WHERE YOU CAN FIND US THIS WEEK

AsiO Gusto

This week Asia gets it's very own Slow Food festival and it's right here in South Korea.  AsiO Gusto is a massive undertaking for a continent which is just beginning to enter this global conversation.  Certainly, Asia has been filled with slow foods forever, but they have not minted themselves into the Slow Food movement, which started in Italy, until now.

We first heard about the festival via an online call-for-contestants for a Foreigner Cooking Competition happening during the event.  As big fans of the Slow Food movement in generally, our interest was immediately peaked and when we were ask to participate in the WWOOF  booth we jumped at the chance to get involved.  In addition to working with WWOOF, our Korean Falafel recipe will also be served at a special luncheon on Thursday.  It's going to be great fun.

Even though we aren't sure what to expect from the event, we are very excited to be a part of it.  This is a big moment for South Korea as they move to enter into the global food conversation and bringing a Slow Food festival to Asia is an important step forward.  On a personal level, this event will give us a chance to connect with people passionate about Asian Slow Food, something that can be hard to do from our countryside apartment and limited Korean speaking abilities.

In fact, we are super excited about the fact we will also be attending a Slow Food Iran Taste Workshop and another on local bees.  (Ever since come across Urban Bees Seoul we've been wanting to know more.) You can check all of the Asio Gusto Taste Workshops here.  If you love food, you will find something you like on the list.

In addition to the workshops, the conference seminars look pretty amazing:

(List taken directly from website for your convenience.)

• [CF1] Food and justice, peace
• [CF2] Table, agriculture, saving lives movement with producers and consumers – Hansalim and Slow food
• [CF3] Slow food and taste education
• [CF4] AsiO agriculture and biodiversity
• [CF5] AsiO’s fermentation and the new life sprouting from it
• [CF6] Food and spirituality, and spiritual enlightenment
• [CF7] Local food, again on the borderline of slow food
• [CF8] Slow food and welfare of farm animals
• [CF9] Preservation of the foreshore environment and taste of the sea
• [CF10] Korean slow food, the culture and science of fermented food
• [CF11] Korea’s Ark of Taste conference

 If it were possible we would go to every single one of these - but alas - we can't be in two places at once.

So, if you are inclined, will be able to find us at the WWOOF booth talking about food sustainability, buying local, and fusion cuisine on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 am - 2 pm.  During that time we will be demonstrating recipes as well.  There might even be samples if you time it just right.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Address : San 95, Ipae-dong, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
• Telephone Number : +82 (0)31-560-1301
• Homepage : https://nyj.ncuc.co.kr/

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THE NEED

Cheesecloth

We have been wondering where to find cheesecloth in South Korea for a while.  We gave up on finding the real thing and started looking for a local solutions, hoping to find one that was readily available, affordable, and easy to work with.  If it had been a snake it would have bit us in the asp.

THE SOLUTION

Hemp Tofu Cloth

As it turns out, South Koreans weave amazing hemp cloth that they use to strain their tofu, and - well - it's everywhere you look.  We picked up ours at the local outdoor market, but it's in nearly every grocery store and kitchen store you come across.  

To top it all off, it's spectacularly effective.  In fact, we ended up with almost no loss during the cheese making process, thus ending up with 1/3 more cheese.  Cheese didn't get caught up in the fabric at all.  Then it easily slid off into it's container. 

Currently we are reeling a little overwhelmed by how much easier it is to work hemp tofu cloth.  It feels like it must have been a dream.  Tomorrow we are just tossing our old, traditional cheesecloth.  This is far superior in every way.  Ug, where has this been all our lives?

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