Korean Food Blog

Rice Cakes Between Wonju and Seoul

2009-07-13T14:32:00.002+09:00

Last weekend we drove to Gyeongju, a beautiful tourist spot, for a triathlon. It rained...a lot. We decided to take a new route home and found ourselves in horrible traffic. Eric saved time by driving on the shoulder and flashing his emergency lights. (The Korean "I'm Sorry" signal.)
As usual, merchants emerged selling rice cakes:
These rice cakes resemble the Quaker plain rice cakes, only larger and more rice-like. We opted for food at the next rest area. We both ate Western fast food. I had the chicken sandwich:

Of course, it had a "food story."

It contained mustard, cabbage, and a relish-mayonnaise sauce. Normally I would have avoided the condiments. It's funny how I've become less picky now that I can't communicate special requests.
For dessert we shared our delimanjoos, the custard-filled corn cakes:

As we neared the Banpo bridge, we saw that the lower deck was COMPLETELY flooded:

Normally this bridge has an upper AND lower deck. Also, the bike path was completely submerged! Worst flood we've seen here in four years. I'm glad we were out of town for the weekend.

Hotteok Good-bye

2009-07-13T14:30:00.001+09:00

With only an hour of free time, my friend and I decided to go to I-Park mall. She said good-bye to her favorite bun lady and DVD man. We bought one final hotteok. It was cold and dry, the worst we had ever eaten. Definitely a sign that now is the time for departure. Thirteen more days!

Sangria Good-bye

2009-06-24T17:36:00.001+09:00

I had a good-bye potluck with a few nice ladies from my office. We ate a mix of Korean and Cuban foods. The Korean foods included gimbap and bulgogi. I made my "famous" berry crisp. The best part of the meal (other than juicy work gossip) was the homemade sangria! I'll miss nights like these. I'm sure I won't make as many friends in Kansas. Not to mention the dearth of Korean products!

Now I'm Thinking About It...

2009-06-24T17:35:00.001+09:00

I had forgotten about the melamine scare until I purchased these crackers in Hong Kong. Great way to ruin my appetite!

Chinese Dinner - Hong Kong

2009-06-24T17:30:00.005+09:00

Before the yoga conference started, we took the Star Ferry to Kowloon:We ate at a dim sum restaurant. We shared sweet-and-sour breaded fish: Vegetable and rice wraps:

Crispy fried dough:

Tangy cucumber skins:

Hot tea served in water glasses:

My friend's sister, a prominent yoga instructor in Korea, ordered seconds of everything! For petite Korean women, they ate a lot!

I was surprised by people's eating habits at the conference. Many people skipped breakfast, believing that the food would impair their yoga practices. (We practiced strenuous yoga four hours in the morning.) Others merely ate salads or nibbled on carrots for lunch.

I brought my own food and ate hearty oatmeal, protein powder, deli sandwiches, Chinese buns, and Odwalla bars. One day I followed my teacher's advice and skipped breakfast. What a mistake! I felt extremely hungry and ultimately ate more food than usual. I guess my friends ate such a huge Chinese dinner because of their daytime eating habits!

Update

2009-06-08T12:15:00.002+09:00

I'm down to 6 weeks in Korea. My friend and I created a "Korean Bucket List" of everything we want to do before we leave. Once we start on that bucket list, I'll have more photos! Also, anticipate some posts related to my Hong Kong trip.
Here are a few random Korean food items:
-The PX was out of Centrum. Older Koreans love Centrum, especially bottles with American labels. My friend from the states sends them to his grandmother here.
-My SO competed in a long distance triathlon in Jeju over the weekend. The finish line lacked fresh, cold water! His only choices were hot soup, tea or coffee on a hot day! That's what he gets for finishing too fast!
-Yesterday I sampled Australian moscato and red sweet wine....at the grocery store! Heineken beer was also available to taste.

Good-bye at Berlin and B1

2009-05-25T11:30:00.009+09:00

Saturday night was ladies' night dinner at Berlin in Itaewon. Sadly (or happily) everyone will be moving soon.

One person received her dish ten minutes before the other dishes. I've noticed that Korean restaurants often serve food with no regard to timing. I don't know how many times I've eaten my appetizer with my main course or while my husband watches me hungrily. The reason? Since Koreans normally share dishes (pancheon, grilling meats, etc.), timing is unimportant. We joked that our friend should not wait for our meals to eat. As the oldest person at the table, she was suppoed to eat first by Korean culture!

We shared two pitchers of sangria. In Korea, the younger person should pour drinks for the older person. You should never pour your own drink. Here is one of our designated drink pourers:
After dinner we strolled to B1 to meet the guys. (They were having their own dinner.) We drank Suburbans (my friend's signature drink from her bartender days) and snacked on a cookie gift box from Shinsegae Department Store:

A few minutes later the guys came downstairs. My husband was carrying his protein shaker bottle! In a bar!?!

Daegu Olympic Triathlon

2009-05-18T11:51:00.006+09:00

Despite the rain, we drove to Daegu for an Olympic triathlon. I had a meal of hobak juk:

And a tiny piece of bread:Plenty of beta carotene but not enough calories! Later I bought a red bean bun at Family Mart. We stayed at a love hotel. Usually love hotels charge by the hour, and you have to pay cash. Instead of a key, the clerk buzzes you up. The parking lot entrance is shrouded with a tattered plastic curtain for car privacy. The rooms have always been really nice, though I don't know who would use the community toothpaste and hair brush!

Anyway, the weather was perfect the next morning. I swam and biked just for the chance to run:Every lap I passed a table of choco pies (a staple at Korean races), bananas, gatorade, and water. The race is too short for a choco pie, in my opinion! My SO swears by the Korean cake rolls for his long runs, though.

Every athlete received a meal upon finishing:The meal included seaweed soup, rice, vegetables, kimchi, and breaded meat cutlets. When I briefly walked away from the meals, an old man approached and picked up one of the boxes! I hurried back and grabbed the box from his hands. He looked as confused as I was. Then he used hand gestures to ask me to get him his own box! Mind you, he was not in the race. I pretended I did not understand.

In retrospect I should have given him the meal. I didn't eat it. Concentrated calories and simple sugars are best directly after a race. From what I've seen at Korean races, people either don't know or don't care about optimal recovery. Perhaps the Korean post-race meal is for celebration, not recovery. In which case, the meal was perfect!

Hwaguesa Temple

2009-05-18T11:48:00.001+09:00

I spent a Sunday afternoon at Hwaguesa Temple, near Bukhansan: A monk greeted us in French and led us to an eating area for foreigners:

Everyone else ate in the noisy outer area. Our meal included rice and various sidedishes and fruit:

We accidentally sat at the "monks only" table and ate their black bean rice cakes and oranges:

Since you should eat everything you take, I filled my bowl conservatively. Mushrooms, pineapple, tofu, and rice:

The meal was free, so I wondered how many hikers stopped merely for the food. Donations, of course, were welcome. After the meal, we headed upstairs for 1:30 of meditation. Talk about challenging. I much prefer a 4am meditation to a food coma post-lunch one!

Brigade Spring Ball - Hyatt Hotel

2009-05-02T18:18:00.002+09:00

Last night we attended a military function:My vegetarian dish was a mixture of mushrooms, pastry, and vegetables: Initially I received the beef plate, which my SO quickly grabbed and scraped on his plate. Actually, he managed to eat double the portions for every course. He even drank two water glasses at a time!

My last military function for quite some time!

Nine Course Chinese Meal

2009-05-02T18:02:00.003+09:00

The conference gala included a fancy Chinese dinner. I had hoped for Malaysian food. (I hadn't eaten Chinese food since my trip to Beijing in 2001.) I loved the multiple courses. We had plenty of time to socialize.
In the beginning, I sat at a table of American dietetians. Then I saw the appetizers arrive. Meat, meat, and more meat:
A server dished up our portions for each course:

Soon after receiving this meaty plate, I followed another dietetian to a vegetarian table full of Indian ladies. The rest of our courses contained mock meat. I had forgotten that texturized protein could have so many different flavors and textures (not all good).

Roasted mock chicken:

Wok-fried fresh mock prawns:

Mushroom and vegetable stir fry, the best course:

Dessert was a chilled soup of gingko nuts, red dates and white fungus. Several ladies skipped this course and headed to Hard Rock Cafe instead. Thousands of miles from home, and we still go to American chains!

AODA Conference - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2009-05-02T17:29:00.005+09:00

I have been looking forward to the American Overseas Dietetic Association convention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the past two years. I enjoyed meeting American dietetians working everywhere from Venezuela to Thailand. The big buzz words at the conference were vitamin D, probiotics, and prebiotics.
I ate plenty of papaya and red-fleshed dragonfruit. I had red finger tips every morning!

Between lectures we snacked on Malaysian foods.We also enjoyed free food samples, one perk of a dietetics career. Yakult is a Japanese probiotic drink. This weight loss supplement was everywhere. How could you miss the not-so-subtle advertisting?
Malaysians include durian in many products, including chocolate. You can also find durian vendors on the street. If the ground is sticky and the air is pungent, you've reached a durian stand.

A baby pineapple:

A mix-it-yourself beverage with grass-like ingredients at Central Market.

Fruit drinks and fried food. Vendors dunked dough and meat into batter with their bare hands. Messy work!

Ggaman kong drink hits the spot

2009-04-29T20:25:00.002+09:00

Ggaman kong means black bean. As a drink, it's delicious! I can taste roasted beans in every sip. The drink contains no sweetener. My friend says this drink is popular here.
I drank mine at Gyerong Station, near Daejon:

This tea hit the spot after a dehydrating weekend at the buddhist temple.

Musangsa Temple Stay

2009-04-29T18:47:00.007+09:00

I enjoyed my brief weekend at Musangsa, a buddhist temple near Daejon. This temple was perfect for foreigners, since most of the monks were European or American. In fact, I met a few twenty-something American monks. (Do they write "unemployed" on their income tax forms?)
I expected strict rules based on a booklet I had read. I knew the food would be vegetarian, based on local produce, and free of onions, garlic and other spices. (Perfect for me!)
The first night we ate in silence on individual mats. Fortunately they served pasta and sandwiches along with Korean food. I chose carefully because we had to eat everything. At the end of the meal, the monks filled their empty food bowls with warm water, swished it around, and drank it. I sneakily wiped my bowl with a napkin and went to bed thirsty.

The next morning after at 3am wake-up drum, 108 bows in the Zen Room, morning chanting, and 1:20 of sitting zen, I enjoyed gruel in silence:

The gruel was a tasty mix of grains and pine nuts. Side dishes included peanut butter, soy sauce, kimchi'i, radishes, beans, and tofu.

I could barely stomach another meal in silence. I guess we were supposed to focus on our food. Instead, I yearned for social contact. Fortunately, after this meal and some chores we had a second breakfast. We shared lively conversation about movies and ate chocolate, homemade pizza, fruit, and tea. One monk made a Polish fruit-and-nut concoction to share.

Fortunately on Sundays the lunch was open to the community and thus very lively. The monks ate in silence at separate tables. Here was the monk spread (eaten with rice, of course):

Here is a view of the mens' table from the outside:

One thing missing was a drinking cup. If we didn't drink from our dirty bowls then we went thirsty. I know that in many countries people do not drink water with meals. Americans, though, are drinking water anywhere, all the time, these days.

Anyway, our meal included salad, Korean pancakes, side dishes, and rice:

We also ate pumpkin rice cakes:

Don't be misled - they might be called "cakes," but they are not sweet!
We also ate this delicious corn chowder:

In our free time we took walks. We found the temple's kimchi'i pots:
And watched several older ladies pick this plant (ssuk), an ingredient for some green-colored rice cakes:

I hope to return again in June or July!

Why No New Posts?

2009-04-19T18:06:00.002+09:00

The time has come to bring my blog to a close. We're leaving in a few months. My interest in Korean foods has waned as my focus has shifted towards my next home. Since my area will have a Lotte Mart, I'll be able to buy my favorite snack foods. I'll abstain from the photo-taking though!
This blog will end, but I will keep writing. My friend and I have been discussing plans for a new blog. I might have to steal her ideas again if she doesn't write anything!

April 4 - Eight Year Anniversary

2009-04-19T17:35:00.003+09:00

My husband and I celebrated our eighth anniversary with a pasta/pizza dinner at Timo in Itaewon. I had pizza with sweet potato piped on it like icing on a cake. Before dinner we took our annual "reminiscing route" around Itaewon. In 2001 on my first Saturday night in the "ville," I met Eric at Pancho's (then Nickleby's). He gave me his number on a napkin! A week later we met near the Hyatt, a hotel between our apartments. We had our first date at this nightclub: Our "route" starts at Eric's old apartment and follows a narrow, steep path to my old apartment. Then we continue towards Itaewon, where we pass each significant bar and tell stories about the old days. We thought we should have drinks and go dancing at Spy Club, but we've passed that phase in life. Instead, we were home by 9pm and up early for a duathlon!
Much different from the old days, when we drank Kool-aid and soju from cut-off soda containers (Mandy) and ate greasy egg sandwiches from the same old lady's cart (Eric).

Laver Lament

2009-03-15T17:16:00.004+09:00

I thought I'd add laver, a kind of seaweed, to my diet for the iodine. I rarely use table salt, the primary source of iodine for Americans. Of course, I consume salt in processed foods, but that salt is not iodized.
Here are different types of seaweed for sale in Myeongdong. They may be seasoned, salted, or well-oiled.
Seaweed is ubiquitous in foods here. I always brush the green bits aside, though. I found a small pack at a convenience store:It sat in my cabinet for months until I decided to open it for a blog picture! I know people love rice with laver. In fact, you can buy it as a snack at convenience stores. I just can't do it, though, despite the health benefits. Maybe I should have been exposed to more foods as a kid.

Ladies Night - Mexican Potluck

2009-03-15T12:38:00.005+09:00

Not Korean food, but food nonetheless. I hosted my first ever ladies' night on Saturday:Everyone prepared foods from scratch. My friend concocted a "Mexican salad dressing" with cheese, lime, and peppers. We used fresh lime and homemade simple syrup for our strong margaritas.

Here we are before our dinner. We're all leaving within the next four months, and this dinner was a "good-bye" for some.

My dinner plate: chicken enchiladas, salad, refried beans, Spanish rice. I made the refried beans myself using good old bagged beans. It makes a BIG difference.

After dinner we played a get-to-know-you game. The winner won this 'regifted' item. Some of you may recognize it as my husband's Lunar New Year gift! Note the missing bottle.

We finished our meal with fresh cut fruit and this low-fat flan. Delicious!

Chopsticks on the Cheap

2009-03-11T18:29:00.002+09:00

Another Saturday afternoon of shopping at Insadong: We bought handfuls of these natural wood utensils for 1000W each ($1 ~ 1520 won). The mini spoons will be perfect for appetizers and spreads. Wooden chopsticks are perfect for me - I struggle with the slippery metal ones!

Gum

2009-03-05T19:18:00.005+09:00

Here is a unique gum flavor:

Mangosteen contains xanthones, antioxidants that could have health benefits. As usual, more research is needed. (Antioxidants have proven financial benefits, though, for the functional food industry.) The astringent rind houses the antioxidants, while the flesh only provides flavor.

It has been used for traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. However, the U.S. would not import it until 2007, when fruit irradiation was allowed.

Here are some other gums:

Energizing label:

I can just smell the rotting fish with this vivid name:

Sharp shape:

OK...I will now go back to my Orbit.

Paying the Phone Bill

2009-03-05T19:00:00.007+09:00

My friend and I walk to the KT building from work to pay our phone bill. We always take the same route and stop at the same stores.
Narrow one-way street:
Walk-up coffee on the one-way street:

Outdoor refrigeration (Not 40 degrees F, however...thank goodness!):

Upscale, modern buildings smothering old charm:

One of many convenience stores where I buy my popcorn. Many stores have plastic lawn chairs and tables for the customers:

Finally, KT Plaza, where we waited a mere 10 minutes:

The infamous double barber shop poles. I've heard that double-poled places are off limits. Are the rumors true?

Family Mart, where we always buy grain drinks and chat with the clerk in English (he likes it):

We added a new stop on our route - a Tous les Jours bakery:

The store was warm and buttery. I have a mild butter phobia and didn't last long.

Trays and tongs to select baked goods. Should tongs be used for wrapped items?

Recently we learned that we can pay our phone bill at any convenience store, not just the KT store. We decided to walk there anyway. Habits are hard to break!

Gyeongbok Palace - Starch Attack

2009-03-01T17:41:00.003+09:00

On Sunday we returned to Gyeongbokgung for an English-language tour. I enjoyed walking around the King's Quarters barefoot. Food venders lined the palace's exterior wall:

Chestnuts are a nut by nature but not by nutrition. The chestnut's high starch content rivals that of the potato. It's low in fat and a good source of vitamin C and iron. A 100-g serving has 201 kcals, 45 g carbs, 1 g fat, 3 g protein, 47% of vit C, and 12% iron. For comparison, 100-g of baked potato contains 21 g carbs.

Another vendor actually sold potatoes (and grilled squid):

The potatoes reminded me of the greasy potato sticks my sister loved as a kid. Do cold, thin-cut, oily fries taste good? Crusty, thick-cut, seasoned steak fries with a ramekin of ketchup sound better to me!

En Route to Okinawa

2009-03-01T17:34:00.003+09:00

Eric took a business trip to Okinawa last week. He called it the "hidden Hawaii of Japan." Sounds tantalizing! Even though these photos aren't Korean, I like the fact that he took them just for me.Eric survives on curry pork cutlets every time he races Ironman Japan: A Korean food court listed cutlets as "Western food." I would never consider a cutlet an American food, though we do have some breaded meats that resemble cutlets. The breaded pork and rice combination seems like an "Asian food" to me.

Myeongdong Shopping Break

2009-03-01T17:27:00.002+09:00

Saturday's cool weather was perfect for outdoor shopping at Myeongdong. My friends and I rested at a cafe. Like European cafes, Korean cafes sell alcoholic beverages AND teas. I opted for the citron tea (yuja cha). Made from the lemon-like yuja, this tea is a comfort drink for the sick. Sweetened with sugar and honey, it's the perfect mix of sweet and sour. The marmalade-like mixture is sold in jars. I love the chewy rinds that lurk at the bottom of the glass. My friend wanted a sip. She has a jar of citron tea at home, but they use it on toast, not as tea!
We also ate complimentary snacks:

Peanuts with sweet, seaweed-infused sticks. I love the sweet-and-savory taste of Korean snack foods.

On the other hand, I do not like the buttery, light nature of Korean cakes. Looks pretty, though!

Water Fountain at National Palace Museum

2009-02-17T12:14:00.003+09:00

This week we perused the National Palace Museum for our Sunday afternoon activity. It contained documents and other items from the royal family. As you can see, we were among the few people there: I loved the water machines with the paper cup dispensers:

The "cup" was actually a two dimensional envelope that can be filled with water. Trouble is, I had to refill it ten times to satisfy myself!

Valentine's Day Chocolates

2009-02-15T18:58:00.003+09:00

In Korea women give men chocolate for Valentine's Day. We watched the ritual several times while enjoying red drinks at the Seoul Hyatt. Our friend gave us chocolates too:One month later, on White Day, men return the gesture by giving candy to women.I guess my self-made holiday, Analog Holiday, is not really unique after all. On this day I treat my husband to his favorite "man" things. We celebrate it on January 14, one month before V-day. I'm not sure if he likes it as much as I like V-day!

Pancakes and Pizza

2009-02-14T11:58:00.003+09:00

My friend Angella and I have started cooking together. She brings ingredients to prepare a Korean food, and I prepare something American. Last night we made pizza and Korean pancakes. I made the whole wheat crust in advance. Here we are chopping food for our recipes: Angella purchased a ready-made Korean pancake mix, pre-peeled onions, zuchini, and leaves:

You can make the Korean pancake with any vegetable or seafood. Here is the mix:

Angella created her own pizza for the first time. I showed her how to flatten the dough and add the accoutrements. We always eat BBQ chicken and pineapple pizza, but sometimes I throw old leftovers on the top.

Angella taught me how to fry and flip the Korean pancake. We did not have the right ladle, spatula, or frying pan in our American kitchen. She managed fine, though. We made a simple dipping sauce of sesame oil and low-sodium soy sauce. Since we only had two pairs of chopsticks, I used a fork with mine. It felt really strange; Korean pancakes are meant to be eaten with chopsticks. Angella taught Eric how to cut the pancake with the chopstick. I used the pizza cutter on mine.

Here are the final products:

Now I feel confident enough to make the pancakes myelf, probably from scratch. I don't know if Angella will attempt the pizza. Good mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce are difficult finds here. Next time we're going to bake sweets!

Baby Formula Bonanza

2009-02-10T07:21:00.007+09:00

I explored the baby food aisle to compare products to those I issue through the WIC program. WIC provides jarred baby foods; Emart did not carry them. I think many Korean parents make baby food by themselves. I know that they serve mashed rice to their babies at six months.
Formula was plentiful and expensive. Emart uses security devices on its formulas:
I had never seen locked formulas before, though I had heard of such security measures in low-income areas.
WIC provides cow's milk- or soy-based formula. Emart carried goat's milk formula:

Goat's milk formula is supposedly more easily digestible and less allergenic. Allergic babies should only take goat's milk formula if approved by a doctor. It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to find in the United States. Parents use soy or special hypoallergenic formulas

for babies with milk allergy. Another unique product was colostrum:

A mother produces colostrum the first week or so after giving birth. It contains more protein, salt, and antibodies than regular breastmilk. It also has less fat and fewer calories. Colostrum is one benefit of breastfeeding; bottle-fed babies don't receive it, at least not in the United States. I've seen colostrum at supplement stores (body builder's milk) but never in the baby aisle.

