Forget Fergie, this is meme-a-licious!
Sorry folks, there’s no food photo, so here’s a picture of Mr Woofy’s muzzle to tide you over till I have food to post 
Hallo folks! The posts are going to be few and far-between from now till the 5th of June (the date of my last exam before FREEDOM!) and I’ve told myself that I am not allowed to cook until I finish my assessments. This is proving torturous, but it’s also providing immense incentive as this month’s edition of the Australian Gourmet Traveller arrived on my doorstep this week and there are a number of recipes I am dying to try. However, just because I can’t cook doesn’t mean I can’t post Awhile ago, I saw that Ilva of Lucullian Delights had posted an interview of her done by another blogger, so when she asked who else would like to be interviewed, I immediately put my hand up! How fun, a chance to be interviewed (well, kinda) by another person! Below are the questions that Ilva sent me, as well as my answers!
If you’d like to take part in this interview meme and would like me to come up with some questions to ask you, then please leave a comment below to let me know It might take a little time for me to get them to you, but rest assured that they will make their way to you!
1. Like me you live divided between two different cultures even if it’s for different reasons, which one do you feel closest to and why?
This is a tough one. The answer that makes the most sense would be Australian culture, as I immigrated here with my parents at the tender age of 4 and can remember very little of my time there. However, the problem here is that my parents took great pains to ensure that we respected a lot of the Korean traditions that are integral to family life in our home, and therefore they tend to override some of the Australian influences and tendencies that I might have.
Like my mother’s kimchi sandwich (yeah, don’t ask. We Koreans will eat kimchi with ANYTHING), I think that the culture that I identify with is mostly Korean with a touch of fusion with Australian culture. I love barbeques, but on the barbie there are always some galbi (sweet marinated beef short ribs) and bulgogi (sweet marinated Korean barbeque beef) sitting alongside the snags and lamb chops. We eat our spaghetti with sweet chilli sauce and our pizza with kimchi. I love the idea of one day moving out and making my own way in the world (hallo, freedom and my own kitchen!), but at the same time I feel very connected and tied into our family unit (children in Korea very rarely move out of home before marriage, and even if/when they do, usually very close family ties are maintained). We celebrate ANZAC Day, but we also celebrate Chusok and all the other tradition Korean festivals with friends and members of the Korean community here in Melbourne.
It’s not a melting pot of cultures, but it’s certainly a mish-mash
2. Which dish makes you feel most satisfied or happy to make?
Without a doubt, this would be our bimonthly batch of kimchi. We make about 20kg of kimchi at a time (and yes, we DO eat it all within about 6-8 weeks), and this backbreaking and time-consuming ritual often leaves me and my mother utterly exhausted and ready to pass out by the end. In fact, this process is viewed as being so difficult that very few of the women in my mother’s acquaintance make their own kimchi anymore, content to buy it ready-made. As laborious as this process is, there is no feeling quite like staring out at 20kg of delicious kimchi that you’ve made with your own hands, and it tastes far better than any factory-made nonsense. The fact that not many women bother with this ritual saddens me, as I would say that kimchi is a food that ties into the Korean national consciousness, and I feel very fortunate that my mother taught me the value of home made over bought, as well as sharing her recipe with me, giving me the chance to carry on this tradition in her footsteps.
3. What do you work with and what would you like to work with if you are not lucky enough to do it already?
Since I’m currently unemployed, I’ll go with what I used to do I used to be an advertising copy coordinator for a small publishing house in Melbourne that is owned by the Daily Mail Group. Being a media student, it was a great job for me to get (especially considering the fact that when I got the job, I had not yet acquired my undergraduate degree) as jobs in the publishing industry are few and far between here. Since high school, I’d always had a romanticized notion that I would work in publishing, reading manuscripts, dealing with authors and artists and printers and the like, helping to bring beautiful new books into the world. However, after studying the media market, I unfortunately see this industry as one set to decline (though not disappear entirely), so I’m now considering a diploma in photojournalism after I finish my BA.
As for my dream job? Like most food-bloggers, I think it would be something to do with food and publishing, whether it be food photography, styling, writing or reviewing, to be able to combine my passions for photography, food and writing would be the greatest thing in the whole world!
4. What’s your best friend like? Any differences and similarities compared to you?
I don’t have ‘a’ best friend, I have a bunch of them! I’m extremely fortunate in this, I realize that! The story of how we met is long and convoluted, but I’ve known most of these girls since I moved back to Australia on my lonesome at the age of 16 and over the years our friendship has grown in leaps and bounds. We’ve been with each other and supported each other through innumerable ups and downs, and despite our moving in different circles and areas, we remain strong. In fact, a little over 3 years ago, we decided that in order to help us keep in touch with each other, we’d create our own yahoo group which would allow us to send emails to all of us at once, and on the 27th of March this year we celebrated the 3rd anniversary of ‘The Stranglies’ (nope, that’s not a typo!).
