Last Weekend

You must excuse me for the lack of post from last weekend. The majority of our July has been spent staying outside until the last very last second possible, or until the rain moves in. We are in monsoon season here in S.Korea so getting out and about when the sun is shining is imperative if you are trying to squeeze every ounce of “clear” sky out of the dwindling summer.

We trekked slowly up the base of Soyosan to marvel at the lush green trees. Soyosan is prime people watching too! During the hot season’s Korean’s often lounge and cool themselves in the trickling streams that come off the base of the mountain. You never know what you might see or get invited to join.

Don’t worry we’ve been properly hydrating with lemon water and practically turning into rabbits nibbling on all of our vegetable greens. (Beats turning on the oven in the humidity and heat).

I have a new Korean friendship blossoming and we enjoyed a really nice dinner together at a unique little restaurant near both of our homes. We dined on duck and a soup made of perilla leaves.

Not familiar with perilla leaves? Don’t worry it is most likely because it grows in Korea, China, Nepal and India. It’s a flavor I really cannot explain. The taste is quite pungent and has a nutty peppery taste to it. It is a herb that is often referred to a wild sesame. I was told that this heart-shaped leaf is a Korean staple and you can find it almost year round served in Korean homes. Plus it gets better! Of course it has healing components to it as well. If you are feeling tired, suffer from frequent headaches, need some anti-inflammatory relief, detoxify fish poisoning, combats morning sickness. WHOA! Talk about a marvelous little leaf!

and here is where I let you all down…. can you believe I ate the soup before I took a photo to share with all of you? Oops… trust me.. it would have just been a photo of a bowl of soup.

Kelsey stayed over too! She came sharing her newest sweets with us. What a sweetie!

We hopped on an AM train into Seoul and ran about in the on again off again rain to a vegan bakery called PLANT owned and operated by the sweetest girl, Mipa. Enjoyed a peanut Thai bowl and grilled chickpea sandwich. Both incredibly sumptuous and we shared one anther’s lunch family style. We are family after all! We then went to Maybell Bakery where I introduced Kelsey to a fabulous European bakery with freshly baked focaccia, baguette, croissants. I think it’s safe to say she’s in heaven.

We got home and felt like “grilling” hot dogs. I whipped up a vegan macaroni salad and she grilled the dogs. We were quite the little team in the kitchen if I do say so myself.

Howbeit it wasn’t as exciting of an update, it’s summer folks! Get off the Internet and GET OUTSIDE!

Backpackbees

Places to go:

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (Candy Apples)
Addresses in Korea here

PLANT (Vegan Bakery)
Check out Facebook site here.

Maybell Bakery (European bakery-But hey make me a deal and don’t buy up all the bread before I get there)
737-2 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
South Korea
02-792-5561

Soyosan (Local Mountain / park)
Check out more here.

9 comments

  1. Interesting food items you have over there! Never heard of perilla leaves. Would you have any idea how it is used in Indian cuisine?

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