by jessica yoon
When I began this site over six years ago (already, gasp!), online and social media were not exactly what they are today. Instagram didn’t exist yet and the number of popular food blogs could be counted on fingers. My own online presence has evolved over the years, from actively creating content here to being more present on social media. I’m still learning about who and what I want to be online, but I’m beginning a slow crawl back here to my home base.
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Hello again, it’s been awhile. Seven months seems like a long time to have been away, but it sure did go by fast. The last time I posted I was getting ready to move back to New York, and now here I am! It’s been such a whirlwind with so many lovely happenings that I don’t even know where to begin. I can only start by saying I’m really enjoying being back in the city, meeting new people, reuniting with old friends, and learning more about food everyday. It could not be better. And I’m cooking more!
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Another summer season has kicked off with my mom’s annual backyard barbecue. Every year the guest list seems to get a little bigger and along with that an even better menu. My mom outdid herself again with plenty of classic as well as inventive appetizers: cocktail shrimp, perilla salad, fried chicken..my only regret is that I didn’t take enough pictures of all her beautiful dishes! Oh, and did I mention that there was 13+ kilos worth of T-bone steaks??! Amahz! To end, I put together a little ice cream bar with fruit and a few cakes to match! It was such a lovely evening and because almost all my desserts could be made in advance I was able to enjoy the night without any fuss! I’ll share a few ice cream recipes in coming weeks, but for now here a few photos from the night!
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I love getting gifts for people, but am not very good at it. Someone told me a long time ago that the key to finding a great gift was to get something that you would want for yourself. Not the best advise for me as I literally like anything that comes tied with ribbon. I love those teeny tiny notebooks that no one ever knows what to write in, lip gloss in every shape and color (no matter if it doesn’t match my skin tone), trinkets and souvenirs that have no use or function, even books I know I’ll never read! I just love stuff, a trait I get from my grandpa who rarely ever leaves a store empty handed. There have been, of course, gifts that stand out in my memory, ones that were useful, personal, and more meaningful. Ample thought was put into those gifts concerning who I am and what I would really like. Those are the gifts I want to give but fail miserably at when I go to a store. The solution that I’ve come up with is to make something in the kitchen. Within that space, I’m more focused and better at concocting gifts that are not only thoughtful and individualized, but a little more personalized. Plus, who doesn’t love a homemade treat!
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I don’t really consider myself a wild and adventurous person. If anything, people would describe me as the exact opposite: quiet and the biggest homebody. I’m the first one to slip away from a party, and for as long as I can remember I like to be in bed by 11. But despite my natural inclinations towards being such a square, there’s a fiery side to me that absolutely can’t stand the routine way in which I choose to live my daily life. That side of me pushes against my rigid shell and sporadically makes me do (crazy) things like go to Oktoberfest semi-alone, and jump off a cliff somewhere off the Dalmatian coast (it was a mini cliff). I’m always extremely grateful for these experiences in hindsight, and I admit the most significant decisions of my life have been masterminded by the “other” me (ie. moving to Paris and pursuing a career in food). I’ve come to think of this side not so much as an alter-ego, but just my gut telling me to take on a daunting but equally exciting challenge. One I know will make me a better person (whatever that means!).
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