Posh hideaways new haute watering holes

The year was 1973. Claus Riedel ― the late, former head of Riedel Glas Austria ― saw his dreams for glasses custom-tailored for specific wine styles reach full, global fruition with the launch of the brand’s Sommelier series.Many have since etched that moment as pivotal in how oenophiles perceived the vessel’s role in the proper enjoyment of wine. From that moment on, Riedel’s Austrian crystal glasses have spawned an ongoing debate about the true effectiveness of such wares, designed solely for

Mon Chou Chou sweets a big hit in Seoul

Romantic Christmas packages at Imperial Palace Seoul Imperial Palace Seoul presents two packages on Dec. 24 for couples who want to enjoy a romantic Christmas. The Romantic Lavender Package includes pecan pie and blueberry cheesecake from Deli Amador, and a Royal Nature cosmetics set. Guests can choose to stay in the Deluxe Room, Club Deluxe room, loft-style suite or corner suite. Prices start from 295,000 won. The Romantic Evening package includes two tickets to a Christmas party held at lobby

Korean radishes taste best in the late fall. Take advantage of the radish season, and make some kkakdugi. It’s an easy and quick kimchi to make. Unlike baechu (napa cabbage) kimchi, it doesn’t require hours and hours of salting. The radishes are first cubed and salted for a short time and then mixed with the seasonings. Although you can start eating it at any time, kkakdugi needs about two weeks in the fridge to adequately develop its flavors. It only gets better with more time. We Koreans enjoy

The man who helped grow the market for vessels designed specifically for different wines is hosting a “Riedel Glass Tasting” event at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Nov. 22.Georg Riedel is the former head of Riedel Glas Austria, the more than 250-year-old family business famed for the style-specific wine glasses that created a stir when first released in 1973. Riedel, whose family business roots go back 10 generations, is also the pioneer who launched the Vinum collection, the “first machine-made, var

 Thanksgiving feast at JW Marriott Hotel SeoulJW’s Grill and The Caf will offer a holiday feast on Nov. 28. Priced at 110,000 won, JW’s Grill’s dinner course menu will include smoked salmon with potato and asparagus, foie gras terrine, butter-roasted turkey and more. Priced at 260,000 won, a family set for six people will include a whole roast turkey carved and served table-side. For reservations, call (02) 6268-6759. Buffet restaurant The Caf will serve roast turkey complete with side dishes su

It’s kimchi-making season! There are hundreds of kimchi varieties in Korea. Pogi kimchi is the most common variety. The taste of kimchi varies widely, depending on the seasoning ingredients. Every household has its own version. Various kinds of jeotgal (salted seafood) are used to give kimchi its distinct pungency and to aid the fermentation process. Saeujeot (salted shrimp) and myeolchiaekjeot (fish sauce made with anchovies) are the two that are most commonly used. I almost always use both of

Food stylist Hong Shin-ae serves homey, rice-centric fare at Ssalgage

SARLAT, France ― It’s a Saturday morning in this medieval city in the heart of the Dordogne region ― market day ― and merchants have stacked tables in Sarlat’s cobblestoned square with pricey delicacies.Pungent dark truffles. Wicker baskets filled with freshly picked mushrooms. Black walnuts suspended in jars of honey like insects in amber. Wheels of aromatic cheeses as big and thick as automobile tires.But it’s the shiny cans arranged in pyramids that draw many of the grocery buyers and gastron

GRINZANE CAVOUR, Italy (AFP) ― Eleven white truffles have gone under the hammer in Italy for 274,200 euros ($367,620), including a pair bought by an anonymous buyer in China who paid out 90,000 euros, auctioneers said Monday.A “famous Chinese writer” bidding by satellite telephone from Hong Kong fiercely outbid competitors for a 950-gram pair of truffles, organizers said, paying three times the price of gold for the white delicacy.The auction, which took place Sunday in the Grinzane Cavour castl

Charcuterie specialties at The Deli at Grand Hyatt SeoulThe Deli at Grand Hyatt Seoul is showcasing the award-winning recipes and charcuterie specialties of artisan charcutier Benito Plasschaert. Plasschaert is a key figure in traditional homemade meat and has been working as a charcutier for more than 45 years. The Deli will showcase delicacies such as handmade sausages, hams, pates, terrines, rillettes and much more. The menu will also feature dishes such as venison pate with cognac, Italian m

Coreanos Kitchen dishes out wallet-friendly Mexican fusion fare

This recipe is a simple version of jeongol (Korean hot pot). Jeongol is a hearty, steaming one-pot meal that’s usually cooked at the table. To make it, you basically arrange a variety of ingredients neatly in a shallow pot, then add a flavorful broth and cook.Beoseot (mushroom) jeongol is made with an assortment of different types of mushrooms. It’s a great way to enjoy the strong, earthy flavor of mushrooms. Here, I made it simple and completely vegetarian! You can add other vegetables, beef,