A mixed vegetable powdered "formula":

I was tempted to buy this one for myself. Why not? My friend bought the colostrum for herself!

Daeborum - Full Moon Foods

2009-02-08T19:28:00.004+09:00

Yesterday was daeborum, the first full moon of the lunar new year. On this day, Koreans eat certain foods for health and vitality. Traditionally the foods provided the vitality that farmers needed for the farming season to come. I tagged along while a friend shopped for the foods at Emart. Here are the foods she bought:
Rice cakes (upper lefthand corner) made with rice, fruits, and chestnuts:
Vegetables (naemul) and rice (a mix of several types and red bean). The red bean gives the rice a reddish-brown color. Here are the pre-made options:

They must eat an odd number of vegetable dishes. Ideally, they should eat them eleven times in one day.

Multi-grained rice by the bag:

The vegetables were harvested during the previous season. They are dried and rehydrated for this meal. They can also be purchased fresh:

The vegetables are mixed with oil and mild seasonings. Walnuts and peanuts may also be eaten.

Here's to good health this lunar new year!

A Fruit Cart in Itaewon

2009-02-08T17:16:00.004+09:00

Last weekend we headed to Crown antiques in Itaewon. We stopped at a fruit cart because we always get sidetracked by food. This one featured pomegranates and dried and fresh persimmons on his cart. Who can resist a fresh, dried persimmon?

Puffed Rice Cakes - A Stigmatized Food?

2009-02-07T10:56:00.002+09:00

Rice cakes are a stigmatized food in the U.S. They're the food a dieter forces herself to eat as a "healthy replacement" for chips or cookies. In Korea rice cakes seem to be a popular snack food. Street vendors sell them. You can hear the characteristic "thwack!" as a new rice cake pops out of the machine. E-mart sells them too: Surprisingly, no one is sampling the rice cakes. Usually you'll find several aggressive older Korean ladies huddled around a sample plate. Sometimes it seems they are eating a meal, not sampling.
Anyway, you can find plenty of variations, from grain type to size:

I heard that some Korean women follow a rice cake/popcorn diet to lose weight. Perhaps rice cakes are a 'stigmatized food' in Korea too. In my opinion, rice cakes are a waste of time to eat. They have empty calories, and, by filling your stomach with them, you won't eat nutritious foods.

Not the Jack-o-Lantern

2009-02-06T06:27:00.005+09:00

When I can't go to Lotte Department Store food court for my favorite hobak juk, I eat the boxed version. Here I am stocking up on porridges at E-mart:I had always assumed that pumpkin (the Halloween decoration on American front porches) was the primary ingredient, as indicated by the name. I guess I never noticed the small green squash on the lower right hand corner of the box!It turns out that pumpkin refers to kabocha squash. According to Wikipedia, kabocha goes by "Japanese pumpkin" in Southeast Asia and "kabocha squash" in North America. Over 90% of American-grown kabocha is exported to Asia. I can see why - it's the main ingredient for a variety of products.

Candy: A dish resembling potato salad:Rice cake filling:Here is the kabocha squash in its natural state. Though low in calories, it can be filling. It's a great source of fiber and beta carotene.Cutting and peeling can be difficult. E-mart sells them stripped-and-skinned: I cut it in half and bake it at 385F for 30 minutes. Then I eat slices of it plain for a snack. The peel is edible.

Discovering the kabocha opened a new world of vegetables: the squashes. They're so nutritious and easy to prepare. They can sit for weeks until you have the motivation to eat a vegetable!

Korean Women & Infant Nutrition Practices

2009-02-02T12:48:00.004+09:00

I discuss nutrition with Korean families on a daily basis. I try to be culturally sensitive because some Korean practices differ greatly from American ones. Here are a few examples based on my experience, not research:

-In Korea bottlefeeding until 18 months is the norm. After 18 months the baby transitions to specialized "baby milk." Some Korean mothers are shocked when I say their baby can drink "adult milk" at 12 months.

-Some Korean parents want to feed their children American foods. They think the child will be bigger that way.

-Koreans do not like the baby to go outside until 100 days after birth. Some parents are irritated when they have to bring their newborns here.

-Babies drink rice or barley water at age three months or younger. If the baby wakes up at night, the mother feeds the baby rice water. (Rice or barley water is the water remaining after grain preparation. This water offers minimal, if any, nutrition. The barley water might have some B vitamins.) According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, formula or breastmilk provides enough fluid until a baby starts eating. Only in certain circumstances would a baby need water otherwise.

-Formula is more expensive in Korea than in the United States.

-A new mother follows a special post-pregnancy diet. It forbids certain foods, such as kimchi'i, and includes seaweed soup. This diet supposedly encourages breast milk production. The military hospital used to offer seaweed soup to new mothers. Breastfed babies can become colicky when their mothers eat gas-forming foods such as cabbage. Eliminating kimchi'i makes sense, though I imagine that the mother only does so temporarily. -In the past, Korean women tried to gain as much weight as possible during pregnancy. Some women would gain 100 pounds! This practice has changed, though. A weight gain of 25-35 pounds is plenty for a woman of normal BMI.

Lunar New Year Gift

2009-01-26T18:57:00.002+09:00

Koreans give gift boxes for lunar new year. Eric received this one from an employee: A couple's apple wine box!
For man...for woman

It contained multiple bottles of apple wine of different strengths, along with three shot glasses.

Perfect for our next get together.

Ddeokguk Soup for Seollal

2009-01-26T11:57:00.006+09:00

Lunar new year or Seollal is on January 26 this year. Koreans visit family, wear hanbok, see the first rays of sunrise, give gifts to kids, show respect for parents, and eat ddeokguk soup. No one works today, and Korean employees don't even work tomorrow!

We decided to try ddeokguk soup, a mixture of seasonings, rice cakes, and mandu. My friend prepared two versions, a rich, pork mandu for the guys, and a light, kimchi mandu for the ladies.

She topped the soup with egg white or yolk strips and dried seaweed:

The snowy weather was perfect for hot soup:Everyone is one year older upon eating the soup. The soup also provides good luck.
The soup was absolutely delicious! The mandu was so tender, and the broth was flavorful.

Our hostess purchased the side dishes (and mandu) from a local vendor. They included fish, meat, and seasoned spinach, bracken, sprouts, and an unidentifiable vegetable. The wife of our host's boss provided the kimchi'i. She prepares 100 cabbage heads worth of kimchi'i each year! Talk about spicy.

We ate Korean cookies and dried persimmons for dessert. The cookies are deceiving. Though light and airy, they're saturated with oil and sugar. We spent the next five hours chatting and playing Rock Band. Talk about carpal tunnel syndrome! By the time we left, we were ready for dinner!

Happy New Year!

Starbucks Saturdays

2009-01-25T12:16:00.003+09:00

I study for my personal trainer certification almost every Saturday at Starbucks. Usually I meet my study friend at the "Itaewon West" location.
In 2001 during my first stay in Korea, cafes were rare. This time however, a new one seems to open every week. In fact, two Starbucks have opened in Itaewon since my arrival in 2007, making a grand total of three!
Post already has two locations of its own. The on-post locations feel American. The off-post ones have Korean touches: green tea scones, no sugar free options, liquid sugar. The Korean ambiance is there: noisy, crowded, hot, and multi-storied. The smokers have their own section, a glass enclosed area with the best view and the most natural light. To use the free internet, one must have a Korean identification number. The Korean Starbucks also have recycling bins for lids, cups, liquids, and everything else: This weekend Eric made a surprise visit:And promptly feel asleep in his chair!

The Fruit Man Near Yongsan Station

2009-01-20T12:25:00.002+09:00

My friend's favorite fruit man was out late on Sunday night. One bag for 2000 won!They've been pretty bland so far. I hope he threw at least one sweet one in my bag!

Tteok Cafe Jilsiru

2009-01-20T11:57:00.007+09:00

We had to try the rice cakes after visiting the museum. Each rice cake cost 1500W or about $1.10. So many choices! We drank persimmon leaf tea rich in vitamin C:The tea was disappointing. I could have prepared a cup at home with a leaf cutting!Potted herbs and lit, scented candles sat on each table. The place was quiet, even relaxing, a rarity for a Korean cafe.Our plate of rice cakes (from left to right) included dense black bean, dense pumpkin and seeds, green tea round, and citron acorn. The citron rice cake, our favorite, tasted like a fresh orange. I loved how the rice cakes were halved despite their small size.A sweet, green tea paste filled the green ball. I swear the powder is ground black bean and not dirt!

Would rice cakes have a place in America's 'Starbucked' culture?

Tteok Musem in Insa-dong

2009-01-19T18:18:00.005+09:00

Since I enjoy Korean rice cakes so much, I decided to visit the Tteok Museum. The Institute of Korean Food has exhibits on two floors. We considered taking the school's cooking classes, but I don't envision myself making time-consuming foods like tteok.The first floor displayed utensils used to prepare rice cakes. Some of these tools were commonplace in kitchens as recently as 20 years ago!
One version of rice cake involves pounding the steamed rice in a mortar:Other methods of preparation include steaming, frying, and boiling. Rice cakes were never baked since Koreans lacked ovens. The rice blobs are formed into different shapes. Round, flat, and acorn shapes are common. An imprint or decoration might be pressed on the flattened surface. The rice cake below is the same size as a standard birthday cake!As the name suggests, rice is the primary ingredient, but other grains may also be used. The cake often has a flavored center or mix-ins, including beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, flowers, dye and herbs. Rice cakes are usually mildly sweet, but may also be part of a savory soup. The texture is gummy and sticky, somewhere between gnochi and a marshmellow. Some rice cakes are denser than others. Historically, only aristocrats could afford rice cakes. As tools advanced, commoners also began to eat them. Rice cakes became an important part of ceremonies and holidays. For example, children throw a large party to honor a parent's hoegamnye or 60th birthday. They must set a sumptuous table of food called mansang, which means "a table to gaze at." I did not believe it until I saw a historical picture of mansang. Wouldn't it be too tempting to pull a cake from the center row?Another important ceremony is ancestor worhip. Living family members offer foods or other items, called jesu, based on custom and finances. The offerings may be made at the burial site or elsewhere.
A specific rice cake is associated with each season and most holidays. Instead of listing them here, I will post about them as time passes. With Lunar New Year on January 26, 2009, you can expect a post soon!

