How are "cacao" and "cocoa" different? As a chocolate writer, I get this question all the time, and the answer is quite simple: cacao and cocoa are the same word in different languages. It's a bit of a debate in the craft chocolate industry as to …
Storytime
Daytrip From Seoul: Hani Lavender Farm (하늬 라벤더 팜)
Have you ever wanted to wander through a lavender field in full bloom, and then lamented not being in Europe in the summertime? Enter: Hani Lavender Farm. Welcome to the late springtime flower fields of your dreams, located just south of the DMZ, in …
How & Why to Visit CoEx Coffee Expo in Seoul
If you've ever been to Seoul, you've seen the evidence of thousands of coffee shops, one or two per corner. Over the last couple of decades, coffee has also managed to invade the homes of millions of Koreans, and stage several annual coffee festivals …
The Expat’s South Korea Bucket List: 99 Unique Adventures
This inexhaustive Korea bucket list was compiled based on recommendations from friends & fellow bloggers, as well as personal experiences & misadventures. I hope it helps you get ideas of what to experience during your own time in Korea, …
How NOT to Visit a Cacao Plantation
This memory makes me cringe more than most "promposals" do. It's one of my biggest regrets, actually, which I suppose is an accomplishment of its own. Setting The Scene Ocassionally, I think of the past, and the embarrassing or thoughtful things …
What Makes Chocolate Good for You
Is chocolate actually healthy? The buzz around chocolate these days is focused on flavonoids and trace minerals, some of the molecules that make cacao a so-called "super food." But do you know what those things are, and more importantly, why they …
Philippines Highlights: One Day Bohol Itinerary in Pictures
Life can be stunning. It's what happens after you craft, and often change, your lofty itinerary. Bohol is a beautiful island, the highlight of my weeks in the Philippines, and one of the most popular tourist spots in the Philippines. It's also one of …
A Night at the Cambodian Circus: Phare Ponleu Selpak
When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be a singer and a circus performer. I had never been to the circus, but I knew that it looked fun. Floating through my mind were images of colorful costumes, striking face makeup, and exotic animals fighting …
Monkeying Around at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre
While I didn't exactly bond with any of the animals at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, it was nevertheless the animal park of my dreams. It was the perfect half-day trip from Phnom Penh, where we spend a few days while backpacking …
For My Grandma, Before Her Funeral
*Grandma, Several years ago, you found yourself in quite bad health, and at 90-years-old-minus-a-week you called all your family to your side. You wanted to have a funeral that you could enjoy witnessing before you died, and you desired that each of …
