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Love on a Plate: Expressing Appreciation Through Food
Submitted by Steven Pham Food plays a significant role in everyone’s life, but for me, it’s also a way to express my love language. As someone whose love language is acts of service, I show my appreciation for my closest friends through food. One tradition I’ve developed is making my signature banana pudding every New Year’s for them—a sweet gesture that began four years ago but has already become special. Before every New Year’s Day, my friends always ask me the same question: “Yo Steven, are you making your banana pudding again this year?” I always reply, “Of course I am.” Their faces immediately light up with excitement, and it’s…
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Louie’s Dishes: My Mother’s Best Homemade Meals
Submitted by Francesca Tero My mother, Eloisa Espiritu, otherwise known as “Louie”, built her own catering business from the talent of her two hands. Technically, four or six hands if you count the occasional times my sister and I are recruited to help her. Nonetheless, her business, “Louie’s Dishes”, came to life in the kitchen of my childhood home when my mom decided to put her own twist on the viral “Sushi Bake” recipe that was taking over the Internet at the time. It’s important to note that ever since I was young, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting and appreciating the variety of dishes my mom had a knack…
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How Korean Americans Celebrate Thanksgiving
By Hera Lee Thanksgiving is a special holiday that is celebrated in the United States. Americans come together with families and friends to celebrate the holiday of giving thanks; hence the name Thanksgiving. One of this celebration’s main key points is sharing a huge and elaborate feast that includes foods like turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. These are the standard dishes you may see on the dining table, but some people, especially those from different ethnic backgrounds, might bring different cuisines. Korean Americans, for example, love celebrating Thanksgiving for sharing delicious food. Koreans are known for their style of sharing food—we don’t order food for…
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My Annual Thanksgiving Dishes on My Table!
Submitted by Angelina Ng As November slowly comes to an end, Thanksgiving is nearby! A holiday that celebrates family, loved ones, and blessings, I always look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by the people I love and care about the most. I would see the most classic Thanksgiving dishes on television: turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and pie. Although those dishes are traditional and delicious on Thanksgiving, my household likes to incorporate a twist with Asian dishes and even some takeout! Every year, we have just a few main dishes we bring to the table as a tradition, however, we like to change up our platters and…
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Things I Bought That I Definitely Shouldn’t Have: A Journey of Regret and Laughter
Submitted by Steven Pham Ah, the joys of adulthood—when the freedom of spending your hard-earned money comes with the bittersweet taste of regret. Let me take you on a whimsical journey through my wallet’s misadventures, highlighting two shining examples of how I managed to part ways with my cash: Valorant skins and an omakase experience that fell flat. The Allure of Valorant Skins Imagine this: I’m immersed in a fierce Valorant match, adrenaline surging as I grip my mouse, poised to turn the tide for my team. My heart races not only from the intensity of the game but also from the stark realization that my knife skin is as…
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I Know These Restaurants Hate to See Me Coming
Submitted by Gina Choi Growing up working in my family’s restaurant and being a huge foodie since birth, I think I know a thing or two about what makes a good restaurant. I would even go as far as to say that one of my main love languages would be food. Speaking of love, nothing screams true romance more than grabbing a quick dessert to share after a dinner date. So to start, the first restaurant that hates to see me coming has to be Mango Mango Dessert Cafe. As someone whose favorite fruit is mango, this cafe satisfies all of my cravings with desserts ranging from mango sticky rice…
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My Obsession with Watching Mukbangs
Submitted by Hera Lee If you haven’t come across a mukbang video, have you been living under a rock? Mukkbang, for those who are unaware of its popularity, is an online video trend that involves people eating food in front of an online audience. This trend originated in South Korea, hence the name. The term is a blend of the Korean words “muk-da” (먹다) meaning “to eat” and “bang-song” (방송) meaning “broadcast”. These mukbang videos have hosts eating large, sometimes impressive amounts of food while interacting with their audience in real-time or through pre-recorded content. Sometimes, mukbang videos can be served as ASMR content, which are sensory and satisfying videos…
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Sweet Delights: Cheat Day ft. Asian Desserts
Submitted by Jodie Li When I have my cheat days, my heart always stays close to Asian cuisines. With various alluring flavors and textures of food, it’s hard to resist my sweet tooth. From crispy pastries to creamy rice dishes, these indulgent treats bring a taste of tradition and satisfaction, making them perfect for a day of indulgence. Here’s a look at some must-try Asian-themed cheat day desserts I recommend and adore the taste of: 1. Honey Toast Originating from Japan, Honey Toast (Shibuya Toast) features a thick slice of toasted bread, buttered and baked until crispy outside but soft inside. Topped with honey, whipped cream, and fruits like bananas…
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Convenience Stores in Korea vs. the U.S.
Submitted by Hera Lee If you are an avid TikTok user or are on social media, you may have come across viral videos of convenience stores, typically in countries like Korea and Japan. Convenience stores, although not as glorious as they sound, have become a widely popular fixation in the Western world. These stores, unlike the ones you find in America or other European countries, are not your typical, boring shops that sell chips and drinks. With the help of Korea’s innovative technology and creativity, these Asian countries have found ways to enhance the experience of shopping at a convenience store. 1. Variety In a typical American convenience store like…
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Cheapest But Tastiest Foods in Korea
Submitted by Gina Choi This past Summer, I visited South Korea for the first time. This was such an enlightening experience and not a day goes by without missing the people, the culture, and the cuisine. The cuisine was definitely something to admire especially because of its cheap prices. In this article, I will be sharing some popular street foods that I’ve been so grateful to enjoy throughout my trip to the motherland. 십원빵 – 10 Won Bread This delectable bread deserves its spot as number one on this list for its price and quality. The 10 won bread is sold for just 10 won as its name suggests, making…