"Knife Noodles" in Myeongdong

2009-01-17T18:26:00.008+09:00

After several hours of shopping in Dongdaemun's shoe alley, we headed to a famous noodle place in Myeongdong: The menu had three items: a spicy noodle dish, a noodle soup, and pork dumplings. According to my friend, who watched a TV program about this restaurant, the noodles require careful preparation. The cook must pull the dough into long strands, bend it in half, and pull again. Eventually, the dough might be stretched into 100 strands! Then the cook cuts the long strands into edible pieces with a knife.
The noodles are aptly called kalguksu or "knife noodles":

The hostess directed patrons to an upstairs or downstairs line. I've noticed that all places with a "as seen on KBS televison" sign have monstrous lines. Fortunately, we arrived before the dinner crowd:They had quite a system going to keep the line moving. We ordered and paid upon being seated. Within minutes, this plate of steamed pork buns landed on our table:

The sole pork-eater in our group ate the entire plate! Too bad, because he was full by the time our kalgaksu arrived:
We ordered our noodles without ground beef. My friend spooned out a small portion for me. She instructed to eat the noodles first and then add rice to eat the broth. (Can I have some protein with that starch???):I don't care for most pastas, but these tender noodles were delicious! The broth was mildly spicy and deeply flavored. In retrospect, I wouldn't be surprised if MSG or one of its disguised relatives was a prime ingredient. Not only did I have soup-breath until the following morning, but I also had swollen lymph nodes and fatigue. (Please don't think I'm overreacting!)

Anyway, this red papper sauce was the dish's approved condiment:

Hidden drawers held chopsticks and spoons:

After this meal, I could understand ice cream's popularity in Korea!

Green Buns in Dongdaemun

2009-01-06T12:12:00.002+09:00

Most of the shops in Dongdaemun were closed over New Year's weekend, but I still managed to buy something new:

Green tea buns filled with sweet red bean!

The bun was hot, filling, and well worth the 1000 won. The texture of the green-dyed bread resembled that of damp bread with big air holes. The red bean provided most of the flavor.

I was happy that I could finally try a steamed bun. They're normally filled with "mystery meat" that I will not eat. Red bean filling is my favorite fiber source!

Hot Porridge on a Cold Day in Bundang

2009-01-04T18:48:00.007+09:00

Eric and I spend Sunday afternoons together. We take turns planning an activity. This past weekend we visited an upscale neighborhood that he discovered when cycling. The street was quiet, not crowded, tree-lined, organized, and clean:We stopped at Bon Juk for a snack. The sign advertised black bean juk because Koreans traditionally eat this porridge one day in December.

Due to lean economic times, we shared a bowl. Fortunately the bowl was huge!

We alternated bits of kimchi'i with spoonfuls of porridge. I didn't like to mix the two items. The porridge tasted like beans - no spices, little salt, no sugar. It also contained glutinous rice balls, the tastiest part.

After our snack we returned to the bus stop. I couldn't resist this photo of contrasts: a love hotel (aptly called Hotel Novios) nextled between expensive high rise apartments.

At least unfaithful spouses and unwed young people need not travel far from home!

Lunch at Khao Sak National Park

2008-12-31T21:50:00.005+09:00

We took a one day tour to Khao Sak National Park, a rainforest in Thailand. We used no energy to see the park: a guide canoed for us, and an elephant stomped through the jungle with us on its back. However, we were still starving by lunch time.

Our group shared this delicious, well-displayed Thai meal:

Shrimp and vegetables in a sweet sauce & green curry with chicken: Vegetables and chicken in oyster sauce:
Vegetable, chicken and tofu soup:

Star-shaped rice:

Dessert was the standard pineapple, watermelon, and tangerine spread. If a restaurant in the middle of the jungle can serve delicious food, why was Patong's food so terrible?

Tropical Fruits

2008-12-31T21:47:00.004+09:00

I tried four new fruits in Thailand:Red guava (center) was delicious! The texture and flavor were to die for. One guava contains four times the vitamin C of an orange. It's high in antioxidants, beta carotene and fiber too.
The white fleshed fruit with a green layer was crunchy and flavorful. Unfortunately, I don't know its name.
Dragon fruit or red pitaya (top) was my favorite fruit last year in Thailand. Don't be fooled by its unusual black seeds and zany exterior (see below) - this fruit is quite bland, just the way I like it! Its texture reminded me of watermelon, and its tasted slightly like vanilla or coconut.

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)
Dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, just like guava. It's actually the fruit of a cactus!
Jackfruit (right)...I'm not sure where to start with this fruit. First off, I just learned that jackfruit is another name for the infamous durian. If I had known I were eating durian, I would have been more hesitant. (Everyone knows that ripe durian smells nasty, so bad that carrying it on airplanes is illegal in Asia. The fruit is also very expensive and messy to cut.) Of all the fruit I purchased, the jackfruit was the only one I left behind. Something about the chewy texture and sharp, overly sweet taste made it difficult to eat.
I quickly learned that the yellow flesh hid a walnut-sized seed. The seed can be cooked and eaten like a chestnut.

Jackfruit is the largest fruit grown on a tree. According to Wikipedia, some jackfruits weigh 80 pounds and measure 10 inches in diameter! The fruit's interior contains the flesh-covered seeds.

I hope I can find delicious guava and dragon fruit at home. It's a shame that we are stuck in an apple-orange-banana world in the United States. Then again, Thailand is stuck in its pineapple-jackfruit-dragonfruit world. We all need to expand our horizons!

Patong's Carre Four

2008-12-31T21:36:00.005+09:00

We stocked our room with groceries from a local Carre Four. We weren't the only ones with the idea; the place was teeming with foreigners! Like any supermarket, this one had food departments. Here is the one for dried fruit ranging from strawberries to figs:

A variety of tofu products:The foreign food section, where Jif peanut butter cost $6:Happy meat:The infamous durian, the expensive, smelly fruit loved by raw foodists. Don't try to take one home - it's illegal to travel with them:Happy with our purchases: Our breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner foods for five days (we supplemented with protein powder):

As soon as we left the store, tuk tuk drivers descended upon us. Our ride cost $6 for a mere 2 miles! No choice in the matter, as I was too tired to haggle:Believe it or not, we were eating peanut butter sandwiches up to the last day in Thailand. We're such creatures of habit!

Curries & More in Thailand

2008-12-31T21:23:00.006+09:00

We ate out every night for dinner. Normally I ordered a green or Massaman kaeng with chicken. I liked to order the same thing each time to compare the flavors.Massaman curry is a good choice for beginners due to its mild taste. The name means "Muslim curry" due to its origins in the Muslim-populated south. Ingredients include cinnamon, tamarind, cardamom, chilli, cloves, turmeric, chicken, and potatoes.

A variation of Massaman curry, the Massaman curry pizza:

Curries aren't exactly a health food. An important ingredient in curries is coconut milk, which contains unhealthy saturated fat. Curries are also high in calories thanks to the coconut milk (and other oils). When I eat a curry dish, I eat the solids and a small amount of liquid. I'm sure I ate a year's worth of saturated fat during our trip. (I had curry for every meal!)

A beautifully displayed pad Thai (wrapped in egg):

The four condiments used to season pad Thai:

Sweet - sugar

Sour - vinegar

Hot - red chili powder sauce

Salty - sliced chili sauce

Pad Thai is made to be seasoned. I always thought the dish was flavorful "as is" until I added condiments. What a flavor explosion!

Morning snack on our guided tour of Khao Lak National Park:

Banana-based products taste better in Thailand. I couldn't resist this dense, mildly-sweetened banana-coconut muffin:

As you can tell from these photos, we ate most of our meals in our room. More on that subject later!

Random Foods in Thailand

2008-12-31T20:59:00.006+09:00

Happy New Year!

Here are some items that caught my eye in Thailand. We spent a few nights on Ko Phi Phi, where the nightlife rivaled the beach life. Vendors sold buckets containing a can of soda, an alcohol flask, and two straws. Simply pour the liquids in the bucket for an evening's worth of drinks: Other vendors sold Thai pancakes, which resembled crepes. The toppings, such as coconut or shrimp, were all Thai:

Pouches of Thai curry for "take-away":

Eggs for sale on the dry goods shelf:

Produce for sale in the Thai part of Ton Sai, a tiny village:

7-11 sold unwrapped locally-made sandwiches. Simply reach in and grab one:

A plethora of vitamin drinks containing everything from collagen to CoQ10:

These drinks were only about $1 each. ($1 = 33 baht)

Holiday Ball and Time for Pee Pee

2008-12-23T05:06:00.004+09:00

Our final holiday party of the season was a military holiday ball. The military band played jazzy music, and I won a free manicure. The invitation said "business-formal," but women still wore dramatic ball gowns. I, on the other hand, followed the rules of business-formal, other than the open-toed shoes. Fortunately I had a hand-me-down red dress from my mom, since I'm not one for shopping:The food was standard holiday fare: The stuffing and sweet potatoes were delicious! No Korean food on hand other than kimchi'i. As tradition dictates, we had plenty of toasts:

And also a brigade cake:

Tonight we leave for our trip to Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. Though unrelated, I will post about Thailand's exotic fruits. I'm already craving a certain fruit with white flesh and small, black seeds. I ate it every day during our Koh Samui trip last year. I might post about main dishes, too, if I can handle the spices!

Juk at Lotte Department Store

2008-12-20T06:00:00.003+09:00

On Friday night I met a Korean friend in Myeongdong, a crowded shopping district: We always meet by the stage. This time it was decorated in red, and holiday music was playing:

We walked to Lotte Department Store, where we ate in the food court. Department store food courts in Korea serve tasty, quality food in a pleasant environment, unlike American mall food courts.

We ordered our meal at a cashier station and presented our receipt to the restaurant. My friend asked the ladies to fill our bowls to the brim!

Two bowls of thick pumpkin juk with winter kimchi'i:

The main ingredient seems to be kabocha squash, not "hallowe'en" pumpkin. (More on this squash later.) Juk is the perfect meal for a cold, winter's night!

Korean American Friendship Gift

2008-12-20T05:46:00.005+09:00

On Friday the Korean American Friendship Committee delivered gifts to hospital departments. The box said "Fru Story...when you wish to send your sincere heart":

I love the way Koreans use the English language. I'm not sure I even understand what this phrase means. The more I read it, the less sense it makes! My question is, do Koreans write this way on purpose, or is something lost in translation? Anyway, the box contained individually-wrapped apples and persimmons:

The crisp Fuyu next to its squishy Hachiya cousin:

I guess the aptly-shaped Hachiya could symbolize giving one's sincere heart.

E-mart and Buns

2008-12-19T05:31:00.004+09:00

On our walk to E-mart, we have somewhat of a ritual. First we look for the lady selling Korean popcorn or the man selling persimmons. Then we walk past the numerous tents of street foods and always vow to take photos next time. We always smell at least one rotten or sour odor. We sneak looks down the vacant street of the "red-light district," where doll-like women pretty themselves behind glass windows. On our return trip, we stop by the bootleg DVD tent to check for the latest seasons of our favorite TV shows. Finally, right before crossing the street, we stop at this tiny shop for steamed buns:Due to language differences, we never know what fillings the buns contain. All we can do is point and hope for the best:

I guess the surprise is part of the fun! (Note to my family: No, I do not partake in this surprise.)

Dream of Dark Chocolate

2008-12-19T05:27:00.002+09:00

Chocolate lovers in Korea can describe their favorite chocolate down to the percentage of cocoa: For those of us looking for a health benefit to eating sweets, 72% cocoa is a healthy choice. The darker the better, since health-boosting flavonoids give chocolate its dark color. Also, look for cocoa butter as an ingredient rather than palm or coconut oil. Though cocoa butter contains saturated fat, its effect on blood cholesterol is neutral. This reputable website recommends no more than seven ounces per week.
I prefer supplements, fruits, vegetables, or certain teas for antioxidants. I'm not a choco-holic,though, so I could care less about chocolate. Nevertheless, I did buy the 72% chocolate, and it tasted fine. I'm still a lifelong vanilla fan, though!

