When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. There is nothing better on a hot day than a cool tangy glass of lemonade. But I refuse to buy the ever so popular blue lemonade that is sold on the streets of Korea. I don’t know why but it really annoys me for some reason, what’s wrong with yellow I ask you? However a life without lemonade is not worth living, so I figured it was about time I made my own, sans food coloring.

Ingredients

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

7 lemons juiced and zested

1 lemon cut up for decoration

A few sprigs of mint

Directions

1. Zest and juice 7 of the lemons into separate bowls.  In a saucepan put the sugar, water, and zest and bring to the boil on a low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as it starts to boil you can turn off the heat.

2. Mix the lemon juice with the syrup and allow to cool. You can now strain the syrup if you want to remove the zest and store in a bottle in a fridge. It should keep for at least a week.

3. To make the lemonade, mix the syrup with water in equal ratios, although feel free to add more water if it’s too strong for you. Serve over ice and garnish with slices of lemon and sprigs of mint.

4. For a twist you can make this fruity strawberry and watermelon version, which you can add rum or vodka to after a hard day at work. Blend a handful of strawberries and a wedge of watermelon with a shot of lemonade syrup and a shot of sparkling water (or vodka). Then serve over ice and enjoy. Voilà, Fat Girl’s traditional lemonade.

Ok Fat Girl fans, I am about to rock your world right now so hold on to your hats. A mere two weeks ago the greatest company ever was launched in Korea. The name of that company is Y-Not takeout. These amazingly smart people have done what no one ever thought possible, delivery western food in Korea. The service is just starting out in Seoul but they plan to make it nationwide overtime. They are currently operating in the following central Seoul areas; Itaewon, Haebangchon, Kyungnidan, Hanam-dong, Yongsan Army Base and Banpo-dong.

A few months ago I was thrilled at the prospect of getting Indian food delivered to me through Chakra. But now I can get Mexican, Russian, Thai, American, African and even KFC! A bucket of the Colonel’s chicken delivered right to my bed. I’m salivating at the thought. No longer will I have to pester the Fat Boyfriend into going to Itaewon for food on hangover Sunday. I can get it delivered right to the door and the best thing is it’s all in English. No more Konglish and call backs to Pizza hut for me.

We tested the service out a few nights ago and decided to opt for some Mexican from Taco Amigo. This was actually the very first restaurant that I ate at in Itaewon nearly 6 years ago. So it’s about time that I got round to eating there again. I had forgotten how good it is. The Mexican cuisine here is actually very authentic while still offering the dishes you know and love. Even the corn tortillas taste homemade.

We placed our delivery order and  less than 45 minutes later it arrived with the kind and friendly delivery driver. You can pay with cash or card which makes it even simpler. As you can see above we ordered a chimichanga (13,000), Enchiladas Suizas (14,000), and Steak Taco set (10,000)which came with chips, rice, and beans. All this for only 41,000 and I didn’t even have to leave the sofa. I’m living the dream.

To check out the ever list of restaurants check their website. The site will tell you which ones are open and which are closed.  You can also order from more than one restaurant at a time. So if your fights revolve around Thai verses pizza as ours often do, peace will be resumed as you can have both, you just have to pay two delivery fees. You can even order on Kakao Talk. This service is so simple to use you will be able to navigate even through the hangover induced fog. Not convinced? Well too bad I’ve got a bucket of chicken to order.

Hurray! It’s March, Spring is finally in the air, and the weather is starting to get warm. I’m even off to my first BBQ tomorrow! I’ve really taken spring cleaning to heart this year and reorganized all the junk that seems to clutter my house. I’ve even done a bit of decorating and turned our guest room into a walk in closet, fulfilling my life long dream of owning a walk in closet.

Now the house has been tackled it’s time to do the “garden” and start planting seeds, to grow some fabulous herbs that make all those summer meals so tasty. Herbs are so easy to grow, you only need a minimum outdoor space which gets some sun, or even a sunny window sill if you are lucky enough to live in an apartment with a much coveted window. I’ve even grown them out on a sunny indoor balcony before. Anyone can do it, just look at the tiny space I have to work with!

