How a Korean-American Adoptee Learned About Her Culture Through Food | Eater Seattle

"Twenty years ago I discovered Korean Kitchen in a tiny 500-square-foot spot just off the main street in the University District; there were a few tables and an industrious older Korean woman was in the kitchen, too busy cooking to greet customers. My then-boyfriend Ben knew what to order: tteok mandu guk, a rich New Year’s soup with savory beef broth, dumplings, sliced rice cakes, egg, and strips of beef that would arrive steaming at our table like a gift. Eating there gave me my first taste of the culture I came from — its austerity, efficiency, and quiet attention to quality felt like a window into another world and a connection to a part of myself I didn’t know." - Misty Shock Rule