Election Day update

It's election day here in Seoul and I figured I'd update a bit. I'm back after a month abroad (Hong Kong for a week, and then three weeks in the U.S. visiting family and friends). The weather changed noticeably while I was gone; it's now getting balmy and slightly sticky and there's that familiar slightly sweet smell in the air that I recognize from Shanghai, Tokyo, and Thailand - not sure what the origin is, but it makes me feel pleasantly nostalgic.

Before I left on vacation, I was in a bit of a cooking and food rut. After a month of sampling Hong Kong treats and my parents' cooking, I feel inspired and back on track, with lots of ideas for recipes bouncing around in my head.

Seeing the fruit and vegetable sellers out on the streets has also inspired me. On Monday night I made beef and barley soup, along with a salad consisting of cherry tomatoes from a vendor around the Grand Mart at Sinchon Rotary, in addition to zucchini and lots of celery leaves in a lemon, soy sauce and sesame oil dressing. Here's a photo: