had the skirt taken in before I left the US and was beginning to get a little worried! Problems...problems :-) A common greeting in Korea is, 밥먹었어(요)? bam-meo-geo-sseo(-yo), or "have you eaten?" I think at any point we could have given a resounding, "Yes!"

Well fed, it was time to call our driver and head out for the 4 hour drive south to where my daughter and her fiancé live. The busyness of the city slowly turned to countryside. It was a relaxing ride as we talked the whole way, full of anticipation about the wedding and the exciting new beginning to their lives. The sun was setting over the mountains as so much lay before all of us. We had a wedding to prepare for.

Cacio e Pepe

Italian food can be brilliant in its simplicity. That is when the finest ingredients shine. Take Italian spaghetti, sharp Pecorino Romano, smooth Grana Padana cheese and toss it together with coarsely, fresh ground pepper to create the sublime. Cacio e Pepe, simply pasta with cheese and pepper, is found on many menus in Rome. This can be deeply satisfying when started with tender, sweet vine ripened melon wrapped in thinly sliced, salty prosciutto. Finished with a gelato it is transporting. Or by itself, it's just simply delicious. I'll take it either way. It is a dish that chefs are measured by and stirs up heated discussions on nuances of the few ingredients. Some will never add butter and some will use only one type of cheese. Most agree on the method of preparation making a velvety sauce with the cheese and a little bit of pasta water. You can leave those variations up to personal taste. The important thing is to add the right amount of the pasta water to have the cheese turn into a sauce that just coats the pasta and no more. Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil. Right now I using an olive oil that I got in an open market in Rome. It is right around the corner from our hotel in a small piazza and is a market by morning and filled with tables by day and evening for dining. I take a short cut and skirt through a narrow opening by this ancient column.The olive oil has no label and only has a metal bottle cap to seal it. I don't think there is a middle man involved, it's straight from the countryside. The closer to the grower you are, the closer you are to your food. And this dish is like a close, warm hug. Buon Appetito!

Cacio e Pepe

8 ounces Italian spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Grana Padana cheese
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons coarsely grated black pepper
pasta water
freshly grated cheese for serving

Boil the pasta until 2 minutes before it is al dente. It will cook a little further in the skillet. While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the pepper and stir for about a minute or less, until the oils release from the pepper. Turn off heat and drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the cooked pasta into the skillet, being careful since the oil and water will spatter. Toss together and then add the cheese while still tossing. Gradually add pasta water a tablespoon at a time to make a light sauce that just coats the pasta, and no more. Finish by tossing the pasta with 1-2 tablespoons butter. The cheese is salty, but salt to taste if you want more. Divide into 4 pasta bowls and top with freshly grated cheese and even more pepper, if you want.

Serves 4.
Now, if I only had a little gelato!
Cutting board by Ann at Thibeault's Table.

Paris Love Locks and Dinner at Louis Vins

It was an early fall day and we knew we were lucky. Soon chilly weather would come in, convincing the leaves to turn and the sunny days to get shorter. We had all been friends long enough to not take this time for granted. We knew a good day when we saw it! And we had plans. After coffee and a Croque Monsier, we started walking toward the footbridge, Pont des Arts. In recent years it has become the Love Lock Bridge, as lovers pledge amour with a lock of love. We were placing red heart locks on the metal grid along the bridge that glistened with promises of love. One of us had a recently married daughter, and another a soon to be married niece. One day they would come to Paris to discover the heart shaped lock with their names engraved on it. We placed the locks on, made a note of where they were and tucked away the keys being careful they didn't fall through the crevices of the time-worn wooden planks. Then we sat just to take in the day. I ♥ my friends! Crossing back over the bridge we had a little window shopping to do.We were meeting friends, who live in Paris, for cocktails and then dinner. It was hard to not stop and look at each window, and we had some time. Ahhh....I was eying this, until I saw the price.........back to window shopping. We wanted to stop at Lauduree, but it was time for cocktails....at Fish la Boissonnerie! A few toasts later we were all pretty hungry, so we made the short walk for dinner at Louis Vins at 8 for 8. It was a day of celebration of love, life and friends ♥ Cheers!