Food Inspiration

Food, food, food on my mind!

Yesterday morning, I finally went into the dentist to get all my wisdom teeth pulled out! Everything went just fine, and Taurin was holding my hand when I woke up from anesthesia in the recovery room.

I’m on some strong painkillers, dozing on and off, watching Hoarders and Portlandia. I can’t complain about eating copious amounts of triple chocolate ice cream or homemade Korean congee, but I’m getting hungry for solid foods. So here’s to reminiscing about food highlights from the past week:


Homemade fried chicken with Momofuku’s Octo-vinaigrette. From brining, steaming, drying, and finally, to frying, it took us about a day of preparations; but it was worthwhile. The skin was perfectly crispy, meat was juicy and flavorful, and that dressing was just amazing.


And of course, Lunar New Year food with my family! We had some Korean rice cake soup (ddukguk) topped with julienned eggs and scallions. The colorful rice cakes are from Cconma.


Hand-pulled noodle soup with so much pork belly at M Noodle Shop in Brooklyn.


Pork shank with purgatory beans, poached egg, and kale + crispy pork belly bits. I love Roberta’s!

For Christmas, Taurin’s father gave us a delicious gift: a 7-course tasting meal for two + wine pairings at Restaurant Eve. I only photographed my meal, but Taurin’s food was just as tasty and beautifully prepared. I especially loved his butter-poached lobster. Yum!


“OOO” – Onions and oysters in a puff pastry, topped with Ossetra caviar


 Filet of Chesapeake Rockfish with house smoked bacon, salsify, and foie gras-lobster emulsion


Pan fried veal sweatbreads with Grüne Soße, scarlet turnips, and borage blossoms


Terrine of crozier with fried pork belly and sweet and sour maple syrup


Coffee-Cardamom cheesecake with navel orange, salted caramel sauce, and graham cracker crumble

P.S. Any wisdom teeth stories or soft food recommendations? Please do share!

34 Comments

  • Reply
    Galine
    January 25, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    This post made me SO HUNGRY!!! haha I have been craving Korean food for ages 🙁 Do you know, I’ve never tried pork belly soup…it always sounds really gross to me but the photo looks delicious! I think it’s just the word “Belly” that confuses my taste buds hehe & mmm puff pastry, I had escargot on a puff pastry the other weekend, soooo delicious.

    As for wisdom teeth stories, yes I do have one hehe…It was a great experience for me, I remember feeling like it lasted a whole of 5 seconds. I actually remember hearing cracking, which sounds gross but in my drugged up/passed out head I was like “hehehe..those are my teeth being removed”. When I came to, I had a mouth full of cotton and was drooling (apparently, I didn’t know because my face was numb). I looked at my mom and was like HEHEHE…MY MOUTH IS FULL OF COTTON, I SOUND FUNNY and she was like YOU’RE DROOLING.

    It was fun being on pain killers, and I spent my rest days watching Disney movies. The best advice I can give you is to sit upright for a few days (I even slept upright) and always keep something cold on your cheeks! Because I did this, I experienced no pain or swelling (My hubby on the other hand didn’t, and he suffered a lot / had puffy cheeks for a week or so!)

    Have fun and enjoy yourself!! ^^ I always say having my wisdom teeth removed was a joyful experience! haha

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 25, 2012 at 8:44 pm

      I’d totally cook you a big Korean feast, complete with homemade kimchi. 😀 I know the “belly” bit is sort of disconcerting, but I love pork belly everything. If you’re ever in NYC, I highly recommend the pork belly ramen at Ippudo (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ippudo-ny-new-york).

      Ahh, I can’t believe you heard the cracking!!! When I first woke up from anesthesia, I sort of started tearing up with all that cotton in my mouth. Apparently it’s sort of common to get irrationally emotional. Then I started thinking my tongue got partially chopped off, so I reached into my mouth…

      Thankfully, my cheeks aren’t too puffy today, but this medicine makes me feel so woozy, I can’t even believe I’m writing this reply to you now. 🙂

  • Reply
    Galine
    January 25, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    Oh and did you see your tooth!? I saw mine, a full one…it was huuuge! Impressive 😉

  • Reply
    Marlous
    January 25, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    Oh the first pictures of your homemade food look so delicious! I’d love to get some recipes of it!