We are all quite different, but we all share many traits as well. We have very similar senses of humour (and a deep-seated love of Monty Python) and adore our 80’s pop music. Singalongs always get us moving (in fact, we inspired a group singalong on a crowded tram last NYE) and we love board games video nights in. The differences that seperate us are, in my opinion, mostly superficial. We are of differing ages and ethnic backgrounds, and have different senses of style and partying, but none of this stops us from having fun on a girls night out.
In short, I love my Stranglies and I wouldn’t trade ‘em in for anything in the world
5. Do you have a favourite Italian dish? If yes-which?
Without a doubt, it would be osso bucco. I have never actually made this myself, but been lucky enough to have it made for me by a friend’s mother (and yes, she is Italian but refuses to give me the recipe!). Every time I have this dish, it gives me a sense of coming home in that familiar way that a comfort dish can do - it is rich and full of flavour, yet not too fancy to seem difficult or pretentious. It’s the kind of hearty fare that you tuck into for dinner on a cold winter day, and sit back with a smile and a sigh. I’ve told myself that this winter I will definitely try my hand at this, whether I have Mrs Z’s recipe or not, so I look forward to giving this a try in my own home!
A reminder, folks! The deadline for this week’s edition of Weekend Herb Blogging is the 26th May, so make sure you have your posts up by then! Also, please remember that you must email me the following information in order for me to be able to include you in the round-up:
- Your name
- The name of your blog
- The URL of the recipe
- (If applicable) The name of the recipe
The round-up will be up on the 27th of May, so make sure to check up and see all the deliciousness created to celebrate this event! And once again, thanks to Kalyn from Kalyn’s Kitchen for giving me the opportunity to host this unique event
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Comments
What a fascinating post — your answer to the first question is so thought provoking. Family traditions, ethnic traditions. I ask my students — if you are what you eat, who are you? And the answers are often just amazing — like yours.
But the real reason I am leaving a comment is to say that Mr. Woofie is adorable. He looks better than any food!
Love Mr Woffie, we dont see enough of his furry face.
You are a wonderfully layered person like your recipes and with the kimchi you must be hot and spicy, too. 
I love your answers! Good luck on your exams. Having just finished…I feel your pain.
Mr. Woofie? Where do I get one? hee hee
Woofy is soooo cute!
Ellie, good luck on the exam! Love to read your interview, wish your dream come true!
fascinating answers loved learning more about both your cultures feel free to send me questions any time
Aack! I just read your blog and realize that I am even later than I thought.
It’s on its way and I hope you can squeeze it in.
I loved reading your interview - what fun! And what an interesting life!
Okay, got to get that email off to you now….
Thanks for sharing your answers. Being Korean myself, I appreciate hearing how your parents worked to continue the traditions important to them. I too adore kimchi sandwiches, kimchi on pizza and kimchi w/ spaghetti- utterly charming!
Tanna - Thanks hon! You’re absolutely right and I can definitely say that my mother and I have done much of our bonding through sharing kitchen duties (as well as collapsing together after big cooking marathons). I’m glad that you like Mr Woofy’s sweet face
Christine - Hehehe, thanks sweetie 
He’s my little ray of sunshine!
Mooncrazy - I know! I really do need to make an effort to share his adorableness And hot and spicy is defintely a good way of summing me up!
Chris - Thanks hon! Not sure where you can get a Mr Woofy as he’s one of a kind But if you ever come to Australia then I’d be happy to give you a short loan 
Gattina - Thanks sweetie
TG - Thanks hon, I’ll send you some questions in a few days, just give me a chance to think about it!
Katiez - Thanks hon
Callipygia - Glad to know we’re not the only ones who like our kimchi with everything
Hi Ellie! I apologize for being MIA - I have some serious catching up to do!
I love your interview! It’s so wonderful to learn more about you - about your heritage, as well as your Australian culture, and how you balance the two!
Any chance of getting some of that delicious kimchi shipped to the other end of the planet? LOL! The more I read - the more I want!
I’ve never eaten kimchi. One of my sons spent time in Malaysia and developed a liking for it. I’ don’t know if it is the same as Korean though.
Congrats on finishing exams! I myself have until the 18th, so loong way to go. Hence why I’m here reading this (procrastination!).
I’d love to do some questions when you have time to come up with some no rush though. Mr Woofy is awesome.
Gilly - Hehe, I know exactly how you feel, I’m just starting my catching up now Dunno about shipping the kimchi as I’m not sure about the temperatures it would have to endure in the postage process, but you should definitely give it a try yourself
Ed - Sounds like a fair trade to me!
Barbara - I’d say it’s fairly similar kimchi tends to be kimchi wherever you should go, the variations depend more on individual families rather than region!
Peabody - He’s my spunky little baby boy!
Mel - Thanks hon, and good luck for your exams! I’ll think of some questions for you tonight if I can get my brain to work
Ilva gave us all different questions and all wonderful for each.
Love your answers.I am again impressed with the kimchi ritual for you and your mom. I can feel very strong roots with in that act. Sometimes even mundane things like washing dishes by hand with another sprouts roots but the kimchi results in good eating and so there is more than a doubling of pleasure and fun in it.
Really enjoyed your answers.