Napa Cabbage Kimchi

Fresh cabbage softens under salt, then meets garlic, ginger, chili flakes and seasoning. Once the cabbage is packed away, fermentation continues changing its flavor. The sweet freshness of the vegetable becomes tangy and aromatic, with a different texture too.

In Korea, late autumn is a time to make and share kimchi for winter. The custom of Kimjang brings a year's preparations together, with families and neighbors caring for the meals to come. Autumn's harvest enters winter in another form.

In the traditional Death card, an armored rider moves forward carrying a black flag bearing a white flower; the sun is visible in the distance. The picture brings us to a difficult truth: some phases have ended, and life needs arranging again.

Kimchi meets this card in the real change that takes place in its ingredients. Cabbage remains its foundation, but its flavor and texture are no longer the same. Salting, seasoning and fermenting each have a process. A new flavor needs the right conditions and time.

If you are leaving a habit, a job or a familiar way of living, attend to what needs finishing. Consider which experiences still help and which methods no longer fit. It is all right to acknowledge what you will miss. Allow time for the goodbye, then gradually make room for a new routine.