62page

www.groovekorea.com / January 2015 62 fOOD & DRINK Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com) F riends, it’s been real. I’ve had a ball in Korea but the time has come for me to pack up my game and head out west — way west, back to the ol’ USA to be a full-time writer and, of course, to eat all the food: avocados and kalamata olives, kombucha, hummus, whole wheat flour and vegan cheese, lasagna and Cuban-spiced sweet potatoes and roasted beets will all be mine, along with a serious dose of real Mexican food — in the be- ginning it might be a daily thing, honestly — and one big fat bowl of Golden Grahams. But returning to my homeland won’t come without losses, and one of the heftiest among those is my removal from your monthly Groove perusal. Who will I sass about pasta? When I get stupidly excited about leeks, who’ll be there to go, “Oh, totally, those are super sexy”? And donuts?! Who’s gonna eat ‘em all with me? I’ll miss you more than I can say, especially as I dream of you with a black plastic bag full of Korean food I’ll likely never taste again, all you living in a swank metropolis with your disposable income and your public transportation. It’s a good life. Seoul Veggie Kitchen is officially closed, but before I go, let me spout a few tidbits I’ve learned from my own meandering experience. May they help keep your head on straight for at least a little longer: About the writer: Shelley DeWees worked as a vegan chef for a Buddhist monastery before moving to Seoul. She is a columnist and the food editor for Groove Korea. — Ed. SEOuL vEggIE KITChEN Column by Shelley DeWees photos by David Leggett and Robert Pavich Last-second thoughts for the last installment The best advi ce I can give