Author: gomo

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Vendy Awards 2011


Have you ever had a rich, creamy, buttery, sweet fluffy piece of heaven with a sugary crust? I have. TWICE. And it was vegan.

My husband and I were lucky enough to be invited to the Vendy Awards this weekend at Governor’s Island in NYC. And we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The ferry ride to Governor’s Island was fun. Scenery was beautiful. The food was great. Drinks were flowing. And believe it or not, I didn’t even know where or what Governor’s Island was until this weekend. It’s kinda embarrassing, considering I’ve been living in the city for over 5 years.

The most delicious thing I had at the Vendy Awards was the Maker’s Mark Vanilla bourbon crème brûlée donut from The Cinnamon Snail – an organic vegan food truck from New Jersey. My husband, who is faaaar from being a vegan, agreed with me. It tasted so decadent. It had all the creaminess of a full dairy + egg crème brûlée in a fluffy soft donut. And it had the yummiest caramelized sugar crust on it. It really was a fluffy, creamy, sweet piece of heaven. I went back for seconds. And my husband practically had to tackle me to the ground to keep me from going back for a third one. It was that good.

My favorite non-sweet/non-dessert food was the pescado taco – crispy catfish taco – from The Taco Truck, a food truck from New Jersey. Go figure. My favorites at the NYC Vendy Awards were from New Jersey. But the souvlaki pita from Souvlaki GR, located in lower Manhattan, was a very close second. They were both delicious with amazing creamy sauces, but I’ve always had a weakness for fried foods. And the catfish from The Taco Truck was fried to crispy perfection.

Don’t get me wrong. The dishes from other vendors were great also. But these are the dishes that I would request for my last meal if I had to choose it from the 2011 Vendy Awards menu.

I’m including some of the other notable dishes from the Vendy Awards. Clockwise from top left: pupusa, tamale, and sides (“Sample Platter”) from Solber Pupusas; Mexican corn on the cob (“Elotes”) from The Taco Truck; lemongrass-seitan tortilla wrap, red bean tart, and crème brûlée donut (yay!) from The Cinnamon Snail; and jerk chicken with sides from the Sunrise Grill.

Here are some more notable dishes. Clockwise from top left: falafel sandwich from Taim Mobile – Falafel & Smoothie Truck; bulgogi and kimchi taco (“Ribeye of the Tiger”) from Korilla BBQ; falafel balls and hummus with sides (“Sampler Platter”) from Two Pitas in a Pod; and the souvlaki pita from Souvlaki GR.

There was also a memorable dessert from a vendor called Woolys. I couldn’t take a picture of it, because I scarfed it down before I had the chance to take a photo. They were serving shaved ice with fresh strawberries, brownies, and sea salt leche sauce. I’ve had Korean shaved ice (paatbingsoo), but the texture was different – good different. Instead of the powdery shaved ice, theirs consisted of really thin strips of shaved ice. The shaved ice held their shape for a longer period of time, but was still very delicate. The sauce was also delicious; it tasted rich, yet light at the same time.

I admit I overindulged. I am terribly lactose intolerant, and gluten makes me feel all kinds of weird. But this happens only once a year, and I couldn’t resist. I had to take a fistful of digestive aids. And I think I’m still digesting the food today. But it was totally worth it. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Top honors – The Vendy Cup: Solber Pupusas
Rookie Vendor of the year: Korilla BBQ
Best of New Jersey: The Taco Truck
Best Dessert: Woolys
People’s Taste Award: Souvlaki GR
Maker’s Mark Street Food Challenge (best recipe using Maker’s Mark): The Cinnamon Snail

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Ssamjang (Gochujang-Doenjang Sauce for Wraps)

Ssamjang directly translates to wrap sauce or wrap paste in Korean – “ssam” means wrap and “jang” means sauce or paste. Just as the name suggests, it’s a condiment commonly used when assembling Korean wraps. It is usually made with gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste) and doenjang (Korean soybean paste) as its base. But there are no rules when it comes to ssamjang. You can add anything to your heart’s desire. I’ve seen it made with lots of garlic, cooked minced meat, chopped sautéed mushrooms, crushed tofu, and so on. You can go wild. Really.

I had some marinated bulgogi in the refrigerator. And I was really craving some ssam (Korean lettuce wrap). I could have had it with gochujang sauce, but I wanted something different – a new treat for my palate. I decided to make some ssamjang.

