We finally made a sequel to our 2009 stop-motion video, “How Kimchi is Made” and this one is to the tune of the K-pop hit that everyone has just about had enough of (but that we couldn’t resist), GANGNAM STYLE. Enjoy!
Archive for the ‘Monkey Business’ Category
KIMCHI Gangnam Style
Thursday, November 29th, 2012
Happy Halloween, kimchi fans!
Monday, October 31st, 2011
Happy Halloween, kimchifans! Here’s a little treat for you… a coupon code usually only available to our regular customers good for $2.00 off every purchase from Granny Choe’s online kimchi shop through the end of the year- Just enter HOTSTUFF1211 at checkout. Enjoy!
We love this picture above. It’s a guy dressed as Kogi BBQ truck (known for their delicious Korean/Mexican fusion foods like kimchi quesdillas) at last year’s uberfabulous West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval.
Speaking of West Hollywood… we weren’t on the shelves for a while at the West Hollywood Whole Foods Market, but they’re bringing us back there, and to a handful of new Southern California locations including Santa Barbara and Sherman Oaks, so keep an eye on our store list.
The Kimchi Donut
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
Kimchi Donuts: Low-End
Kimchi Donuts: High-End
This Kimchi Donut thing happened a couple years back, but we were just reminded of it. It was one of the globally inspired varieties of donut that Dunkin’ Donuts South Korea launched… and they probably weren’t expecting the resounding “Ewww!” that they got from most of America. We have to admit, it did sound pretty terrible at first (“Oh, those silly Koreans putting kimchi in everything again.”), but then we saw the picture, and it looks just like the tasty, savory buns filled with meat/veggies that Grandpa Choe gets from the Korean Market every week. Not so weird after all. But we’d prefer the fancypants gourmet version of the Kimchi Donut by Dirt Candy, one of NYC’s best vegetarian restaurants, served with watermelon radish kimchi.
And hey, if we can combine our beloved bacon with donuts (Bacon Maple Bar) and the classic hamburger with donuts (Luther Burger), can we really get that grossed out over what the rest of the world chooses to put in their fried dough?
Humble kimchi gets a little fancy
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
You might be asking yourself what kind of tasty dessert this is. It is albacore tuna carpaccio with kimchi gelee over wasabi shaved ice. We love it when chefs get all mad scientist in the kitchen… especially when it involves kimchi.
Practical? No. Cost-effective? No. Fun? YES!!
This creation is by Rina Oh and was featured on Eat Life FCI. According to the article, she was actually looking for Granny Choe’s kimchi, but they didn’t carry it in her Whole Foods store 
Don’t worry, we just sent her a sample in the hopes that she will make something wild with it!
A snapshot from the desk of Mama Choe
Monday, November 8th, 2010
As a right-brainer, I rely very heavily on notes to myself. Pinning down each floating thought on paper is the only way I’ve managed to get by as a semi-functional adult. Whether a grocery item or a marketing idea, each item gets documented in a single, hard-to-lose notebook. For years in the fast-paced workplace, I used steno pads with a line down the middle to separate high-priority tasks from low-priority ones. Now as a working mother, I use the margin to divide professional life from home life. The thin, red boundary is a laughable formality, really, since tasks mingle and cross over with frustrating frequency. For example, items on a short list titled “Things to ask Papa Choe about” include “Thoughts on Granny Choe’s new home insurance policy” and “Testing GrannyChoe.com’s new shopping cart plugin.” It doesn’t help that Little E loves to snatch the precious notebook whenever the opportunity presents itself so that she can imitate mom writing these important notes (sometimes juggling a play phone and pretend laptop for full effect).
So… this is life as a work-on-the-go mom. I can either be resentful of the interruptions and ambiguity… or I can embrace the juggling act and be grateful that I have flexible (albeit, irregular) schedule. Remembering to do the latter requires superhuman effort and constant reminders–in the form of written notes, naturally.
A small lesson in Korean culture PLUS Korean food-themed hip-hop music video
Monday, September 13th, 2010
Q: What does the Korean writing at the top of Granny Choe’s kimchi labels say?
A: It says, “Ya! Mashita”
Q: What does that mean?
