Hallyu, also known as the “Korean Wave,” has been injecting South Korean popular culture into homes worldwide for some time now. From popular K-dramas like “Squid Game” to record-breaking K-pop bands like BTS and Blackpink, the appetite for Korean exports seems insatiable.

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Japchae
RECIPE: Serves 4 as a main dish or 6-8 as a side

A colorful Korean stir-fry, typically made with a garden of veggies, marinated beef, dangmyeon (sweet potato glass noodles), and a nutty sesame-honey dressing, japchae really hits the spot. Delectably chewy and delightfully slippery, dangmyeon is the star of this beloved Korean dish. But that wasn’t always the case: when japchae was first invented in the early 17th century for royalty during the Joseon Dynasty, it was originally served without them. The bouncy glass noodles were only added later and, thankfully, have since become an essential element of this sweet and savory stir-fry.

The best part? It’s endlessly customizable and can easily be adapted into a vegetarian dish. When it comes time to dine, reach for a pair of BOMSHBEE Chop Chopsticks so you can easily craft the perfect bite.

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 oz glass noodles
• 5 oz beef or chicken, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3.5 oz spinach or Chinese greens (kai-lan), blanched and squeezed
• 4-5 mushrooms (shiitake is best), thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Boil the sweet potato noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop them from becoming mushy. Cut the noodles into shorter lengths (about 6-8 inches) using kitchen scissors for easier eating.
2. Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. If you’re using meat, add the sliced beef or chicken, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. In the same pan, add the onions and carrots. Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
6. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, and scallions. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked but still crisp. Add the blanched greens to the pan and stir to combine.
7. Reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked noodles and meat (if using) to the pan with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce and mix well to ensure everything is well-coated.
8. Adjust the seasoning with more soy sauce, salt, and pepper if needed. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and give it a final toss. Enjoy warm, cold, or at room temperature – japchae is versatile like that!

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Sundubu-jjigae (spicy soft tofu soup)
RECIPE: Serves 4

A warning to all soup lovers: this classic Korean jjigae (stew) is an absolute game-changer, and we can’t get enough of it. It’s the ultimate ode to contrast: silky soft tofu and a delicately poached egg basking in a fiery, powerful broth made from Korean red pepper paste (gojuchang). Together, they create a triumph of textures and flavors. Don’t be surprised if this soup becomes one of your go-to recipes for fast, easy weekday dishes.

Dig into your sundubu-jjigae with the BOMSHBEE SOOP Glass Spoon, perfect for hot soups and delicate textures like tofu.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup kimchi, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 block soft tofu, cut into cubes
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 egg (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped onion and sauté until fragrant.
2. Add zucchini and kimchi, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Pour the broth, then stir in the gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the tofu cubes to the soup and simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. If using, crack an egg into the soup and let poach for a couple of minutes. Stir in the sliced green onions.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot.

Pro tip: For a simple yet elegant presentation, reach for BOMSHBEE’s handcrafted SEED rice bowls. These bowls are ideal for a smorgasbord of banchan (Korean side dishes), white rice, and buttery soft bulgogi.

Explore more BOMSHBEE products to serve your homemade Korean dishes alongside minimalist, thoughtfully designed tableware. 

One hotly debated topic among wine enthusiasts is whether to aerate their wine. Should they let their wine “breathe” to unlock its full potential, or is it an unnecessary step?

Traditionally, aeration was considered essential for unlocking the full effect from your bottle, particularly with older red wines. However, modern winemaking and sommelier science have shed more light on how oxygen interacts with wine, explains Maria Schuessler, a WSET-certified wine expert based in London.

“A few decades ago, people would tell you to leave any bottle of red wine open on the counter for at least 15 minutes before drinking. That’s been proven to be quite ineffective because the neck of the bottle is too narrow to let enough oxygen in,” she says. “At best, it’ll do nothing; at worst, it gives you the opportunity to knock over an opened bottle of red and spill it all over your floors.”

These days, many wine experts argue that letting more oxygen into a wine can be detrimental, dulling the fruity notes in softer reds like pinot noir or beaujolais. Maria advises that these types of wines should never be aerated as they are meant to be enjoyed straight after opening.

On the other hand, some varieties spring to life when exposed to just the right amount of air. “The wines you want to aerate are any full-bodied, tannic reds – tannins give you that mouth-puckering astringent taste on the tongue – to soften them enough to let you enjoy the tasting notes of the wine,” she says. “An aggressively full-bodied New World wine, like a New Zealand cabernet sauvignon, can really open up and reveal a complex flavor profile when aerated.”

To help demystify the practice, we asked Maria to address a few more myths surrounding aeration so that you can elevate your next wine-drinking experience.

True or False: The older the bottle of wine, the longer you need to aerate it.

False: It’s actually the opposite.  “There’s a common misconception that older wines benefit the most from aeration – think of a dinner party where the host is pouring a 1989 Bordeaux into a crystal decanter,” says Maria. “It’s young wines that are often the most tannic.”

There’s a science behind this. As wine ages, typically in oak barrels, oxygen seeps into the container slowly, gradually aerating the wine over time. This process allows the alcohol and sulfites to evaporate and mellows the harsh tannic notes. The older the bottle, the longer it’s been subject to this slow-paced oxygenation process, making aeration less necessary.

True or False: More aeration is always better.

False: Unfortunately, there’s definitely a risk of over-aerating wine, says Maria.  “Think of that wine that you left in the fridge for too long, and it started to taste like vinegar.”

Aeration should always be approached with a discerning hand, even if you intend to finish the bottle over one evening. “Exposing a wine to oxygen for too long, even over an extended dinner party, can make it taste lifeless and flat and dull the herbaceous and fruity notes that make it taste good.”

Maria says that a few seconds of swirling inside large, open-mouth wine glasses – like BOMSHBEE’s O Wine glasses, for instance – is often enough to give your wine just enough air to introduce new depth to its flavors.

“If you’re choosing to decant a wine, letting it breathe for an hour should be more than enough – any more and the wine starts to lose its spark,” she says. The one exception is older fortified wines, like a 15- or 20-year-old Port, which can benefit from a few hours of decanting.

True or False: You don’t need to invest in specialty equipment to aerate properly.

True: There’s no need to spend a lot of cash on tools like aerators – devices that attach to the top of a bottle, enabling oxygen bubbles to flow as you pour the wine. While you can certainly use one if you’d like, a well-designed decanter works well and looks beautiful.

“Both do the same job in terms of aeration and filtering out any sediment, but of course, decanters are also decorative,” says Maria. “I personally love the versatility and drama that a good wine decanter can bring to a wine-tasting experience.”

Something like BOMSHBEE’s Slone Glass Carafe – a thoughtfully designed piece versatile enough to serve wine, water, and all types of chilled beverages – works perfectly to aerate a full-bodied red or vintage Port while enhancing the look and feel of your next dinner party.

Discover how the right glassware and decanters can bring out the best in every bottle with BOMSHBEE’s elegantly minimalist designs. Cheers to good wine enjoyed with good company!