Honey Biscuits Are Back!
Alchemy of Souls Part 2 (Netflix)
Honey biscuits, those glistening, golden rosettes (known as yakgwa in Korea), reappeared in Episode 4 of Alchemy of Souls Part 2 (AOS).
Ju-wol, the proprietress of the local pub, is spilling the tea to Bu-yeon about how Bu-yeon’s new hubby Jang Uk and the dearly departed Mu-deok met and fell in love.
Bu-yeon begs her to stop—after all, who wants to hear about their husband and his ex? But Ju-wol cannot seem to shut her mouth.
“She always took these honey biscuits home because she knew how much he liked them,” Ju-wol exclaims.
Out of desperation, Bu-yeon shoves a handful of yakgwa in her mouth.
Honey biscuits were all over the place in AOS Part 1. They were the male lead’s favorite snack, a peace offering to a noble family, or a comedic distraction.
I tried to track down some to have with a cup of tea, but they are impossible to find in any Korean bakery in Chicago. I found some recipes for yakgwa, but I’m not up for deep fat frying.
I did snag three kinds of store-bought yakgwa. BTW #1: The glistening comes from oil, not honey. These are not a very sweet cookie.
BAGIS Yakgwa have a nice chewy texture. The biggest and least sweet of the three.
Samlip Mini Honey Yakgwa are crispier–more like an animal cracker. My kiddo likes these the best.
Choripdong Korean Traditional Cookies are my favorite. They have the chewy texture that I prefer but are a little sweeter than the BAGIS biscuits. Available in store at some (not all) H-Marts—I found them in the refrigerated section next to the mochi cakes. You can also order online.
What I’m Watching This Week: Reborn Rich (final episodes)
The best part of Reborn Rich (Viki.com) isn’t the handsome and talented Song Joong-ki. It’s 54 year-old Lee Sung-min, who plays the cantankerous and crafty elderly chairman of a powerful conglomerate. From the stooped shoulders to his bark of a laugh, Sung-min can play powerful, cruel, and vulnerable—sometimes all in the same scene.
It’s Succession with a paranormal twist.
BTW #2: There was a sighting of honey biscuits in the funeral scene in Ep 5 of Reborn Rich.
That’s it for my inaugural post. Let me know what think, if you’ve had yakgwa, or what you’re watching.
Ms. Kathy