Buying herbs can be expensive, difficult, and tiresome, unless you live in a neighborhood like mine which has a herb plant store or a giant supermarket which stays well stocked.  But even if you can buy fresh herbs to use in a recipe, you will probably end up using them once and then letting the rest shrivel up and die in the fridge. Well, no more!

Buying your kit is as easy as a trip to Daiso. Daiso have really upped their game these past few years and there really isn’t that much you can no longer find. They have all your favourites like Rosemary, Basil, Mint, Tarragon, Thyme, etc. As well as various fruits and vegetables.

I planted several basil plants as I really go through it in the summer and like to have a healthy supply. As well as tarragon, mint, rosemary, spinach, arugula, and some coriander seeds I had left from last year. Obviously some things grow better than others but I’m excited about my harvest this year. Last year I had fresh herbs all summer so this year I’m taking it up a notch and doing some lettuce, green onions, celery, and tomatoes. I really want to make a homegrown salad. I’m even trying to replant a celery stalk!

I’m also considering growing potatoes and ginger too. And instead of buying more new pots I’m up-cycling some of our many water bottles.

If you don’t have a green enough thumb to start some seeds from scratch then pay a visit to the Yangjae Flower market which is located at Yangjae-dong 232, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Seoul. They have a huge selection of starter plants and it’s the biggest in Seoul. If you can’t find it there it probably doesn’t exist.

So below is my little herb garden, I’ll be sure to keep you updated with it’s progress. so get planting everyone, Summer will soon be here!

Ever since I cracked the triple cooked chips I have been gunning to make this British classic. However I had quite a time of it trying to find some fish fillets. Finally, after weeks of searching, The Fat Boyfriend found some pollack at Costco. It was only 10,000 for 1kg of frozen fillets. However, when we opened them up the pieces were very small. I think they are meant to be used for sashimi or a Korean dish, but we made them work all the same. You get a much bigger batter to fish ratio, which I don’t find particularly upsetting but if you could find some chunkier fish it would be better.  I believe they have some tapia fillets which would probably work well. This batter recipe is also absolute perfection, making that lovely thick batter that has the white coating inside, while still being crispy on the outside. 

Ingredients

Fish

225g of flour

330ml of beer (I just used Cass)

3 teaspoons of baking powder

Salt and pepper

100g of seasoned flour

400g of Fish fillets

Tartar Sauce

200ml of mayonnaise

1-2 little packets of pizza pickles

1 tablespoon of capers

1/2 lemon (juiced)

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the triple cooked chips. They will take the longest. Click here for full instructions.

2. Weigh out the 225g of flour and put it in a bowl and pop it in the freezer. Heat the oil to 180-190 degrees. How hot you need it depends on the size of your fish, the thicker the fish the lower the temperature or the fish wont cook.

3. Once your oil is almost heated, take the flour out of the freezer. Whisk in the salt and baking powder, then the beer.

4. Coat the fish in the seasoned flour, shaking off an excess then dip them into the batter and pop them in the oil. They should take about 2 minutes on one side and a minute or so on the other. The batter should be a nice golden brown. If you have a thicker piece of fish, be careful to make sure it’s cooked through. When it’s done remove and allow to drain on kitchen paper whilst you cook the remaining pieces.

5. To make the accompanying tartar sauce, finely chop the pickles and capers then mix into the mayonnaise. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Voilà fish and chips.

So this week I have been a very happy camper indeed. Not just because I still have a whole shelf in my fridge dedicated to the chocolate I brought back from home, but also because I have 400g of goats cheese. I really can’t begin to tell you how much I love goats cheese. It is certainly up in my top 3. Obviously in Korea goats cheese is expensive and hard to find, right? Wrong. Goats cheese is easy to find is you contact the amazingly awesome people at Waeg Farm. A fabulous farm full of goats that make the milk that makes the cheese. Hurrah. No more trips to Hong Kong just to get that goaty goodness. Check out their website for details on how to order yours.

