Some of you may remember, but just a few weeks ago, I was totally dead inside. I had spent the entirety of May, June, and early July in front of a computer trying to finish the edits to my upcoming cookbook (yay!), and I completely lost touch with reality. Everyone warned me that the last leg of the cookbook would be the most challenging part, but I shook it off like, “Nah, I got this.” I didn’t got this. It was as bad as everyone said. I went days without sleep, repeatedly deleting and rewriting entire chapters, cutting recipes, and slashing any sense of confidence in myself. I’m still unsure if it’s good, but at least it’s done.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken a sort of staycation, working only a few hours a day and spending lots of time with Ham and the dogs. I’m totally racked with guilt about it. It’s stupid, but I’m definitely just a brainwashed worker bee. We’ve been going to the farmer’s market, cooking together, and watching movies. I am soaking up lots of sun after all those weeks of blue light. (My skin is in terrible shape, now I get why people like the sun.) I’ve indulged in my favorite pastime—deep-cleaning the apartment and reorganizing the kitchen. Every morning I stand in the pantry and stare at all the neatly labeled sugars and flours. This is the closest thing Ham and I have ever had to time off together. (Note: Ham is still working in full force, but it’s incredible anyways.) We’re gonna do this every year, maybe even leave town next time.
One of the ways I’ve been unwinding is on Tik Tok, and I think I finally get it. Tik Tok is fun in a way Instagram hasn’t been lately (so sorry, Meta, the owner of this platform, please don't block this newsletter). The algorithm has gotten to know me very well. My FYP is flooded with comedy skits and niche food things, like @lagomchef who freezes everything into blocks and then uses a Microplane grater to shave it over stuff. It’s mesmerizing. I wonder how often he has to replace his Microplanes? I can't post tik tok videos here, so here's one from his IG:
Right now, I’m inspired by @johnnykyunghwo, a creator whose niche is making cheong, traditional Korean syrups and sweeteners. I have only ever tried store-bought maesil-cheong, a sweet-tart green plum syrup used in Korean cooking. I had never even thought to make my own, or how diverse cheong could be, until I came across Johnny’s videos. He makes cheong with anything and everything, from fresh mint to cherry blossoms and even green pine cones. Here's a video from his IG, but there's lots more on his tok:
We are in prime currant season in New York, so I’ve decided to give red currant cheong a shot. Last year, Ham lacto-fermented a bunch of currants, which transformed into a super savory and tart condiment that we put on everything. (You can see it in action in this video we did for NYT cooking.)
Following Johnny’s directions, I weighed out my fruit and an equal amount of granulated sugar. I tossed the fruit with half the sugar, then packed it into a clean jar before topping it off with the remaining sugar. I decided to leave the stems on because I will be straining off the syrup anyways, and I was feeling lazy. The jar is in a cool and dark spot in my pantry, and I’ll be checking in on it every couple of days (you know, while I stare at all the pretty labels). Johnny says that it should take about 2 to 3 weeks for the sugar to fully dissolve. I will keep you all posted on how it goes!
Have any of you ever made cheong? Or do you plan to give it a shot now? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear about your cheong adventures.