  • Reply
    teresa
    January 25, 2012 at 9:46 pm

    how brave of you to post food photos in your condition! i remember getting my wisdom teeth pulled out and being reeeally irritable because i couldn’t eat anything solid for two weeks.
    the pork shank dish looks delicious!
    as for post-op recovery, i suggest eating porridges! you can try making from fruit ones to oat ones to chicken ones, whatever! because eating ice cream can be comforting for your appetite for only so long.
    take care! hope you get better soon!

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 3:26 am

      I’m always hungry! 🙁 Chicken porridge sounds really good now. Thanks, Teresa!

  • Reply
    Krys
    January 25, 2012 at 9:49 pm

    I’m not even sure if my wisdom teeth have grown in yet…not looking forward to getting them taken out though, based on what everyone’s said. Hopefully the apparently chipmunk doesn’t last long. Homemade congee does sound quite good though! The noodle soup looks sooo yummy, I always feel really hungry after looking at your food photographs haha– probably after this I’m going to go into the city soon and get myself some kimchi. Or something Korean, I’m craving it now. Have a good rest of the week xx

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 3:32 am

      I’m definitely starting to look like a chipmunk now! Gah, I want some spicy food…

  • Reply
    Veronica Fish
    January 25, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    What gorgeous food – amazing!

    I miss NYC eating – went to college there and loved it. Chinese New Year in NYC is super fun!

    HAHA Hoarders – what an depressingly addictive show

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 3:34 am

      Hoarders really is depressingly addictive! Being bed-ridden is a perfect excuse to watch it, too. And I totally agree about food in NYC. So good! 🙂

  • Reply
    Jane
    January 25, 2012 at 11:04 pm

    Glad to hear your teeth extraction went okay, I heard it can kill! These pictures are amazing, by the way.

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 3:53 am

      Thanks, Jane. It’s pretty painful now, but I think it’ll pass soon. 🙂

  • Reply
    winnie
    January 25, 2012 at 11:49 pm

    OH my god. Seriously your food pictures look absolutely stunning! I wish I could eat everything right now.

    On a side note, hope you’ve fully recovered from the wisdom teeth! I’ve not had mine through…but guess they can appear at any time….

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 4:02 am

      I’m so ready to eat! Haha, thanks, Winnie for the well wishes. Maybe you’re one of those lucky ones without wisdom teeth! 😀

  • Reply
    Ru
    January 26, 2012 at 12:13 am

    Hello! I chanced upon your blog, and those are some really great pictures! Sorry to hear about your wisdom teeth! I’m missing my hometown food here in Japan too! Get well soon!

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 4:08 am

      Hi, Ru! Ah, I know what you mean about missing hometown food while abroad. I really missed certain things when I was working in China, too. Thanks for the kind words!

  • Reply
    Kelly
    January 26, 2012 at 2:07 am

    Oh wow those food photographs are really making me hungry even though I just ate lunch oh well. I ate alot of soup when I had my wisdom teeth pulled out. I really would love to know why they call them wisdom teeth considering most people have them pulled out not alot of wisdom there really, HA HA

    Feel better soon sewon

    • Reply
      Sewon
      January 26, 2012 at 4:16 am

      Thanks, Kelly! I ate some soup for dinner tonight. 🙂 In Korean, they call wisdom teeth the “love teeth” because it usually pops up around the age people first fall in love.

  • Reply
    omar
    January 26, 2012 at 4:12 am

    i had my wisdom teeth pulled when i was a freshman at w&m over winter break. i remember hours spent reading this huge biography of the beatles (was also getting into the beatles for the first time in my life), so wisdom teeth recalls some very specific musical episodes for me. also engaged in some really hallucinatory writing which i think i have lying around somewhere. have fun, feel better!

  • Reply
    mika
    January 26, 2012 at 5:17 am

    yikes, wisdom teeth extraction? I hope there are plenty of Hoarders episodes to get you through full recovery! sometimes you need more, and there just isn’t enough. speaking from experience.

    it’s been years since I got my teeth out; I can’t remember many good food remedies. can you just drink through it? a large pot of sangria perhaps?