Since I had this premium ingredient I felt compelled to really do it some justice and make something proper out of it, however tempting it was just to eat it smeared on the Fat Boyfriend’s sourdough and have it topped with onion jam. No, no, no an ingredient of this caliber deserved it’s own recipe. I recently made the most magnificent tart whilst I was at home. If you’re a fan of my facebook page I’m sure you would have seen it. It was pure culinary perfection but really it was just shop bought puff pastry with a a few of my favourite ingredients thrown on top. A treat for the taste buds but ever so easy, any novice could knock one up in 10 minutes. But for this I decided I would go the whole hog and make my own pastry. Yes, I could have just walked to Itaewon and bought some pre-made, and yes I did think about it, but that’s not really fair to you now readers is it. So even though I’m crap at making pastry I gave it my best shot and it actually turned out great. Paul Hollywood you are a legend!

Ingredients

Short crust pastry (Paul Hollywood’s recipe)

250g of flour

125g of cubed butter (chilled)

50ml cold water

2 egg yolks

A pinch of salt

Filling 

300ml of cream

3 eggs

100g of cheddar cheese

75g of goats cheese

3 rashers of bacon

1 onion

1 bunch of spinach

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Start by making the pastry. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and mix. Then add the butter cubes in and rub together using your finger tips until it forms a bread crumb like texture.

2. Add the egg yolks and start to mix with your hands, before slowly adding the water and mix until it comes together to form a ball. Do not overwork the pastry, as soon as it’s a ball, press it down to form a disk with your fingers, wrap it in cling-film, and put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours to chill.

3. When the pastry has had it’s rest, roll it out on a floured surface. Make sure you roll it out so it’s large enough to fit in your tin. Put the pastry in your tin, press it down so it’s nice and snug and leave an overhang over the edges.

4. Bake in the oven at 180 for about 15 minutes until the pastry has cooked and its golden brown. Trim the edges and leave to cool.

5. Cut the bacon into chunks and fry in a pan. Thinly slice the onion and add to a corner of the pan. When the onion and bacon is almost done, make a space and add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted.

6. To assemble the quiche, first add the cheddar cheese, then the bacon and onions, then the spinach and top with the goats cheese. Whisk the eggs and cream together then season with the salt, pepper and paprika, you could also add a pinch of mixed herbs. Pour the the filling into the quiche almost to the top. Pop in the oven and bake at 170 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the custard has set in the middle. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan and serving. Can be enjoyed hot or cold.

You can also switch the ingredients up a bit, I added tomatoes to my second quiche.

Rainy season seems to be over and the heat is dying down. So it’s time to get out those barbecues again, and spend the day lounging in the sun rather than in a darkened room with the air conditioning on. I knocked these up with a little help from my BFF Matt. He came up with the idea, and I made the recipe. I do love a good Bloody Mary and I can never get enough burgers, so these are the perfect combination.

Makes 15 burger

Ingredients

1kg of beef mince

1 onion

2 sticks of celery

150g of bread crumbs

1 egg

8 drops of Tabasco

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon of horseradish

½ teaspoon of celery salt

½ a teaspoon of black pepper

A glug of olive oil

Bloody Mary Ketchup

1 cup of tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

8 drops of Tabasco

1 teaspoon of horseradish

½ a  celery stalk (very finely chopped)

½ teaspoon of celery salt

½ a teaspoon of black pepper

The juice of half a lemon

Directions

To make the Bloody Mary ketchup, put all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix. Feel free to adjust the measurements to suit your own tastes.

To make the burgers, finely chop the onion and celery and fry off on a medium heat  in the oil for five minutes or so until they have softened. Allow to cool then add to a bowl and mix together with the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Add the minced beef, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and horseradish, and mix everything together, making sure the bread crumbs, onions, and sauces etc are well distributed throughout the meat.  Beat the egg, and add to the mince, this will help them to keep their shape better. Grab a handful and form into to a patty shape. If you are not using them right away, wrap them in cling film and store in the fridge or freezer. When you are ready to use them, throw them on the barbecue or cook in a frying pan until they are done to your liking. Personally I like mine still slightly pink in the middle. Serve in a bun, with salad, a slice of cheese and top with bloody Mary ketchup. Voilà the  Bloody Mary Burger.