Tea & Treats at Insa-dong

2008-12-19T05:13:00.008+09:00

After a chilly shopping day at Insadong, we stopped a tea place. This tea place sold tteok (Korean rice cakes) instead of the standard muffins and cakes. We smuggled in our own sweets, the ginger (left) and sugar (right) candies from a street vendor:
I tried a sugar one in the spirit of my Korean food blog. Of course I didn't care for the sweetness or aftertaste so I spit it in my napkin. (Unlike at Sancheon, where I simply returned a bitten kimchi fritter to the community bowl.)
(Photo courtesy of Studio Sans.)
We warmed ourselves with tea: citron, plum, and Chinese quince to be exact (from left to right). The server gave us a metal thermos of hot water to top off our tea cups. Thank goodness, since the teas were so sweet.
The menu contained all sorts of health claims for these teas, a no-no in the United States. For example, my plum tea supposedly treated constipation (probably true), and another tea addressed type II diabetes (not sure about that one).

After tea, we stopped by a popular shop where young, outgoing, attractive Korean guys make candy. The process requires two people. The first person mixes sugar/honey with starch. He pulls and tugs the blob until it forms thin strands:

The second person plops a scoop of sweet red bean and nuts onto the strands. Then he uses a pair of chopsticks to spin the strands around the red bean. The finished product is a small, white stringy soft "candy" with a bean/nut center:

If you're lucky, they'll give you a sample. If you're female, they'll probably demand that you eat it straight from their outstretched chopsticks!

Baker's Annual Cookie Party

2008-12-14T11:15:00.005+09:00

Yesterday afternoon we went to the Baker's for a cookie party. I made brownies from scratch for the first time. I always add a 'secret ingredient' when I cook to add excitement. This time I put a mashed banana in the batter. The brownies were so moist and flavorful! I received several compliments. (Even though I accidentally left foil on the bottom of the brownie squares.)
By the way, brownies are very easy to make from scratch. I will never use a box mix again!
Back to the party. Platters of cookies, ranging from coconut-chocolate chip bars to biscotti lined the tables.

Chocolate biscotti on the lower left, flavorful Spearmint mints in the center, walnut tea balls at the top, a store-bought cream puffs at right.

Pecan tart and my mug of mulled wine.

English toffee bars, oatmeal raisin cookies, a soft flan-style dessert, frosted pumpkin cookies, and, to my delight, sliced fuyu persimmon!

Hearty chocolate-peanut butter-oat cookies, snickerdoodles, and the pumpkin cookies.

I'm glad the party was during the afternoon this year. It gave my body enough time for digestion! Next year I would like to find a healthy holiday cookie book. I really do prefer to make and eat healthy treats, even during the holidays. I figured a mashed banana would provide a small quantity of fiber and potassium this year.
Thank you to the Bakers for a great afternoon!

Race Day Foods

2008-12-13T12:46:00.005+09:00

My favorite specialty of dietetics is sports nutrition. Hydration and nutrients are key components of a successful long distance event. Marathon and long distance triathlon events always have food and fluids available on the course. At the end of the event, athletes are usually showered with free samples, snacks, beverages, even a hot meal. Gels, gatorade, bananas, oranges, bagels, pretzels, flat Coke, water, Power Bars, and hard candies are typically seen on the course. Athletes basically need water, sugar, and, in some cases, salt. They need concentrated calories because appetite tends to decrease, and sometimes the GI tract motility decreases. Gels and gatorade are perfect - quick, portable, easy. After a race, again, the athlete needs quick calories. High carbohydrate, low fiber items (bagel, banana, gatorade, bars, recovery drinks) are the best choices. A bit of protein is also helpful. Cold beverages can cool the body. Fluids with a 7% sugar solution allow for the fastest absorption.
Like American races, Korean ones provide sustinence. However, many of the items seem to be based on culture and taste rather than on sports nutrition research. Also, it seems like Korean men like to "tough it out" and endure discomfort rather than rely on nutritional supplementation. Strange, but true. Perhaps the suffering is more honorable to Koreans? From what we've observed (after three years of the Korean triathlon scene, and, to some extent, the marathon scene) many Korean athletes know very little about sports nutrition.
Unfortunately for them, gels are very expensive. I probably wouldn't spent $2.50 for one gel either! Also, variety is extremely limited.
And now I digress for a moment to show you a food-related picture of a different sort. At the Gapyeong triathlon, the course was near a river. My friend's kids were throwing stones in the river and staring at a family on a picnic. The family was grilling squid and invited the kids to join them! The kids readily accepted, despite the language barrier. Koreans seem to love foreign kids.

So...back to culture and tastes.One race day staple is the choco pie. For some reason, these high-fat, sugary cakes are standard issue items. I read somewhere that the Korean military gives choco pies to new soldiers after they've completed a portion of training. For that reason, choco pies are considered a comfort food. Perhaps they are psychologically (but not physically) nourishing. I've also seen cookies, crackers, and herbal drinks along courses. After races, watermelon soup is typically served via metal ladle by an ajumma. The soup contains watermelon chunks, juice, 7-up, and ice. Again, based on what I discussed earlier, this so-called soup is a poor recovery food. Hot green tea and coffee are also available, no matter the time of year. Athletes usually receive a free, boxed Korean meal too. Korean food can be tasty at the right times. Post race is not one of those times. Who can stomach spicy food on a hot day after a four hour race? Not to mention the fact that rice, oil, kimchi'i, and green leafy vegetables provide too much fiber, bulk, and fat. I guess that rice on its own would be okay, though.

Bananas and skinned, whole cucumbers are also available:

I guess Koreans think that watery vegetables (fruits?) are the best recovery foods. Athletes do need water, after all. However, the 50 calories from a cucumber would probably not cover the energy needed to pick up and eat the thing! Not to mention the fact that it would be filling enough to reduce food consumption.

In the next few years I imagine that Korea's sports nutrition companies will explode like Gatorade and Power Bar in the United States. The market is ripe for reasonably-priced (and nutritionally advantageous) products!

Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant

2008-12-07T13:17:00.010+09:00

Despite the extremely cold weather, a few friends and I ventured to Insadong for lunch. Our destination was Sanchon, a Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. I loved the narrow alleyways leading to the restaurant: We never would have found this restaurant on our own. Fortunately, we happened to find the Sanchon food store on the main road. From there, we saw a sign for the restaurant.

(Above photo courtesy of Studio Sans)

We removed our shoes at the entrance and placed them in cubbies. Then the hostess led us through this spacious area to our table:

Sanchon serves a standard 20-dish meal for a reasonable 22,000W (about $15.20) at lunch. The menu varies according to season and revolves around Korean vegetables from the mountains or woods. We received a paper menu that listed the courses. The reverse side contained a New York Times article from 1986 about the place. According to the article, the owner was a Buddhist monk from age 14 to 32, where he learned the ins-and-outs of temple cooking.

Anyway, back to our lunch:

Before I could remove my coat, a server placed several dishes on our table. The bowls were made of a reddish-brown wood from the zelkova tree. (Traditionally a Buddhist monk carries a set of wooden bowls.)

(Photo courtesy of A.Z.)

The appetizer, lower left, was a porridge of barley and vegetables. It tasted mild and refreshing. The bowl on the right contained winter kimchi. The watery broth was deceiving; the contents were quite spicy. (For my tastes, anyway!) The little vermicelli wraps contained radish, mushrooms, peppers and other vegetables. A dipping sauce added flavor. We had unlimited tea for beverage.

Next came seven wild vegetables, each with their own seasonings. The center dish contained a mix of greens and tofu.

Then the servers brought a slew of dishes. At left, lettuce with a tasty dressing and, at right, kimchi. In the back, another kimchi that my friends loved (and I spit out!)

At top, a green vegetable that might have been cilantro. At left, a mildly sweetened mix of giant mushroom caps and a root vegetable. At right, a root that has been pounded and seasoned until edible.

At left, fried kelp. What a great source of iodine, among other nutrients. At right, seasoned mushrooms.

My friend served a stew of mushrooms, radish, and tofu. Noodles at left and fried seasonal vegetable pancakes at right.

More fried food: seasonal vegetable fritters (lotus root, mushroom caps, and potato)

Side view of a fritter. Fortunately the wooden chopsticks were much easier to use than the typical metal ones!

The seasoned root and a mangled pancake.

And, finally, a dessert of sticky rice pastry. The puffs were very light and chewy in the center.

What an enjoyable and interesting meal. The variety of foods was pretty exhausting. I think I've had my fill of Buddhist vegetarian food for the time being!

Persimmon, the Korean Mango

2008-12-07T12:20:00.003+09:00

I had never seen a persimmon until this year, even though California is the #1 persimmon producer in the United States. The two main types are Hachiya and Fuyu.
Hachiya is heart- or acorn-shaped. Because of the high tannin levels, Hachiya persimmons must be fully ripe before consumption. Koreans call this persimmon hongsi. Ripe hongsi are so soft that Emart sells them in plastic containers. The ripe fruit is really so soft that you can scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Make sure you don't eat the white part near the seeds, unless you want constipation.As you can tell from the orange color, persimmon is an excellent source of beta-carotene, the pre-cursor to vitamin A. It's also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C and manganese. That amorphous mass has about 118 calories, most of it from sugar.

The other main type, Fuyu, is short, squat and non-astringent. It resembles a flattened tomato. Koreans call it dan gam.

Unlike the Hachiya, the Fuyu can be eaten when firm or when soft. (I dare you to try a firm Hachiya!)

I travelled to Emart to find persimmon products. The produce department carried dried persimmons or gotgam:

Supposedly the persimmon vinegar (gamsikcho) has holistic properties:

Another persimmon beverage, sujeonggwa, is a traditional Korean drink. It contains spices and dried persimmons. Here is the canned version:

Enjoy persimmon season!

Eating out in Tokyo

2008-12-04T18:04:00.006+09:00

We ate out twice during our stay in Tokyo. First we ate at a fusion restaurant. I had the seasoned fish:Literally, I had the fish. No bread basket, no side of vegetables, no potato option. A mound of scraggly vegetables and potato shavings blanketed the palm-sized portion.

Eric ordered the chicken curry:

He was surprised to find the meat still on the bone! I found the plump bright-yellow yolk to be remarkable. Japanese hens must eat a rich diet!

The last night we ate at a typical mom-and-pop establishment near our hosts' home.

Mushroom caps and fresh chicken were on display:

Speaking of uncooked meats, the restaurant served raw liver. Considering the toxins processed in the liver, I had no appetite for that specialty.

We ordered a series of random dishes.

Fried chicken:

Onions:

Green peppers (yes, I know, really simple stuff!) &
Stew of chives, potatoes, turnips, chicken skins, and grizzled meat:

Needless to say, I ate my real dinner when we returned home.

