After leaving the spa, my boyfriend and I decided to pick up some stuff at the massive Asian grocery store next door. If I had to pick a favorite style of cuisine, I would probably have to say Thai or Chinese, but Korean also ranks fairly high up there. There were a number of sample stations at the store, and one of the things that I tried was bulgogi beef. Bulgogi typically refers to marinated and grilled meat, and is roughly analogous to barbeque in American culture. Although I ended up passing on the pre-packaged marinated beef, I did have to pick up a jar of the bulgogi sauce. This particular version is intended as a marinade for beef, but it's equally delicious with tofu.
I'm actually a huge fan of tofu. It's not that exciting on its own (though tofu that's been crispy fried with a little bit of salt is delicious), but it's a great flavor sponge and source of protein. I sliced the tofu into steaks - one standard block of tofu makes about five good size servings - pressed some of the water out, and then poured the bulgogi sauce over the top before I left for work this morning. By the time I got home, it had soaked up a good deal of the marinade. I fried the slices on a hot skillet until they were a little crispy on the outside, and then poured a little bit of the leftover sauce over the top. I wouldn't recommend doing that last bit if you're using meat, but with tofu it's not an issue. For a side, I just quickly sauteed broccoli rabe and sliced bell pepper in sesame oil with a little bit of salt, cumin, garlic, and crushed red pepper. It's the sort of things that's easy on a weeknight when you come home and just want to eat food now, but it's also really good and really good for you.
I did pick up another awesome little treat for myself:
Isn't this adorable? I'm a sucker for Korean beauty products, and not only is the packaging ridiculously cute, the color is great, and really packs a punch. It's the perfect shimmery, plummy pink, and given that I haven't bought a new blush in probably a couple of years, I thought it was a good buy.
I haven't been cooking very much, largely because I'm splitting time between my house and my boyfriend's, but it was great to feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things. I'm moving in about a month, so once I'm settled in, I should be doing more recipe posts and meal ideas.
It's seriously darling!!! Squeal! :) I love Korean, and Asian in general, beauty products and packing in general. I was insanely in love with most things Japanese (especially "kawaii" style items) in my early to mid 20s and while I don't buy nearly as many such pieces any more (and have actually sold a lot of my old collection, which was largely comprised of dolls and other toys, in the past three years), I think I'll always love and feel pulled towards such items.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
♥ Jessica
*PS* Thank you very much for your comment on today's outfit post. Honey, please don't think so little of your own knowledge and prowess when it comes to vintage. I suspect you're just being modest and know a great deal more than you give yourself credit for. ♥
*PSS* Opt for longer length gloves. Oddly, though the opposite might seem true, they're often actually a lot easier to pull off, especially if you're going for a femme fatale or super glam kind of vibe, than shorter wrist length styles and can be a great way to ease in sporting gloves on a regular basis.
The store where I purchased the blush was called The Face Shop, and they do have an extensive online store as well. It's really worth checking out. Korean and Asian beauty products are really where it's at in terms of what's new and hot.
Deletere: PPS - I will have to do that before the weather gets too warm. I saw a fashion show (Rochas, I think?) that featured cardigans with matching elbow length leather gloves, and it was to die for. I wouldn't have thought to replicate it, thank you for the suggestion.