2018 JB LIFE! Magazine Summer Edition

010-5703-6599
cookingjeonju@gmail.com
www.cookingjeonju.com
/cookingjeonju
@cooking_jeonju
Learning the beauty
of cooking
Feels like home
A taste that captures
the heart
My first interaction with the program
coordinator of Cooking Jeonju, SukSuk, was
great. I was booking the cooking class for
myself, my boyfriend, and a visiting friend.
In perfect English, SukSuk informed me
about the date and times available, the
prices, and what I should expect. Despite
informing SukSuk of our vegetarian diets,
I was afraid of having to rudely decline
meat or fish during the meal. But any
fears I had about the cooking class melted
away once I met SukSuk in person. She
was kind, lively, and knowledgeable. It was
clear that I was in good hands.
After a taxi ride from Jeonju to Samnye, we
entered the gate leading to the house and
were overcome by the tranquil beauty. The
gardens, lawn, and beautiful house exuded
hominess, with trinkets and handmade art
in abundance. I knew then that I had been
invited into a special place.
VALERIE MERRICK is a new
transplant to Korea, having moved
from the US in January of 2018.
She currently teaches kids of all ages at a local
English-language school in Jeonju.
After a brief introduction, the chef [in
charge of our cooking class] showed us
to the garden with strainers to collect
lettuce for our salads. SukSuk laughed at
my independence as I took the strainer
that was intended to be shared with my
boyfriend as my own!
She teased me like an old friend as we
finished picking the lettuce near the many
containers of fermented foods. Next, the
real cooking began, as the chef put us to
work at her cooking station in the garden.
Her bubbly voice coaxed us on despite our
novice use of chopsticks, and I could not
help but feel she was, in some ways, like my
own mother as she both guided us through
cooking, and took over when necessary.
She showed us how to stuff cucumbers
with mushrooms and egg, how to fry tofu
and eggplant (do not bother breading
each piece in flour—put all the vegetables
in a bag and shake with flour until they
are covered!), and how to make a delicious
stir-fry with copious amounts of sesame
oil. The actual cooking took only thirty
minutes. As we completed each dish, she
moved it over to the table her children
were preparing nearby under the shade.
While each dish radiated with natural
beauty, the chef took things a step further
by incorporating plants from her garden
in the plating. After sitting for a moment
to take in the special meal, we began
to sample every dish. It was even more
delicious than it looked. Each bite tasted
even richer because of the love from my
friends and the chef that went into the
preparation. In addition to our dishes,
the chef also provided two types of rice,
fresh blueberry juice, kimchi, and a creamy
potato soup. I found the soup to be unlike
anything I had tasted in Korea, and it was
easily one of my favorite parts of the meal.
As we ate, SukSuk continued interpreting,
allowing us to better understand the
chef and her willingness to share such
a wonderful experience with us. We ate
like good friends do, reflective at times
and talkative at others. Through it all we
learned more about Korea, cooking, and the
home life of this foodie family. My friend
had only been in Korea for a few days, but
I could see that she understood why I loved
this country. We were lucky to have been
allowed in to such an intimate setting and
to have been given a lasting memory of the
beauty of Korea’s food and people.
35