Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of coffee cherries that grow on trees in over 70 countries. Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Due to its caffeine content, coffee can have a stimulating effect in humans. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide.

It is thought that the energizing effect of the coffee bean plant was first recognized in Yemen in Arabia and the north east of Ethiopia, and the cultivation of coffee first expanded in the Arab world. Brazil is the world leader in production of green coffee, followed by Vietnam and Colombia.

The first reference to “coffee” in the English language, in the form chaoua, dates to 1598. In English and other European languages, coffee derives from the Ottoman Turkish kahve, via the Italian caffè. The Turkish word in turn was borrowed from the Arabic: قهوة‎, qahwah.

Researchers involved in an ongoing 22-year study by the Harvard School of Public Health state that “the overall balance of risks and benefits of coffee consumption are on the side of benefits.” Other studies suggest coffee consumption reduces the risk of being affected by Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, cirrhosis of the liver, and gout. A longitudinal study in 2009 showed that those who consumed a moderate amount of coffee or tea (3–5 cups per day) at midlife were less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in late-life compared with those who drank little coffee or avoided it altogether. The presence of antioxidants in coffee has been shown to prevent free radicals from causing cell damage.

Coffee may be presented in a variety of ways. Drip-brewed, percolated, or French-pressed/cafetière coffee may be served with a dairy product such as milk or cream, or dairy substitute (colloquially known as white coffee), or not (black coffee). It may be sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener. When served cold, it is called iced coffee.

You can find authentic Korean Coffee on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera (peaches, cherries, bird cherries, etc) in the shoots having a terminal bud and the side buds solitary (not clustered), the flowers being grouped 1-5 together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one side, and a smooth stone.

Mature plum fruits may have a dusty-white coating that that gives them a glaucous appearance and is easily rubbed off. This is an epicuticular wax coating and is known as “wax bloom”.

Plum fruit tastes sweet and/or tart; the skin may be particularly tart. It is juicy and can be eaten fresh or used in jam-making or other recipes. Plum juice can be fermented into plum wine; when distilled, this produces a brandy known in Eastern Europe as Slivovitz, Rakia, Ţuică or Palinka. Dried plums are also known simply as prunes, as if ‘prune’ signified merely a dried plum – however, prunes are a distinct type of plum, and may have predated the fruits that we know more commonly as plums. Prunes are also sweet and juicy and contain several antioxidants.

Plums and prunes are known for their laxative effect. This effect has been attributed to various compounds present in the fruits, such as dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin. Prunes and prune juice are often used to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system.

You can find authentic Korean Plum on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Fruit preserves are fruits, or vegetables, that have been prepared and canned for long term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves traditionally involves the use of pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used as well. The ingredients used and how they are prepared will determine the type of preserves; jams, jellies and marmalades are all examples of different styles of fruit preserves that vary based upon the ingredients used.

The term preserves is usually interchangeable with jam. Some cookbooks define preserves as cooked and gelled whole fruit (or vegetable), which includes a significant portion of the fruit. Preserves are whole fruits or large pieces of fruit in a thick syrup, often slightly jellied.

There are various varieties of fruit preserves made globally, and they can be made from sweet or savory ingredients. In North America, the plural form preserves is used, while the singular preserve is used in British and Commonwealth English. Additionally, the name of the type of fruit preserves will also vary depending on the regional variant of English being used.

You can find authentic Korean Dishes of Fruit Preserves on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

A grape is the non-climacteric fruit, botanically a true berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, drugs, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil. Grapes are also used in some kinds of confectionery. A grape is sometimes used as the symbol of conscience.

Grape domestication originated in what is now southern Turkey. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show the cultivation of grapes, and the ancient Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans also grew grapes for both eating and wine production. Later, the growing of grapes spread to Europe, North Africa, and eventually North America.

Grapes grow in clusters of 6 to 300, and can be crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green and pink.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 75,866 square kilometres of the world are dedicated to grapes. Approximately 71% of world grape production is used for wine, 27% as fresh fruit, and 2% as dried fruit.

You can find authentic Korean Dishes of Grapes on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is a small drupe approximately 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, dark red when fully mature, containing a single seed. Peppercorns, and the powdered pepper derived from grinding them, may be described as black pepper, white pepper, green pepper, and very often simply pepper.

Black pepper is native to South India (Malayalam:kurumulaku; Tamil:milagu;  Kannada:meNasu; Telugu:miriyam; Konkani:miriya konu, Marathi: Miri) and is extensively cultivated there and elsewhere in tropical regions.

The spiciness of black pepper is due to the chemical piperine. It may be found on nearly every dinner table in some parts of the world, often alongside table salt.

The word “pepper” is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit pippali, the word for long pepper via the Latin piper which was used by the Romans to refer both to pepper and long pepper, as the Romans erroneously believed that both of these spices were derived from the same plant.

Black Pepper (or perhaps long pepper) can cure illness such as constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heart disease, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, insomnia, joint pain, liver problems, lung disease, oral abscesses, sunburn, tooth decay, and toothaches. Pepper contains small amounts of safrole, a mildly carcinogenic compound. Also, it is eliminated from the diet of patients having abdominal surgery and ulcers because of its irritating effect upon the intestines, being replaced by what is referred to as a bland diet.

Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from the piperine compound, which is found both in the outer fruit and in the seed.