The next day we were in a rush so we purchased bento boxes, sushi, and rice wraps from the local supermarket:

The ingredients - salmon, chicken, rice, vegetables, tofu, egg - were quite healthy. However, like most Japanese food, it was a bit salty, and the portions were small. I really think I would lose weight if I had to eat Japanese style. Fortunately, I ate both before and after our Japanese meals! I think I have a diet book in the making here.

We concluded our Japanese food experience with in flight bento boxes:

Because of our Japanese weekend, I was more open-minded about the food. I actually opened the bento box and tried the sweet rice cake. On our flight to Japan, I didn't even break the box seal!

Ice Bar TOKYO

2008-12-02T15:25:00.002+09:00

Nothing like Absolut vodka drinks in a below-freezing bar: Our drinks were served in cylinders of ice made in Sweden. I had vodka-banana liquor-mango juice and a vanilla vodka-blue curacao-pineapple juice drinks. Since we were only allowed to stay inside 45 minutes (and because I was freezing cold), we guzzled our drinks.The Tokyo night was balmy after we left this place!

The Market - JAPAN

2008-12-01T17:54:00.004+09:00

Food portions in Japan were very small. Even the mini muffins were half the size of American mini muffins:Each muffin was the size of a quarter!

The supermarket sold a variety of sushi (right) and wrapped rice (left). In the United States, the wrapped rice cost $6 for three. However, they were a mere $1.80 for six in Tokyo. Everything else, though, was expensive.

Tempura for sale by the piece:

Beverages (again note the sizes):

Neatly wrapped and displayed produce:

Though other products were small, the fruit was huge, even by American standards. The produce is harvested in Japan and available based on the season.

Note the fruit's sugar content. All fruit was labeled this way.In Japan, people bag their own groceries. Americans simply purchase too many groceries at one time for this method to work.

Genmai Flakes - JAPAN

2008-12-01T17:39:00.002+09:00

One morning this breakfast cereal greeted me at breakfast: Apparently Kellogg's creates cereals to appeal to Asian countries. Not surprisingly, this cereal, called genmai glakes, contains brown rice.

Here is a tasty recipe using the cereal as a salad base. With recipes like this one, it's no surprise that Japanese are so slim!

Happy Thanksgiving from Tokyo!

2008-12-01T17:20:00.002+09:00

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving! We spent ours in Tokyo with friends. Yes, another American meal with nothing to report.

Fish Bread

2008-11-23T19:34:00.004+09:00

Cold weather indicates the beginning of fishing season. By fishing, I mean finding a street vendor who sells pang ap bang. Pang ap bang literally means "bread without fish." The fish-shaped cooked dough is actually filled with sweet red bean, not fish paste. It costs 1000 won for three. (Less than a dollar these days, with a rate of 1401 won per dollar as of Nov 30.)

Too bad I missed out on these sweet treats last year. The fish shape scared me away!

Food Expo at COEX Exhibition Center

2008-11-23T19:14:00.006+09:00

On Sunday Eric and I took the Metro to the COEX mall. First, I wandered around the food court. A special Red Mango with self-serve bits of fruits to top frozen yogurt. Pinkberry in Southern California is a spawn of Red Mango. I always wondered who created such an odd name for a frozen yogurt place. Now it makes sense, given Korea's penchant for off-the-wall English names. The frozen yogurt is sour and low in calories.

Each fast food place had its own water cooler.

Here is the peaceful, airy food court.

Next, I headed to the Food Expo, while Eric explored a cycling expo. I paid 3,000 won to look at foods offered by different vendors. It was the perfect event for a food service manager. Many people were taking photos of the products, so I felt at home.

A few items stood out.

Red yeast rice:

Black Garlic:

Fresh Rice Cakes:

Carefully bagged lettuce locked in a display case:

Mixed rice and seafood cups:

Traditional Korean Rice Cake Display:

Random Potluck Items

2008-11-23T18:26:00.003+09:00

On Saturday night we had a potluck & games night at our apartment. Everyone brought food to share: Nothing to describe since everyone brought American food.

However, a few guests shopped on the economy. I thought one guest had brought a bag of pebbles for decor:

Actually those colorful pebbles were sugary chocolates!

I suppose they are "natural foods" because of their rocky appearance?

Here is a cake from Paris Baguette, a popular bakery:

Korean cake tends to be too light and sugary for my tastes. I never appreciated American cakes until I tried the ones from Korea. (We still appreciated a dessert, though!)

And, finally, cans of Korea's own Cass beer with a lemon twist. What is the "sound of vitality" mentioned on the label?

Tea Time

2008-11-20T19:50:00.004+09:00

One day I was at a Korean friend's house, and she gave me a glass of cold tea. Its mild taste resembled that of whole grains. When I asked her about it, she opened her freezer and gave me a baggie of twigs. She told me to boil the twigs in a pot of water to make the tea. Koreans use it as a diuretic, she said. This baggie has been sitting in the back of my freezer for the past six months. Somehow I can not muster the courage to boil sticks in water. Maybe next time we go camping I'll give it a try. It seems like an outdoor activity.

Fortunately, E-mart sells a pre-made version: Speaking of tea, a new contractor stopped by my office. She gave me to packets of tea, which she had trouble describing in English. One is a green tea with brown rice (two of Korea's most popular ingredients) and the other is as yet unidentified:

I've never been much of a tea drinker. It tastes bitter and leaves a film on my teeth. However, I actually enjoy the different Korean teas. It's fun to see how many products I can try with green tea!

Piano Man Does Korea

2008-11-17T18:33:00.004+09:00

On Saturday night we went to Olympic Stadium for a Billy Joel concert. I hadn't been to an indoor concert since MC Hammer in the late eighties! Anyway, here was the view of the stadium, where Seoul also hosted the Olympics in 1988:For some reason, I assumed that the food vendors would sell standard stadium fare - burgers, beer, pizza, fries, hot dogs. Instead, vendors sold street food from makeshift stands:Concert-goers dined on ramen, tteokpokki, soup, extra greasy dough-covered hot dogs, and canned Cass Beer. Could you imagine trying to take a bowl of soup back to your seat?

Special Starbucks

2008-11-17T18:20:00.002+09:00

Supposedly, the Insadong Starbucks has the only non-English sign in the world. Roughly translated, it says "Suh-tah-buk-suh Kuh-pee."

Rice Cake Gift Box

2008-11-16T12:40:00.006+09:00

I received an unexpected gift at work from some Korean vendors:A box of Korean rice cakes or tteok!
Of course I sampled everything right away. I took a few bites of each one. Because the texture was gummy and dense, it was difficult to eat much more. The pale orange one tasted like fresh pumpkin, mildly sweetened. The second one tasted like rice seasoned with soy sauce. I did not care for it.

The third one looked unappetizing but tasted wonderful. Mashed black beans surrounded a tender, rice cake center. A few green peas added color and a mildly sweet flavor.

This multicolored, dense rice cake was bland and extremely gummy. I spit out my bite. Maybe it would be better with a sauce?

And, finally, my favorite cake: coconut covered sweet rice cake with red bean filling. Delicious!

Hike to Ulsanbawi (Ulsan Rock)

2008-11-11T20:00:00.009+09:00

The next morning we purchased breakfast at a mom-and-pop convenience store. I found two healthy items, Dr. You's "Hi-Protein Bars" and Kellogg's whole grain crackers with sesame seeds. (I also drank a protein shake from home.)

The Nutrition Facts label included the calories for the crackers plus milk. I've only seen milk included on food labels for cereal in the United States.

The Dr. You brand seems to have cornered the market for healthy snacks. I wouldn't even call the snacks 'healthy.' Rather, like other so-called healthy snacks, they are an improvement over other processed, machine-made foods.

We started the morning with a tram ride to a mountain top (elevation no more than a few thousand feet). We were on the first tram to the top! No crowds for us. The lady at the snack shop was shaping hotteok dough. I would have bought one, but our return tram arrived.

Next we hiked to the top of Ulsanbawi, where we had a great view of the valleys, neighboring towns, and beaches. It was rainy so the trail was empty. We didn't pack snacks or drinks because we knew the trail was very developed.

In fact, the snack stand below resembled some restaurants in Seoul, plastic chairs and all:

A fresh stream of water kept these beverages cold (See the non-liquid snack item in the mix?):

I was surprised to see the eggshells and other trash next to the grill: Alcohol and ramen seem to be popular trail foods (above left in photo).
On the way back, ajummas beckoned us to buy chestnuts. We saved our appetites for snack bar foods at the tram's building. Eric played it safe with waffles, coffee, and a ham sandwich. I played it safe, too, with the bibimbap:

I scraped off the uncooked yolk and gim (seaweed), though. Raw egg consumption can lead to salmonella food poisoning, at least in the United States. Should Koreans be concerned, or are Americans too hygienic?

Mr. Pizza Loves Women

2008-11-11T06:54:00.008+09:00

That evening we stayed at a $25 dollar-a-night motel near Outer Seorak. We decided to drive back to Seokcho, the closest large town, to find a pizza place. We scoured the city until we finally found one block with a Mr. Pizza, a Bueno Pizza, and a Pizza Hut (which we unfortunately did not notice until after dinner).
We chose Mr. Pizza. The hostess lead us to our seat. A few minutes passed until an English-speaking server could be rousted out of the kitchen. Here is a picture of the menu cover:

Apparently, Mr. Pizza loves women and knows how to please them. He serves ingredients that women love: dough with wheat from Canada, fresh cheese, beef from Korea or Australia (NOT the U.S.).

Mr. Pizza even did a survey to determine women's favorite ingredients. He then created a speciality pizza with women's faves. Eric chose a dull-looking spaghetti plate: He called it "spaghetti from a can." The pickles added an interesting touch to the meal. Ironically, I chose the women's pizza before learning about Mr. Pizza's survey.

The pizza contained fresh mozzarella cheese, vegetables, spicy chicken, mashed sweet potato, golden crust, and swirls of blue cheese sauce. I said anyo to the blue cheese sauce. The pizza was tasty in a spicy, flavorful Korean way. Fortunately, the "golden crust" referred to the sweet potato stuffed in the turtle skin. Delicious!

After the meal, we both went to the bathroom. Since Mr. Pizza loves women, the women's bathroom was spacious and furnished with a comfy couch. And, since he knows women, he even stocked the women's bathroom with a mouthwash dispenser:

According to Eric, no such amenities for the men!

Sunday at Seorksan National Park

2008-11-10T20:06:00.004+09:00

Thanks to a holiday weekend, Eric and I headed to Seoraksan National Park for a few days. I was amazed by the beauty and serenity of the park. What a needed break from the hustle-and-bustle of Seoul.

