Korean Bone Broth to Soothe the Soul

Seolleongtang, Korea's thick, milky-white ox bone soup, gets its characteristic color from hours and hours of boiling

Unlike clear bone broths, seolleongtang is an opaque, creamy white, achieved by boiling—not simmering—the bones, coaxing out all of the flavor, collagen, marrow, and fat. TMON/Shutterstock

It’s 3 a.m. on a December’s night in 1997, and I’m sitting in Gammeeok, a cozy restaurant on 32nd Street, Koreatown in New York City. Despite the hour, the restaurant is buzzing, full of late-night revelers wanting a bit of sustenance after a long night of drinking.

It’s bitterly cold outside, and I’m tucked into a comfy corner table with some friends. The rustic, blond wooden décor gives the restaurant the homely feel of a hanok, a traditional Korean house, and a savory, beefy aroma fills the air.