You can find authentic Korean Black Pepper on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Punch is a general term for any of a wide assortment of mixed drinks, either soft or alcoholic, often rum, generally containing fruit or fruit juice. The drink was brought from India to England in the early seventeenth century, and from there it was introduced into other countries. Punch is typically served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.

The word punch is a loanword from Hindi panch and the drink was made from five different ingredients: spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices. The original drink was named paantsch, which comes from the Parsi word panj for five. The word “five” ultimately from Sanskrit panchan-s.

Fruit punches, such as Hawaiian Punch or certain flavors of Kool-Aid, contain no alcohol. These may be used as drink mixers in cocktails.

In the United States and Canada, punches are extremely common among parties for college and university students. These punches tend to be highly alcoholic and made with cheap ingredients. Some even exclude water altogether and have 30% ABV or more.

In a large number of Caribbean, Pacific or Indian Ocean countries, punch is drunk as an apéritif before meals.

In Korean culture, sujeonggwa is a traditional punch made from dried persimmons, cinnamon and ginger.

You can find authentic Korean Fruit Punch on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Baesuk (Korean pronunciation: [pɛsuk]) is a variety of hwachae, Korean traditional fruit punch made with bae (배: Korean pear), black peppercorns, ginger, honey or sugar, and water. Originally, baesuk was served in Korean royal court cuisine, so that it was not spread to the public until the mid-20th century. Baesuk is also called isuk, and both terms literally mean “cooked pear” in Korean. A peeled pear is cut into several pieces easily to be eaten or prepared as a whole and then generally three black peppercorns are stuck onto the surface of each piece. In case of cooking Korean pear a whole pear without slicing, it is called hyangseolgo and sour and hard munbae (문배, Pyrus ussuriensis var.seoulensis) is used.

Baesuk can be served with a dash of yujajeub (유자즙, yuzu juice) mixed together. It is a seasonal food usually drunken cold just like other hwachae varieties but can be served hot. Baesuk is usually prepared and drunk in the summer or for Chuseok (Korean Mid-Autumn Festival).

Together with sujeonggwa (persimmon punch), baesuk is considered a representative Korean beverage. Due to the similar recipes of the two beverages, baesuk is sometimes called “baesujeonggwa”. Baesuk is usually served as dessert and also considered a good remedy for the common cold. The beverage is widely popular in South Korea because of the moderate sweet flavor and easy recipe.

You can find authentic Korean Baesuk on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers of the species Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, which are most popular in East Asia.

Chrysanthemum tea has many purported medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza, acne and as a “cooling” herb. According to traditional Chinese medicine the tisane can aid in the prevention of sore throat and promote the reduction of fever. In Korea, it is known well for its medicinal use for making people more alert and is often used to waken themselves. In western herbal medicine, Chrysanthemum tea is drunk and used as a compress to treat circulatory disorders such as varicose veins and atherosclerosis.

In traditional Chinese medicine, chrysanthemum tea is also used to treat the eyes, and is said to clear the liver and the eyes. It is believed to be effective in treating eye pain associated with stress or yin/fluid deficiency. It is also used to treat blurring, spots in front of the eyes, diminished vision, and dizziness.

Although typically prepared at home, chrysanthemum tea is also available as a beverage in many Asian restaurants (particularly Chinese ones), and is also available from various drinks outlets in East Asia as well as Asian grocery stores outside Asia in canned or packed form. Due to its medicinal value, it may also be available at Traditional Chinese medicine outlets, often mixed with other ingredients.

You can find authentic Korean Chrysanthemum Tea on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Job’s Tears are known by “Yulmu” in Korea. They are sometimes also referred to as Coix Seeds.

Job’s Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), Coixseed, adlay, or adlai, is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant of the family Poaceae (grass family) native to East Asia and peninsular Malaysia but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics.

In Korea, a thick drink called yulmu cha (literally “Job’s tears tea”) is made from powdered Job’s tears. A similar drink, called yì mí shǔi, also appears in Chinese cuisine, and is made by simmering whole polished Job’s Tears in water and sweetening the resulting thin, cloudy liquid with sugar. The grains are usually strained from the liquid but may also be consumed separately or together.

In both Korea and China, distilled liquors are also made from the grain. One such example is the South Korean liquor called okroju, which is made from rice and Job’s tears. In Japan, an aged vinegar is made from the grain.

You can find authentic Korean Yulmucha on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.

Hyeonmi cha (literally “brown rice tea”) is a tisane made from roasted brown rice.

To make hyeonmi cha, brown rice (typically short-grain brown rice, Oryza sativa var. japonica) is washed, then roasted in a pot. Then water is poured into the pot, brought to a boil, and then simmered for approximately ten minutes. Finally, the leftover brown rice is filtered by a sieve and the beverage, which may range from pale yellow to light golden brown in color, is served in a cup, mug, or bowl. While it is generally served unsweetened, sugar or honey may be added according to the taste of the drinker.

Although hyeonmi cha may be made from scratch by toasting one’s own rice, pre-roasted rice is available commercially in Korean grocery stores, both in Korea as well as overseas, in plastic packages.

While in restaurants the tea is typically strained and served without any grains of rice, when prepared at home a few grains may be poured from the pot into the cup. The rice remaining in the pot is generally discarded rather than eaten or reused for any other purpose.

You can find authentic Korean Tea on many Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles.