Missing you

OK, OK -- it's been a while, I know.  A long while.  I've missed writing, I've missed cooking.  I'm in a nostalgic mood these days.  Over the holidays I went to Korea to visit my parents and other family members whom I haven't seen in 10 years!  It was a delightful trip and, of course, the food was outstanding.  I miss it a lot.  Here's my first dinner in Chinhae:

Lots of different types of kimchi, rice, and meat sizzling on the tabletop grill.  The raw shiitake mushrooms and garlic that were grilled alongside fatty pork were my favorites.  The tables were filled with fresh lettuces, bean sprouts, radishes, and all kinds of other foods that don't fill my fridge here at home.  And of course I miss my dad sitting at the table across from me.
Here's a lovely lunch in Busan:

I miss my mom eating beside me. You can just catch a glimpse here of her gold-toe socks.
It was nice to have these floor chairs to rest your back against something.  Sitting on the floor for every meal takes some getting used to.  My dad was always eyeing a table where there was a wall for him to lean against.  Want to see this meal up close?

And that's my sweet aunt (Emo) across the table, chopsticks ever at the ready.
This restaurant was known for their fresh fish.  We had sashimi aplenty, rolls, and fried fish, too.
See?

Here's a restaurant we went to in Seoul:

I even miss taking off my shoes before entering any restaurant or house.  It seemed so much cleaner and more home-y.  This place boasted a pretty good buffet.

OK, now I have to go Skype my parents to see when they'll fly me back there.  The Han Ah Rheum in NYC's Korea Town just doesn't cut it.  I did go there recently to buy some moo (giant Korean radish), bean sprouts, tenjang paste, Korean ramen, kimchi, banchan, Yakult yogurt drinks, and rice, but it's not the same.