Over 130 French cheese varieties available in KoreaA few decades ago, it was hard to find a wide variety of French cheese in Korea. Now, according to CNIEL communications director, Laurent Damiens, there are more than 130 kinds. Damiens, who attended a French cheese press luncheon co-sponsored by his center in Seoul Tuesday, said that the South Korean market is quickly embracing French cheese. “The South Korean market is still small but we see it as having great potential to become very big,” Da

Thomas Keller, owner-chef of The French Laundry, says he is ‘just the middle person’In a world where the list of places you have dined are a barometer of your financial standing as well as good taste, it is not uncommon to find people who will fly across oceans for an exceptional dining experience. And of course, they will have made reservations months in advance, eagerly counting down the number of days, just like a school child crossing days off the calendar to his much awaited summer break.A

Bukeotguk is a soup made by boiling seasoned bukeo (dried pollack) after it has been soaked and ripped. Bukeo is available year-round at a low price in Korea, therefore, bukeotguk is an everyday soup for Koreans. It is believed that bugeo protects the liver and many people have bukeotguk after drinking alcohol. Ingredients● 70g dried pollack● 100g radish, 20g small green onion, 1/4 red pepper● 1 tsp sesame oil ● 7 cups water, 1 tsp clear soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp salt ● 1 egg For seasoning ● 1/2 tbsp

Kale is about as unlikely a food star as you can imagine. It’s tough and fibrous. Bite a piece of raw kale and you’ll practically end up with splinters between your teeth. Nevertheless, kale has become a green of the moment because, given a little special care, it actually can be made not only edible but delicious.You can cook it, of course, the lower and slower the better. But surprisingly, one of the most popular ways to use kale these days is in salads. Though kale leaves have always been fou

When a special bottle of red is on the agenda, you can’t go wrong with this ripe, sinewy Tuscan from the Montepeloso estate. A blend of Montepulciano with Sangiovese, Marselan and a touch of Alicante Bouschet, “Eneo” has a voluptuous bouquet and tastes of cherries, earth and sweet spices. Complex and elegant, the 2008 will stand out at any dinner party, a beautiful example of Tuscan winemaking from Fabio Chiarelotto.Price: $37 to $50 Style: Rich and complex.What it goes with: Break it out for a

French treats served as multi-course set at new dessert barA sweet plate shared over coffee with friends, a treat saved for the end of the meal ― it seems we can never get enough of dessert. Perhaps, that is what has spawned a new breed of sweet shop. The dessert bar ― an establishment where confections can be enjoyed as a full course set (often called a tasting menu) ― emerged in Manhattan as early as 2003 and can also be found in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and, in Seoul. When Lee Hyu

Sejong Center for Performing Arts is offering a premium lunch concert featuring traditional music and food at Samcheonggak, a Korean restaurant on Mount Bugak in northern Seoul. “Jami,” will be held Monday to Wednesday until June 27 at Samcheonggak’s Ilwhadang Performance Hall, the restaurant operator said. The 45-minute concert features music and performances by traditional Korean ensemble “Cheongarang” and five artists. The seven short performances featured include “Suryongeum,” meaning Korean

Award-winning bartender says some bars are bringing back retro cocktailsDisco could be staging a comeback, as predicted by medal-wielding bartender Alex Kratena.  “This industry is exactly like fashion,” said the head bartender of the Langham Hotel London’s Artesian bar. “Sometimes it changes even faster than the seasons.”Kratena, who was in Seoul last week to teach Diageo Reserve World Class 2012 bartending competition participants about gin, is referring to cocktails of the past. According to

Deodeok-saengchae is thinly ripped deodeok roots mixed with spicy, sour seasonings. Deodeok is referred to as sasam (ginseng from sand). It is high in saponin like ginseng and bellflower roots. In Oriental medicine, it is considered a health food that is good for the stomach, and strengthens the lungs, intestines and kidneys. Ingredients● 300g deodeok roots● 2 cups water● 1/2 tbsp salt Seasoning sauce● 1 tbsp sugar● 2 1/2 tsp red pepper paste● 2 tsp ground red pepper● 1/2 tsp salt● 1 tbsp minced

LOS ANGELES ― With its dim warren of dining rooms and hearty menu of ratatouille, filet mignon and duck, Taix feels more Old World than Echo Park.The tables are stretched with white linen, and the soup is served family style, from a big bowl with a ladle. In the main dining room with its gold-plated mirrors, Edith Piaf songs are hummed by a debonair waiter.That’s Bernard Inchauspe, a 77-year-old Basque Country emigre with a velvety accent who for half a century has greeted diners with: “Hello, l

Galicia in the northwestern corner of Spain is renowned for its seafood, which is some of the best on the planet. And what wine is an ideal match with shellfish and crustaceans? Why, Albarino, which comes from that same corner of Spain.Pazo de Senorans consistently makes one of the best Albarinos in Spain, but in 2010 ― a great vintage in Rias Baixas ― the estate, which dates back to the 16th century, made a truly great one. Aged sur lie, the 2010 is wonderfully complex, with hints of apple, lem