Yongsuk McCarthy
Hello and Welcome!
I hope you've been having a wonderful day with good food.
Food can mend the soul and there's something particularly special about food from Seoul, South Korea.
I look forward to hopefully seeing you at one of the Farmers Markets soon!
My Story - 안녕하세요~
I was born and raised in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. It was my three brothers, one sister, my mother and my father all together. Growing up, homemade kimchi was, and still is, a staple in every household. I can barely remember a single day when kimchi was not available. In the past, my mother would prepare kimchi by hand and store it underground to ferment in large clay jars. This old and time tested method preserved kimchi for us to eat all throughout the year.
Most of my Korean cooking knowledge was passed down to me through my mother, and to her from her mother. The recipes and taste of Korea are one of the things I brought with me when I first left Korea with my husband, Patrick McCarthy. Back in those days, my husband was in the military. We spent 10+ years moving around the world together. Eventually, blessed with and accompanied by our four children. No matter which State or Country we were in, there was always some Korean flavor in the kitchen.
In 2000, we finally settled down in Vermont. I spent the next 20 years working for the United States Postal Service before retiring in 2021. Our children are now fully grown and are off pursuing their own dreams across the US and overseas. Retirement and successfully seeing our children off into the world are two wonderful milestones in our life that we are very proud of. However, it also brings a lot of newly found free time.
For years, I've wanted to share the Korean flavors I grew up eating with to those in my Vermont community. Korean food and culture heavily values community so it felt wonderful to finally start Yongsuk's Korean Kitchen in 2023. Even more so, as part of a Farmer's Market, it's wonderful to engage with everyone and see their reactions to Korean food. Thank you to everyone who has come to find me in the Market for your support and kindness. And to everyone in the future, I look forward to and hope to see you one day in the market. There will be a little taste of Korea for you when you arrive.
Sincerely,
Yongsuk McCarthy