I loved how the rest areas became quaint and deserted the farther we drove from Seoul. (A typical rest area contains hundreds of cars and buses, bathrooms with fifty stalls, and people everywhere.) At this convenience store, men drank tiny paper cups of coffee while huddled around a table. Eric actually needed to use his Korean language skills (and the universal language of hand gestures) to order his cappuccino.
The seating area doubled as a stock room for fresh produce:

We stopped by Naksan Beach for lunch at Buy-the-Way market. We avoided local restaurants based on the plethora of seafood places. Even the souvenir merchants were selling fish: We hiked to a Buddhist temple overlooking the ocean. Hikers lined up to taste the fresh water on tap:

Four metal ladles hung next to the fountain. Though I'm used to ladles by now, I'm still surprised by the number of people who actually use them.

Variations of a Theme

2008-11-07T18:47:00.000+09:00

Bibimbap is the "safety" food I order in Korea. It's simply rice, vegetables, egg, the occasional meat, and red pepper paste. The variations, though, are endless. Bibimbap even varies according to region. Jeonju Bibimbap tops the list of varietals; many restaurants specialize in this style.
Jinju Bibimbap is famous for its small quantity, and Tongyeong Bibimbap uses a lot of salted raw seaweed and seasoned cooked radish. A region's speciality produce can usually be found in a bowl of its bibimbap. This hearty, hot version contained squid and mushrooms. Mom and Aunt Bev ordered it by themselves at Seoul Tower.

The big black bowls contained large helpings. This version included the typical vegetables. Sandy and I found this place during one of our evening walks in Itaewon.

This cold bowl contained ground beef and few vegetables. I had to ask for a meat-free bowl. We ate this dish at a rest area during the DMZ tour.

These cold bowls tasted great after a hike to the summit of Bukhansan!

And, finally, a healthier bibimbap nouveau - note the colorful, fresh vegetables. Instead of white rice, barley and mushy cornmeal were served. This place was hidden on a side street in Samcheondong.

Hallowe'en Night in Itaewon

2008-11-01T18:06:00.001+09:00

We put on our costumes and headed out to Wolfhound, a popular bar on an Itaewon side street. Festive orange jell-o shots with extremely cheap vodka. Only $1.50 each. I think the sign even advertised them in dollars! (Side note - the awesome exchange rate has now dropped down to 1234 won on the dollar from a high of 1484 on Tuesday.) Chugging down the shots with my friend.
Our next stop was The Bungalow, where we found a private room. This place was pretty dead, but the music was loud. Fortunately we could ring a door bell to receive service.

Back on the street, we saw a Mexican food court competing with the typical Korean food tents. Perhaps a hot dog stand (Koreans love hot dogs) or pizza stand (for the East Coasters) would be more successful. How many people crave an empanada at 2:30AM?

As for us, we headed to our old stand-by, McDonald's. All of us claimed we were only eating there due to a lack of options. I loved how Eric's bulgogi (beef) sandwich was neatly tucked into a cumberbund. So tidy!

Birthday Dinner & Drinks

2008-10-25T18:45:00.000+09:00

A group of friends joined me at Buddha Belly, my favorite Thai restaurant, for dinner. I had my typical favorites, a glass of sangria and the Massamon Curry. A Westerner owns the restaurant, and everyone speaks English. We don't struggle much with the language barrior in Itaewon.
In Korea diners do not tip the servers. Instead, the bill includes a service charge. In addition, a tax called the V.A.T. must be paid. We didn't have to pay that tax, though, because Meeran had her embassy tax exemption card!
Our table at the bar didn't come cheap: $270 for two bottles of Absolut vodka, a dish of lemons and limes, cranberry juice, and diet coke. Typically at Korean clubs one must buy an overpriced bottle of liquor for seating privileges.
At least the exchange rate has topped 1400 won per dollar!

Sandwich Islands

2008-10-08T09:17:00.000+09:00

I'm leaving for a 1-week vacation in Hawaii. If I see any Korean food, I'll take pictures and post. Otherwise, I might not be posting until next weekend. Feel free to leave comments in the meantime!

Korean Ginseng

2008-10-03T05:48:00.000+09:00

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Asian ginseng provides energy and stimulates male sexual function. It's a natural treatment for erectile difficulties. Native American cultures used ginseng for similar reasons. It's interesting that ginseng grows naturally in both Korea and the United States. However, the plant root is immensely more popular in Korea. Some stores devote their shelves entirely to ginseng-related products.
Once I tried a microwaved slice of honey-sweetened ginseng. It was delicious! I don't see myself buying one of these ginseng 'specimans,' though, other than as a souvenir. I wouldn't know how to prepare it.

The Anchor Bar Would Not Approve

2008-10-03T05:44:00.000+09:00

Eric and I had a few laughs over this sign after his birthday dinner. I hope this "diner" goes out of business soon. It really does a disservice to all the incredible diners in New Jersey and New York. First off, diner food would never be described as savory. Greasy, perhaps, but never savory. Next, as a Buffalo native, I had to laugh at the "wild buffalo wings." Apparently the Korean owners are unaware that "buffalo" refers to a location and not a type of meat! Do buffalo even have wings?
And, finally, a diner is a great place for a cup of coffee but not beer!
We generally avoid American restaurants. Servings are smaller, yet pricier and taste Korean. For Eric's birthday, though, we ate at Sortino's, his favorite restaurant. The food is excellent, but the cost is outrageous. For example, my polenta, the size of two card decks, cost $20! Come on, it's simply corn, water, oil, cheese, and a few spices! Eric usually needs to order to entrees to fill himself.
Yes, I must admit that I like American portion sizes. I love taking home leftovers and getting my money's worth. I understand that portion size doesn't need to be so large, but then again, shouldn't the price go down too?

Chicken Drippins'

2008-09-30T20:17:00.000+09:00

This lady sells fresh-cooked rotisserie chicken from the back of her bongo truck. This photo serves as proof of hygienic cooking practices: raw chicken at the bottom, lightly cooked in the center, and crispy-cooked at the top. My friend said she would not buy that chicken unless she knew the cooking order. Well, here is her proof. Now she can give it a try! 12,000W for two birds ($6 each).

On the way to the tanning bed...

2008-09-27T16:15:00.000+09:00

Every weekend I walk to the Green Turtle Salon to tan. I enjoy the walk, mainly because of the people watching. Here are a few of the food-related sites I see every time. (Note: I'm only tanning for an upcoming vacation to Hawaii!)

The non-touristy Itaewon sign. (All the tourists take photos of the Itaewon arch.)
Vendors prepare everything from iced coffee to hot tea from these carts. The vendor often sets up shop in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. The drinks are served in small paper cups. I'm not sure of the cost or sanitation of these products.
The vendors are always eating something. Usually an ajumma from a nearby restaurant will deliver food trays to the street-side vendors. This guy is always selling produce a few blocks from Starbucks. Everything always looks so colorful and fresh.
How does this ajumma balance the food trays on her head? Sometimes I see this woman crossing the busy street or making her way through the weekend crowds - - without using her hands! I love how she wears her kitchen apron out on the street, a definite no-no according to American food sanitation rules.
Trash piles are ubiquitous, while garbage cans are not. Phew...I've finally made it to my destination! This intersection is the busiest in Itaewon; I call it the "hub." Over the years, American eateries have taken over this building. However, don't be misled: though American by name, the atmosphere and the foods are distinctly Korean (more on that topic later).

Korean Popcorn

2008-09-23T18:24:00.000+09:00

Every month my friend and I walk to Korea Telecom to pay our bills. I always buy a sack of popcorn on our way back to work. If this popcorn were sold in the U.S., I would be a popcorn fiend. The popped corn is large and gently sweet, with no added oils. I didn't know that a natural popcorn could be so flavorful. I find it hard to believe that popcorn can naturally taste so sweet, but it does. Everyone who translates the label tells me popcorn is the only ingredient.
Convenience stores and street vendors usually sell the popcorn pre-packaged. You can find bags the size of large pillowcases for sale.
At first I thought that the vendors popped the corn themselves. Now I'm not sure since all the popcorn packaging looks the same.
The twist tie is the only safety precaution. In the U.S. one would not find popcorn packaged in this way. It would only be a matter of time before someone dumped staples or poison into one of the bags!

Food Pyramid at the Fair

2008-09-21T12:32:00.003+09:00

On Saturday I took my food pyramid gear to the Boys & Girls Club Community Fair. My station was in "Totland," an area with little kids' games. Though I have limited resources (including a lack of creativity) I came up with a simple game. The kid would blindly choose a food model from a bag. He then would tell me the name of the food and its place in the food guide pyramid. Then he would win a prize - a toothbrush, water bottle, stickers, or 5-a-day food tracker magnet.
I had no idea if the game was age appropriate. Some of the kids could answer quickly and easily. Other kids had to be prodded and pushed by their parents. One Caucasian kid could not identify a pancake. He said 'bread.' It turned out he was not allowed to eat junk food like pancakes at home!
An ajumma stopped by and attempted to take five boothbrushes. The nerve - she did not even play the game!
I wasn't sure if I approved of the juice boxes (corn syrup) and fruit chews (corn syrup) and candy given as freebies at the adjacent table. Other food options included hot dogs, popcorn, and soda. It's time to start adding healthier choices to these events. If childhood overweight and inactivity is such a concern, then changes need to be made at all levels.
Fortunately, a thunderstorm rolled in, and I was able to pack and leave an hour early!

Delimanjoo

2008-09-17T18:08:00.001+09:00

The sweet smell of freshly baked Delimanjoo cakes tempts me every time I transfer Metro trains at Samgakchi Station. Usually, the smell alone satisfies me, but sometimes I buy a small sack of the custard-filled mini cakes. I'm disappointed when the vendor hands me a pre-made sack; the best cakes are fresh off the griddle. That way the outside is crisp while the inside is hot and tender. The cakes aren't too sweet, and they're never greasy. One sack has about 320 calories according to the bag.
A small bag contains about 12-15 cakes (about 100 grams) and costs $2. You can only buy them at bus stations or subways, places that usually quell my appetite. Sometimes if you stand next to the griddle and look confused, the vendor will give you a free sample.
My mom enjoyed this treat but liked hotteok best. As for me, I like them all in moderation!

MY Bibimbap

2008-09-15T15:50:00.001+09:00

Bibimbap is one of Korea's most popular and well known dishes. The deep bowl a medley of vegetables, chili pepper paste (gochuchang), and a fried egg. Add rice, mix the contents thoroughly, a voila, dinner is served. My mom and aunt ate the "bee bop," as they called it, every time we went out for dinner. Each time the server tried to grab our spoons and mix it for us. I guess we looked like clueless tourists. (I've been here 18 months, thank you!) The variations are limitless: runny yolks vs. cooked yolks; tofu, beef, or neither; hot pot (dolsot) or cold; types of vegetables (generally spinach, bracken, sprouts, bellflower root, mushrooms, or seaweed). We even tried a bibimbap with barley and cornmeal instead of white rice.
My dream bibimbap would contain brown rice, non-fried egg whites, ketchup, and veggies such as zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and spinach. The final touch would be a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. In fact, some California restaurants are already serving my dream bibimbap!