I love garlic, roasted or sautéed/grilled garlic in particular. So I decided to make the ssamjang with some sesame oil-sautéed minced garlic. And I upped the garlic quotient by sautéing some sliced garlic for additional topping for my ssam. The result? Sublime…

Continue Reading Ssamjang (Gochujang-Doenjang Sauce for Wraps) . . .

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Seoul Garden: A Pleasant Surprise

My cold has gotten a lot better, almost gone actually. But it was a nasty one. So I didn’t want to take any chances. What better way to oust it from my system than nourishing my body with a delicious hearty traditional Korean soup? As such, my husband and I went on a quest to find samgyetang (soup with whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng, and jujubes) in Koreatown (NYC).

Continue Reading Seoul Garden: A Pleasant Surprise . . .

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Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)

I grew up eating bulgogi (a.k.a. Korean BBQ or Korean Barbecue) on a regular basis. It was a mainstay at family dinners, picnics, community gatherings, and so on. Sometimes we would barbecue bulgogi using charcoal. Sometimes we would cook it on a stove top using a pan. And other times, we would eat it as a stew with a little bit of broth. No matter the situation or the method of preparation, it was always so delicious and satisfying.

Admittedly, I don’t eat bulgogi nearly as much I used to. But I still enjoy it whenever I have it. I am also a little more health conscious than I used to be. So I no longer go on the carnivorous binges I used to. And I try to make healthier versions of my childhood dishes without sacrificing the taste.

Bulgogi is usually made with very thinly-sliced rib eye steak. But I decided to make a healthier(not to mention much more economical) version of the dish by using grass-fed eye round steak. Eye round is a much leaner cut than rib eye. Rib eye comes from the underbelly, the site of the fattiest cuts. And the eye round comes from the back leg area, the site of the leanest cuts; however, eye round can be very tough because it has virtually no fat. But it works for this dish because the eye round is cut into very thin slices and also marinated. Just as insurance, I am also adding a kiwi to tenderize the meat. Raw kiwi is rich in actinidin, a protein-dissolving enzyme. Useful as it is, kiwis can make meat mushy. So you need to be careful when using it in a marinade. A little goes a long way (very quickly).

I’ve been laid out by a cold for over a week. And I’ve been subsisting on soups to nurse my sore throat. When I was finally ready to reintroduce some solids into my diet, bulgogi seemed like the perfect choice. I figured lean protein and the iron should do me some good while the flavor satisfies my taste buds. And it really hit the spot. I was so pleasantly surprised by the texture and the taste of this dish. It was healthy and tasted so very decadent.

Continue Reading Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue) . . .

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Miyeok Guk for the Soul (Korean Seaweed Soup)

Growing up, I didn’t get chicken noodle soup for colds and other ailments. I got Miyeok Guk, sometimes Samgaetang (soup with cornish game hen stuffed with sweet rice), but mostly Miyeok Guk.

Miyeok (seaweed) is rich in minerals and phytonutrients that are beneficial to the human body. In fact, Miyeok Guk is served in hospitals in Korea to postpartum women to replenish nutrients that may have been depleted during childbirth; and they continue to consume the soup during lactation due to its properties that are believed to stimulate lactation. So it’s apropos that it is traditionally served on birthdays as symbolism for the first food consumed after birth. But Miyeok Guk is not reserved for these occasions alone. It is consumed all year round due to its health benefits and deliciously savory flavor.

If that doesn’t convince you to give this soup a try, I read an article the other day about 5 nutrients that people are not getting enough of. One of the nutrients mentioned is iodine. Many believe that iodine intake from the contents of their salt shaker would suffice, but this article suggests otherwise. Iodine is required to produce hormones that control your metabolism; so deficiency in iodine may cause weight gain, and according to the article, fatigue. Miyeok is a type of sea vegetable. And sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine.

It’s a good thing that Miyeok Guk is so healthy. Because I have been under the weather lately. It must be the change in the weather. The huge fluctuations in temperature and humidity level really messes with my system. So I’ve been sniffly and feeling really weak. And my pounding head, my sinuses and my throat have been keeping me awake at night. ugh… the dreaded cold.

I decided to make Miyeok Guk. It’s pretty easy to make. It’s nourishing for the body (and the soul). It’s soothing. It’s tasty. And it takes me to a happy place.

Continue Reading Miyeok Guk for the Soul . . .