A: It means something to the effect of, “Hey! Tastes great.”
Q: Mmhmm. Interesting.
A: We see that you are not actually asking another question, but we are on a roll and we sense a touch of sarcasm in your response and are choosing to go on anyway. It’s a Korean saying. In fact, Grandpa Choe says it all the time. And if you watched noodle commercials on Korean television, you’d probably be saying it too.
Q: How exactly would I say it?
A: Just like we’ve spelled it out in English for you above. Haven’t you been paying attention? The “Ya!” part is easy. In “Mashita” the emphasis goes on the first syllable and you should drag that last “a” out a bit for emphasis (because you wouldn’t be saying it unless you really meant it, right?). A pronunciation guide: “Ya! MA-shi-taaa.”
Q: Ya! MA-shi-taaa.
A: Excellent. We also recommend watching this hip-hop music video. The entire song is essentially just a list of Korean foods with the refrain “Mashita, mashita.” It may actually hinder your correct pronunciation since they’re saying it a little funky to fit with the rhythm, but we say it’s well worth it for all the sexy food clips.
Q: Erm. Okay.
A: You sound dubious. Let us assure you that there is nothing better to do in the middle of a long workweek than watch ridiculous videos on YouTube. It’s no “Merengue Dog,” but it is very entertaining, and the song is pretty catchy. We particularly enjoyed 2:12 where one of the rappers starts tossing chim bbang (Korean buns with tasty fillings) to members of the audience. Ya! MA-shi-taaa.
Video: [MV] Go칼로리(Go Calory)-뚱\’s (feat. 정인) (Infinity Challenge)
Photo of the day: Kinda cute/kinda gross
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
An oldie, but a goody…
“A boy tastes traditional South Korean kimchi, or fermented cabbage, at a department store’s food section in Seoul April 24, 2003. The local Kyunghyang Daily News reports on Thursday that Beijing residents are buying out supplies of kimchi in the belief that it will prevent the flu-like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). REUTERS/Rhee Dong-Min”
For more about how to introduce your little rascal to the delights of kimchi, see our recent post.
Where’s the kimchi love, Google?
Monday, April 5th, 2010
When we’re working in Microsoft Word, the spell check function has no problem with the word “kimchi.” When we’re working in Google Docs or Gmail, however, every mention of our beloved k-word gets a disapproving red underline and the following suggested corrections:
Kimmie
kimono
Kimmi
Kimbra
skirmish
Kamchatka
Yes, they have Kamchatka (a peninsula in Eastern Russia) in their files, but not kimchi. We think this is hilarious. But maybe we just spend too much time thinking about kimchi.
When can kids eat spicy food? Whenever they want.
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Baby E is not really a baby anymore. She is a wild 2-year-old who dashes about the house, dismantling things that were better off assembled and gnawing on things that were better off unchewed. When Baby E asked for a bite of kimchi months ago, we hesitantly let her try it. Now every time she sees the stuff (and around our house, she sees it a lot) she shouts, “Chimchi!” and points inside her mouth as if to say, “Deposit kimchi here.” This is not evidence that young children should be eating spicy food, or even evidence that our kimchi tastes great (It does taste great, but Baby E is also fond of eating lemon wedges, raw onion, and the occasional bit of dog kibble). Maybe it’s just more proof that kids can really surprise you… and occasionally those surprises aren’t terrible.
PS: Granny Choe says 4 years is a good age (with no exact reason why) to introduce most little ones to kimchi. Here’s a good BabyCenter article on how to introduce kids to spicy food.
Praise Zojirushi!
Monday, March 8th, 2010
When my dad wanted to get me and my husband this Zojirushi cooker as a wedding present, I insisted that it wasn’t necessary. I even claimed that I wouldn’t need a rice cooker at all. This was one of those rare occasions where I was grateful my father’s stubbornness prevailed. I rave about our rice cooker all the time- it cooks the rice evenly and quickly, and it has a retractable cord and it sings a little ditty when the rice is done, and most importantly- it’s all cute and round like a cartoon character. Seriously people – a good rice cooker is the secret to a hot, easy dinner (rice+kimchi+protein= done).