Plotting a course

Let's get something straight, life in S. Korea has been easy for you. The only responsibility you have are to the students. But even that, you are not responsible for a quality lesson plan. Give yourself credit for producing quality, pat yourself on the back, write yourself up one of those homemade calligraphy certificate of excellence awards which you have done for years and even sign it- real pretty. Chef Drake 'The Mumbler' said it best, "..brrrb brrb challenge yourself." In need of some burns, huh? You've decided to extend your contract, which means you have over 70 more weeks in Gyeonggi-do. What are you going to do?

The Challenge:
What better way to experience Korea than to learn her cuisine. The challenge is two fold:

1. To be proficient at cooking basic Korean dishes
2. To be able to describe my dish in Hanguk-uh
... by August 27, 2010

The food critics? Why my colleagues, the 선생님: 이경자, 김주영, 김아름, 김화순, & 이미선 aka Iris

The Text:
A Korean Mother's Cooking Notes
Author:Chang Sun-young
Publisher:Ewha Womans University Press
First published: May 1997

Why am I doing this?
Challenging myself is the easy answer. Underneath it all, I guess I never recovered fully ever since she left. The romance of our letters during cooking school was a driving force, so powerful that I'd imagine every dish I'd cook in class would be shared with her. And when the reality of living together became a doll house, the kids (us) grew up and grew a part. Yes, there were moments of utter joy and understand whoever may read this, that time moves as sure as a rock crushing even the dearest of hearts. I need to do this for me, because IT was always for someone else. I've decided Korean cuisine because I'm ignorant of the ingredients here. I need to unlearn all of my education, the NYC kitchens, and ultimately rediscover something inside me that I cannot describe with words. I don't know what it is, yet. And that is exciting because right now I have nothing. In the end, cheers it's only food...