After another afternoon browsing Pinterest I came across this recipe for a broccoli cheese bread. I instantly wanted it, and I am glad I did, because it tasted even better than I imagined. I made several changes to make it more suitable to what I could find easily here in Korea but the basic principle was still the same. After discovering how easy this is to make, I have thought of various other varieties I will be able to try in the near future.

Ingredients

250g of pizza dough(recipe here)

1 head of broccoli

100g of cream cheese

200g of grated cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar)

Directions

Boil your broccoli for about 5-8 minutes so it’s softer, but still has a little crunch. Then leave to drain before chopping up into very small pieces. Roll out the pizza dough into a a large rectangle. Mine was roughly 35cm by 20cm. Then top with cream cheese or ricotta. Sprinkle on the grated cheese, then top with the broccoli.

Roll the bread up like a big sausage then cut into 7 pieces. Place the pieces into a round buttered tin.

Bake in the oven at  180 degrees for about 20-30 minutes until the dough has cooked and the cheese has melted and is golden brown. If the top is catching, then cover with foil after the first 15 minutes. Pull off each piece and serve. Voilà, broccoli cheese bread.

Suji’s Deli has been a stalwart of the expat community for many years now. However there are still plenty of new arrivals that are unaware of this fabulous restaurant located at the very end of Itaewon. They have just relaunched to promote a new deli and takeaway service in addition to the restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have been meaning to write my review of Suji’s for some time now, and the new deli is the perfect reason to do so. Plus, they invited me to their media party at which they let me try lots of their yummy foods and drinks. It was my first media party and was fabulous, finally my Media degree is paying off.

The menu at Suji’s is large and has pretty much every option you could hope for covered . Omelettes, French Toast, Eggs Benedict, pancakes, bagels, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. I have eaten here plenty of times and am quite fond of the Eggs Florentine. What sets Suji’s apart from other brunch restaurants in Seoul is the fact that almost everything they serve is made in house. The meats and salmon are cured, the breads are baked, and all of the potato salads, pickles, mustards, and sauces are all made on the premises. They have even started selling their own coffee, which after trying I have to say is lovely. Pair it with a freshly baked cinamon bun or bagel and breakfast is good to go.

Whist taking some picticture I decided to stay and have some brunch. After having a long look at the new menu, I couldn’t resist my favourite Turkey Club Sandwich (13,000). I love the turkey here, it’s even better than the stuff I would buy at home. This sandwich is perfection. Throw in some chips and coleslaw and I’m in sandwich heaven.

My lovely friend Matt  accopanied me on the trip and ordered the Spanish Omelette (13,500). He let me try some and it was cooked to perfection. Despite their simplicity omelettes can easily go wrong but this one was spot on. With toast and potatoes it was a nice hearty start to the day.

I think you are all more than aware, that I can’t consider a meal to be brunch unless there’s booze involved. Luckily Suji’s has me covered with my favourite Bloody Mary (8,000) which always comes adorned with a giant piece of celery. They also have a peach bellini (7,000) or mimosas on the menu. It’s the most fun way to cure a hangover. However always expect to queue for around 30 minutes if you come on a Saturday or Sunday as it’s very busy.

Suji’s Deli is located on the 2nd floor of Yangjin building, 34-145 Itaewon-Dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul. To get their take a train Itaewon station (line 6). Walk straight out of exit 4 for about 5 minutes, past Mcdonalds until you reach the gate. Suji’s Deli is at the very end of the road on the left, just around the Skinfood shop. You can call them on 02-797-3698 or check out their website  for more information and to take a look at their menu.