Hotteok at Namdaemun Market

2008-09-10T18:32:00.001+09:00

We spent a few hours purse-hunting at Namdaemun Market. For a snack, we tried the Korean street food, hotteok, for a mere fifty cents. The Chinese brought this sweet-filled, fried dough to Korea in the 19th century. Suprisingly, wheat, not rice, flour is the main ingredient. The filling typically consists of brown sugar and nuts. It tends be greasy, though some merchants sell a healthier, baked variety. The vendor folds the hotteok in half and serves it in a small paper cup. It usually takes 10 minutes for it to cool enough to eat. (I always grow impatient and burn my fingers.)
My friend purchased a hotteok baking mix. I am looking forward to a hotteok-making party!

Tea House at Insa-dong

2008-09-07T08:27:00.001+09:00

After touring Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces, we wanted to rest our feet. I took my mom and aunt to a tea house in Insa-dong, where we tried hwachae instead of Korean tea. Hwachae, or traditional cold beverages, are made with fruit or grains and water sweetened with sugar or omija (more on that fruit in a future post).
Here is mi-sook-gar-u (as spelled on the menu), a hearty drink of several grains. The consistency resembles that of a yogurt smoothie, but the taste is all grain.
Shik-he, made with rice, crushed ice, and lots of sugar, was my mom's choice. It was very refreshing after a long day outdoors! Vendors also sell this drink on the street. A canned version is also available. Don't let the rice fool you, though: this drink is as healthy as soda. One serving contains more sugar than a regular Coke!

Seoul Food Festival: Namsan Tower & Namsangol Hanok Village

2008-09-01T13:00:00.000+09:00

"Slow food" is the opposite of fast food. No, it's not food served very slowly. Actually, it's healthy food served quickly. Great idea, but perhaps a different term should be used. "Slow food" brings back negative memories of frustration and hunger when receiving slow meal service!

The Seoul Food Festival included free food samples at various places around Seoul. We watched ajummas prepare bulgogi at Seoul Tower, which featured popular modern foods. We sampled tteok (rice cake) and soup at Namsangol Hanok Village, which served peasant fare.

When Sandy bought some water, a Korean lady handed her a paper cup of cold, sweet mi-sook-kar-u. (I'll do a post on this drink soon.) The woman had noticed we were foreign and bought Sandy the drink to be nice! She asked where we were from and introduced her husband. It's not the first time that Koreans have given Sandy free food or drink. We're still trying to figure out why she always gets the freebies.

A professional photographer asked to take our photo with the rice cakes. Often time event brochures and websites include photos of foriegners. Maybe we'll be pictured on next year's website!

Dinner at Noryangjin Fish Market

2008-08-31T12:00:00.000+09:00

I thought that the Noryangjin Fish Market would be a great way to experience Korean seafood.

We passed vendors selling fish, crabs, and unidentifiable creatures. We decided on one crab and one prawn each, which cost $25 total. Inexpensive....
..until the lady carried our wet bag of seafood to an upstairs restaurant. The hostess was not happy to see our seafood. She said that she earns the most money by preparing sashimi, not steamed crabs. She asked for $23 to sit at the table and eat the seafood. No side dishes were served, not even rice!
We waited while the kitchen steamed our purchases. The prawn tasted good, but the crab required too much work to eat. We enjoyed the experience but all agreed we would not return.
The view from above: a plate to freshly sliced raw fish (sashimi) to go. The fish monger killed and sliced the fish on the cutting board. No cleaning involved!

Made near the DMZ

2008-08-29T17:52:00.000+09:00

North Korea in the background but no North Koreans in sight. The DMZ gift shop sold DMZ shirts, hats, and chocolates stuffed with jalapeno pepper, sweet potato, ginseng, or orange.
The panch'eon served with our bibimbap lunch. The kimch'i was too spicy for my tastes.
Koreans pay more for products harvested near the DMZ. The most expensive red ginseng comes from this area. They believe the air is fresher and the land is unspoiled, creating a better crop. (This region is sparsely populated and undeveloped.) The government subsidizes the living expenses for farmers in this area. They earn roughly $85,000 per year.
The DMZ logo seems like a touristy gimmick, but perhaps the taste is better.

Surprising Sights at Lotte Market

2008-08-29T17:41:00.001+09:00

It's no typo - $250 for a watermelon. The produce employee called it a good gift for Chusok.
Individually wrapped cheesecake rectangles - a great way to enjoy a sliver of cheesecake! You could choose from several flavors. Speaking of flavors, here are some non-Italian flavors of gelato: sesame, green tea, black bean.
For something else cold, how about a fruit smoothie made of tomatoes? You choose the cup of fruit for your smoothie.
And, finally, what my friend, Sandy, calls "sea tangles." (Black kelp?)

Sunday Snacks

2008-08-25T20:18:00.000+09:00

I was searching for a unique baked good at the Lotte World food court...
...and found a green-tinged (green tea, perhaps) glutinous rice cake filled with brown sugar syrup.
Sandy opted for a chunk of pineapple on a stick at Namdaemun Market.

Lotte Supermarket Imports & Beverages

2008-08-25T19:56:00.000+09:00

Campbell's Soup for a whopping $2.00 a can.
I wonder how many households serve pure maple syrup at $13-$14 per jar.
You'd think these basic nuts were a delicacy at these prices!
Plenty of choices for coffee and milk!
Probiotic drinks - you choose the bacteria and the flavor!

Lotte Department Store Market

2008-08-24T19:17:00.001+09:00

No, these aren't crustless white bread sandwiches. They are compact triangle of rice with a tuna fish filling. The finishing touch is a seaweed wrap.
This little guy is cute. I wish I had taken this picture at an aquarium and not a market.
Shrimp wrapped with fried noodles. A mix of bean, glutinous rice, and possibly meat since I found it in the meat department.
Individually wrapped fruits.

Does Anyone Buy These?

2008-08-21T19:48:00.000+09:00

Anyone care to spend $12.60 on an Amy's organic frozen pizza? And I thought $3.69 at the Commissary was expensive!

Flavored Vinegar Beverages

2008-08-21T19:44:00.000+09:00

I tried a sample of this vinegar-based drinks at E-mart. It tasted like dilute, acidic raspberry juice. The bottles are concentrated and can make about a gallon of juice. The store promoted the juice as a "well being" product. I wasn't surprised, since apple cider vinegar is a staple among natural foodists. They believe that the vinegar treats diabetes, allows calcium to be absorbed from greens, and prevents obesity. To some extent, I can understand the obesity claim: simply use calorie-free vinegar in place of high fat condiments. However, unless I see more evidence, I don't believe vinegar offers a health benefit.

Trash Can Confusion

2008-08-19T20:40:00.000+09:00

I guess every time I throw something away. I hope I'm not hurting their recycling program by mixing trash with glass (or vice versa)!
On Post we throw things away American style: eggs oozing between papers, oatmeal sticking on boxes. Behind the scenes Koreans under contract with the Army divide our trash. I always apologize to the faceless contractors when I throw things away. I even try to keep my trash as neat and organized as possible.
Off post everyone must recycle. If not, you can not throw away your trash. People buy different colored bags for each category of recyclables. People keep small "wet trash" bins near their sinks(my friend keeps hers on her counter) to collect the random pieces of food and gunk from plates. One friend of mine has the weekly chore of separating her family's trash.
Trash is collected at a local dumping point on the street. I often see colored trash bags in heaps. High rise apartments have tidier collection points.
Usually people who live off post bring their trash to dumpsters on post. That way they don't have to buy colored bags and separate the trash!
If the military would just teach us how to separate trash, so much money could be saved! I hate the thought of contractors doing our dirty work!

Good Advertising?

2008-08-17T18:06:00.000+09:00

Here is a picture of an outdoor eatery at the Gangjin Celadon Festival. I've noticed that many restaurants place animal legs, hides, or live seafood at their entrances. I assume that the legs prove the meat's origins and that the seafood shows freshness. Perhaps these items even attract people to the restaurant. As for me, I find myself wary about eating meat when I see a squashed carcus.

Famous Tea Place in Samcheondong

2008-08-17T17:49:00.001+09:00

My friends and I stopped at this famous tea place after a hilly walk through Bukchon. I had been craving its traditional red bean juk ever since trying it with a Korean friend. Koreans call this dish a dessert, but it's a rich soup in my eyes. Juk literally means porridge, quite a dreadful-sounding word for such a tasty food! The menu offered two herbal Chinese teas ($5-$7 each), a ginger tea, a persimmon tea, a rice tea, and this porridge. As per Korean culture, we received one menu for the four of us.
The sweet, thick red bean base was topped with cinnamon, red beans, and chestnuts. A glutinous rice ball lurked beneath the surface. I can not think of an American food equivalent to the rice ball. It took me awhile to adjust to the gummy texture. I can't help but wonder if the globule is now bobbing around in my stomach.

More Probiotics

2008-08-14T19:30:00.000+09:00

Here is a beverage with a bacterial boost: L. acidophilus, S. thermophilus, Bifidobacteria, and L. casei to be exact. The bottle contains only 1/2 cup of peach-flavored drinkable yogurt. The consistency resembles that of milk, but the taste is 100% sweet & sour yogurt.

Like the Denmark candies, this drink's label does not give the quantity of bacteria. Based on my personal experience, however, it clearly contains enough bacteria to do something. Perhaps something delightful is happening inside my GI tract, but outside my body the effects are not so pleasant.

The bearded man on the label, Metchnikoff, is credited for suggesting that bacteria may have useful effects on the GI tract. He won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for discovering phagocytosis, the process important to white blood cells. However, he did not actually study probiotics. Another scientist, a Japanese man named Minoru Shirota, took Metchnikoff's idea and spent his life creating a unique bacterium that could thrive in the GI tract.

In 1935 Shirota created a milk beverage called Yakult that contained his healthy bacterium. This drink is available worldwide. Korea's "Metchnikoff Life" must be a variation on the Yakult theme. It's no surprise, then, that the shelves contain so many probiotic beverages: they've been commonplace here for 73 years!

Food Court Experience

2008-08-12T19:43:00.000+09:00

The Gangjin Celadon festival had booths where people could make pottery, frames, t-shirts, and more. Each one had a name - "Coil Pot Experience," "Pottery Experience," etc. Well, here is the "Food Court Experience" I had on the drive down to Gangjin: The rest area food court had five different restaurants. Each one sold a particular type of food, such as naengmyun (cold buckwheat noodles). I opted for the Japanese udon noodles with fried tofu. One cashier handled purchases for all the restaurants. I simply said "udon with tofu," paid, and took my receipt to the Japanese counter (with help, of course. I did not know where to take my receipt!)
Here is Sandy waiting for her gimbap. The metal bowls on the left contained chopsticks and spoons. On the far left was a tin of radishes. The equivalent for American food would be pickles.
My bowl of udon noodles with tofu. The noodles were thick and tasty, but I avoided the salty broth. I don't like spaghetti noodles, but for some reason I enjoy udon. Note the side of radish. The ajumma coaxed me to take a few. I did to be polite. However, I opted for a fork instead of chopsticks.
It's a shame that American food courts don't offer such tasty foods!