I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) There's a new dinner series happening at Boston’s Somaek – Seoul Mates, a multi-course collaboration dinner series which is kicking off with Chef Danny Lee of D.C.'s award-winning Anju, happening on Tuesday, September 16th.
The multi-course, family-style dinner (which is priced at $125 a person), features a mix of Korean flavors from both Chef Danny Lee and Chef Jamie Bissonnette, Chef/Partner at Somaek. The menu will include five courses, alongside Somaek’s signature Korean banchan and dessert and be a part of a larger, monthly series bringing top national talent to Boston.
For the first dinner of the series, Chef Jamie and Chef Danny will be collaborating on a family-style dinner, blending their unique, personal takes on Korean cuisine.
Sample dishes include:
Yukhoe, crispy rice, beef tartare, sea urchin, frozen asian pear, egg gel, grated pine nut
Mandu, pork & kimchi mandu served with apple kimchi
Dakkochi, spicy chicken thigh skewers served with kimchi toum and ssam
Daegu Jorim, a spice braised cod with Korean radish and perilla
Galbi Jjim, soy-braised short rib with fondant potatoes, carrots, charred pearl onions, and doenjang demi
Reservations are available on Resy and the series will be in partnership with Bina Farm Center, a non-profit organization which provides equine therapy for children and individuals with disabilities.
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Monday, September 1, 2025
Rant: Seeking Accurate Information
--Anonymous
When you read a food or drink article, you'll find a number of alleged "facts" within that article. However, are those alleged facts the truth, or merely errors which are being offered as "facts?" The same can be said for articles about all other topics as well. We are flooded with information from the media and plenty of it isn't true.
The key question is always: Who can you trust for accurate information?
That cannot be easily answered. In the end, it's an assessment based on various factors, including a source's motivations, biases, knowledge base, experience, skills, and more. It's a crucial assessment if we want accurate data, if we want correct and honest information. If these matters are important to us, then it's our duty to seek the truth, or at least as close as we can get to the truth. And that's a sentiment applicable to so many topics, not just food and drink.
You'll sometimes hear the phrase "Data is truth," but it's not accurate. Data may or may not be accurate dependent on numerous factors, such as who is collecting the data, how they are collecting it, any definitions that were used, and much more. Plus, one's interpretation of that data may not rise to the level of fact or truth. Statistics can be easily manipulated to prove one's own agenda. Facts can also be cherry picked to do the same. We see this occurring all the time in the media.
That cannot be easily answered. In the end, it's an assessment based on various factors, including a source's motivations, biases, knowledge base, experience, skills, and more. It's a crucial assessment if we want accurate data, if we want correct and honest information. If these matters are important to us, then it's our duty to seek the truth, or at least as close as we can get to the truth. And that's a sentiment applicable to so many topics, not just food and drink.
You'll sometimes hear the phrase "Data is truth," but it's not accurate. Data may or may not be accurate dependent on numerous factors, such as who is collecting the data, how they are collecting it, any definitions that were used, and much more. Plus, one's interpretation of that data may not rise to the level of fact or truth. Statistics can be easily manipulated to prove one's own agenda. Facts can also be cherry picked to do the same. We see this occurring all the time in the media.
During the course of researching and writing my numerous historical articles, I've found plenty of claims, which were "common knowledge," and accepted by many as the truth, yet in the end, proved not to be true. It was easier for some media sources to repeat this common knowledge rather than do their own detailed research. Even some authoritative sources make errors, and sometimes those errors can be easily discerned through additional research.
Over this past weekend, I perused a Facebook thread dealing with Chinese food, and I found a number of incorrect claims, some repeating "common knowledge" that wasn't actually true. The posters seemed so sure of their claims, but I had done my own extensive research on these issues and knew the "common knowledge" was wrong. However, I know those same erroneous claims will continue to be promoted by others. Too many people accepting information without verifying its accuracy, some refusing to change their minds even if confronted with the actual facts.
The key to discerning an accurate source, to determine what to believe, is to question everything. Question motivations, knowledge levels, biases and more. Don't accept anything at face value. Yes, it takes more time to do this, but it pays off in the end by providing you better and more accurate answers. That questioning can help you trust your source more. For example, the longer you follow a writer, the better you will understand them, and the better you can assess their biases, preferences, and knowledge level. That will lead to a better bond of trust.
Besides questioning everything, you should also consult other resources and not just a single one. The more references you consult, the better your chances of getting accurate information. Don't just consult Wikipedia for your information. Yes, it might take longer to do all of the necessary research, but in the end, you will get closer to the truth, a worthy goal.
The key to discerning an accurate source, to determine what to believe, is to question everything. Question motivations, knowledge levels, biases and more. Don't accept anything at face value. Yes, it takes more time to do this, but it pays off in the end by providing you better and more accurate answers. That questioning can help you trust your source more. For example, the longer you follow a writer, the better you will understand them, and the better you can assess their biases, preferences, and knowledge level. That will lead to a better bond of trust.
Besides questioning everything, you should also consult other resources and not just a single one. The more references you consult, the better your chances of getting accurate information. Don't just consult Wikipedia for your information. Yes, it might take longer to do all of the necessary research, but in the end, you will get closer to the truth, a worthy goal.
With the information overload found online, please remember that not everything can be trusted. Question everything, and seek as many references as possible. Trust and accuracy comes with time and effort.
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