  • Reply
    Studio Meez
    January 26, 2012 at 8:28 am

    I got my wisdom teeth out a couple off years ago and it didn’t hurt a bit. Just make sure you put ice against you cheekes the first days, otherwise you can look like a hamster 🙂 and I only ate/drink yoghurt, ice, milkshakes and juices for a whole week.

  • Reply
    Charlotte
    January 27, 2012 at 12:47 am

    Ah darn, I should have read this post /after/ I ate dinner. But alas…

    I haven’t had my wisdom teeth pulled out yet, but I do love soft food. I love pureed mangoes and then eating it with a spoon. Papaya milk (just blend the two together) is yummy and nutritious too. Mash potatoes are good too, if you haven’t had that yet. (:

  • Reply
    Claudia
    January 28, 2012 at 11:21 am

    I had only local anaestetic when the doctor cut out all wisdom teeth. From the injection I collapsed. So it all took a lot of time. The teeth were so deep that they were not able to come out alone (not enough place in my mouth). When the doctor cut them out I heard the bone crushing. Much much blood, much much pain. I would say, never again, but luckily you can have them only once removed 🙂
    I wish you a good an fast recovery!!

    Ps: all the food on the pictures looks so delicious!

  • Reply
    Lindsey
    January 29, 2012 at 3:10 am

    I’m glad everything went okay! Going under really freaks me out thankfully I’ve never had to. I’ve still got my wisdome teeth, but the dentist told me they don’t need to come out :[

  • Reply
    Vicky
    January 29, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    All this amazing food (brilliant photos, as always btw) is making my uni pasta look very…boring.

    xx

  • Reply
    Cookie Cutter
    January 30, 2012 at 3:33 am

    I have horrid memories of wisdom tooth extraction but great to to hear yours went well 🙂 Have a speedy recovery!

    Gosh these food photos are making me HUNGRY!

  • Reply
    anastasoa
    January 30, 2012 at 3:35 am

    omg i just ate and im hungry all over again. ive always wanted to try ddukguk ;-; and cardamom cheesecake? oh my!

  • Reply
    Johanna Tagada
    January 30, 2012 at 10:00 am

    Wisdom teeth urg :s I hope you can eat every thing you love again.
    You were courageous! And so lovely that Taurin came

    Since four years every three first weeks it gets very very cold (like now since ten days -_-) my wisdom teeth manifest themselves, they start to incredibly hurt. A few doctors said I have enough space for them and its just a weird reaction but if those three weeks of pain are too bad I can also “just take them away.”.. I totally don’t want, so since a bit more then ten days I have so much to do and I’m eating really really slowly and trying to not feel the cold too much.
    That’s my kind of wisdom teeth story.

    xxx

  • Reply
    alma
    January 30, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    This looks so delicious!!! I hope your tooh’s fine.

  • Reply
    Ashleylbaluyut@gmail.com
    February 1, 2012 at 3:02 am

    This info is probably way too late but sucking on wet tea bags helps with swelling! Also (for future reference if you have any friends who will be getting their teeth out) DO NOT LAY DOWN after you come home!! That is a one way ticket to swollen face-ville! Sit upright/ recline upright just don’t lay horizontally! Also, now is definitely the time to indulge in ice cream 😉

  • Reply
    Diane
    February 2, 2012 at 1:10 am

    Ok, now I’m starving. These were your food highlights from the past WEEK?!! Yowza. If you’re in for eating some mushy food the next few days I suggest gelato or mango sorbetto! They made all the difference when I had my wisdoms out!

  • Reply
    Rina
    February 3, 2012 at 10:46 pm

    Sewon, I’m always drooling over your food post!!
    Oh no! Wisdom teeth!! ouch!!! Though, I’m sure you have recovered by now. I haven’t gotten my wisdom teeth removed yet, but I fear that I might. And if I do, I’ll also probably want to eat lots of ice cream. ( ;
    p.s. i’m going to Chicago in March, and I was wondering if you have ever been, or if you know of any places I should go and check out. please let me know! ( :

  • Reply
    Amelia
    February 15, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    You need a food pr0n warning. Seriously. A warning would be nice!

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