In France they call it pain perdu, in America French Toast, and in England the far less glamorous eggy bread. A few days ago I  discovered that I am absolutly amazing at making French toast.  I have to confess that I haven’t really eaten my fair share of french toast over the years but it is now one of my favourite foods. In England we’re not really a fan of sweet things for breakfast. We like a savoury start to the day. A bowl of crunchy nut corn flakes is as crazy as we get. However when my bestest friend in the world came to visit  me last week, she introduced me to this fabulous phenomenon. We had some pretty amazing French Toast at the W in Taipei and some hideously awful dry crap at a well-known restaurant in Itaewon which will remain nameless. After tasting that dried up piece of cardboard I knew I could do better. So I set upon making my first batch, and suffice it to say, I nailed it. It almost makes me want to set up a restaurant just to sell my own Fat Girl French Toast to the masses. You too can make amazing French Toast, all from the comfort of your own home with little to no cooking skills needed. It’s so easy a monkey could make it, so wow your friends the next time you have them over for brunch. The key is using good bread. I picked up this loaf of morning toast from Paris Baguette (3,000). It’s half way between a croissant and bread and is perfect for French Toast goodness.

Ingredients

1 loaf of bread (Morning toast bread)

300ml of cream

300ml of full fat milk

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

4 tablespoons of sugar

Half a stick of butter (for frying)

Directions

Cut your loaf into 3/4 of an inch thick slices. I made mine using a fresh loaf but if you let it go stale for a day I am told it’s even better. In a large bowl beat together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla until mixed together. Heat your pan to a low/medium temperature and throw in a knob of butter. Dip a slice of bread into the custard mixture, let it soak up those juices, then turn it over to do the other side and throw it into the frying pan. Depending on the size of your frying pan you will be able to cook 2-3 slices at a time. After a few minutes it should be golden brown on the bottom side. Flip it over and do the other side for a few more minutes. Making sure that the custard has set in the middle, remove from the pan and cook the remaining slices. Serve with berries, maple syrup and, if your feeling extra naughty, throw on some whipped cream or ice cream. At this point a bit more cream really isn’t going to hurt. Voilà the fattest French Toast in town!

I have been making and devouring this cake for ages now but have only just got around to posting it. It was another pinterest find. The second I saw it I knew it had to be mine. I love chocolate éclairs, can’t get enough of them, so I was intrigued by a cake that shared the same name but that was made with graham crackers. How could it possibly be like a delicious, delicious éclair? Turns out I was wrong and the texture was very similar. I have changed the recipe a bit as the original called for vanilla pudding and cool whip. I used good old custard and regular cream and it went down a storm. It is possibly one of my new favourite desserts. The only bad bit is that you have to refrigerate it for at least 12-24 hours before you can eat it.

Ingredients

custard

6 egg yolks

1 egg

75g white sugar

25g of flour

4 teaspoons of corn flour / cornstarch (I got mine at the bakery mart)

500ml of milk

1 tablespoon of Vanilla syrup

A few drops of vanilla extract (you can use the extract, the syrup or a vanilla pod)

Graham crackers (Itaewon foreign food mart)

150g of milk or dark chocolate (I just used Dove or Ghana)

100ml of milk

200ml of cream

Directions

To make the custard whisk your egg yolks and egg with the sugar until it has become a very pale yellow. Whisk in the flour and corn flour until it has combined then set aside. Heat the milk and vanilla on a low heat until it has just started to boil then take it off the heat and whisk for 30 seconds. Slowly mix the hot milk into the yolk and flour mixture until it has combined then pour it into a saucepan. Put the custard on a very low heat and whisk it continuously until it begins to thicken. This will happen all at once so make sure you keep an eye on it or it will curdle. Once its thickened into custard you can remove from the heat. Sprinkle icing sugar on the top to stop a skin forming as you wait for it to cool.

Whip the cream until it is stiff then fold into the cooled custard.

To assemble the dessert put a layer of Graham crackers onto the bottom of your dish. Top with a third of the custard and cream mixture then put on another layer of the Graham crackers. Top with the second third of custard then another layer of Graham crackers. Top with the final third of custard and the fourth layer of Graham crackers.

In a clean metal or glass bowl melt the chocolate and milk over a bowl of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted you should have a nice glossy chocolate sauce. Pour this over the top layer of Graham crackers and spread it over to make sure it’s even. Put the dessert in the fridge for at least 12-24 hours. Overnight is best, as this makes the Graham crackers soft and éclair-pastry like. Voilà, éclair cake, the easy way to make a chocolate éclair.