Carly Ellen Kramer's Blog, page 14

Popcorn for Troops!

Popcorn for troops! Popcorn for you! One of the pint-size chefs here at Crowded Earth Kitchen is working hard to make a good first impression on his new Scout troop. This weekend is the popcorn sale kick-off, and he is collecting donations to send popcorn treats to deployed military members. He has a web link […]

Healthy Cherry Quinoa Bowl

Happy New Year, Friends! This month we’re focusing on delicious, healthy, EASY meals here at Crowded Earth Kitchen! A hearty serving of today’s Healthy Cherry Quinoa Bowl weighs in at only 225 calories yet offers up 26 grams of protein and a big punch of Vitamins A, B-complex, and K. Let’s get started! Ingredients (Serves […]

Korean Bibimbap

Korean Bibimbap is a surefire crowd pleaser. The combination of white rice, vegetables, marinated beef, chili pepper paste, and egg is hearty, delicious, and can be tailored to the palate of each of your dinner companions. Love all the veggies and knock-your-socks-off spice? Great! Prefer your food mild and hold the greens? That’s fine, too! […]

Best Street Food in South Korea! Yachae Hotteok (야채호떡)

The golden rule of street food for foreign visitors to any country is simply “Follow The Crowd.” If locals are lining up, you can be confident that you’ve stumbled upon something delicious. Walking the outer perimeter of Namdaemun Market, we knew we were in for a treat when we happened upon this line: Standing at […]

Namdaemun Market

A short walk from Seoul Station lies Namdaemun, the Great South Gate of Seoul, South Korea. Originally constructed in 1398, Namdaemun was one of eight majestic gates in the Fortress Wall of Seoul which surrounded the city during the Joseon Dynasty. Namdaemun was reconstructed in 1447, and significantly refurbished in 2008 after a devastating fire. […]

Hello, South Korea!

I’ll be candid with you, Crowded Earth Kitchen friends – I’m simply giddy about exploring Seoul, South Korea. Approximately ten million people call Seoul home, putting the bustling metropolis of Seoul on par with giants such as New York City. Who knew? It takes 14 hours to fly from Chicago to Seoul, which makes a […]

Goodbye, Japan

I adore Tokyo and will miss this vibrant, world-class city until I am lucky enough to visit again. Tomorrow we’re moving on to Korea, but a small piece of my heart will remain right here in Japan. For today, I’ll leave you with the photos below. The world is small. Have big fun!   Enjoying […]

Tokyo National Museum

Situated in the heart of the cultural district of Ueno, Tokyo National Museum is a treasure chest of ancient and modern Japanese art. Even as one of the largest art collections in the world, Tokyo National Museum is much more approachable than, say, the Louvre. We didn’t experience long lines at the entrance, nor did […]

Bento Lunches in Tokyo

Conference lunches in the United States can be rather lackluster affairs. Anyone who has attended a work-related conference in the US is familiar with the unfortunate white paperboard box featuring a sandwich (ham or turkey… always ham or turkey), a bag of potato chips, an apple, and perhaps a brownie. This, along with a sugary […]

Uobie Sushi

If you’ve been reading Crowded Earth Kitchen for a while, you may remember our enchantment with Uobie Sushi. We quite fell in love with the place two years ago and, upon planning our most recent return to Tokyo, actually used the distance from Uobie Sushi as one of our criteria in selecting a hotel! True […]