Chopsticks on the Cheap

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!

Hotteok at Namdaemun Market

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!

Dinner at Noryangjin Fish Market

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!

Surprising Sights at Lotte Market

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?)

Lotte Supermarket Imports & Beverages

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

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.

The Dog Days of Summer

We're currently in the midst of the hottest period of summer (Sambuk), according to the Korean calendar. Chobuk is the first day of this period, and Malbok is the last. Koreans traditionally eat certain foods during this time for stamina and cooling. Samgyetang is a soup with a whole chicken stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, garlic and jujubes. The idea is to fight the heat with heat.
We found the tasty soup in packaged and deli forms at E-mart.
As Americans, we have our own traditional means of cooling ourselves: popcycles and ice cream. At E-mart you can fill a lined bag with popcycles of your choice. Kiwi, red bean, and green tea flavors were among the mix.
Dog meat provides stamina and energy. Two weeks ago seemed to be the peak in dog meat consumption. Many Koreans from my office were eating it. Gyeongdong Market showcased fresh meat, as shown by the intact paw.

Gyeongdong Market

The demographics shifted abruptly as we exited Line 1 at Jeji-dong. We were the only young Westerners among a sea of ajummas and ajoshis. Judging from the variety and prices of the produce, I'm not surprised that older people flood this market. Bins of various grains and herbs.
I noticed many vegetables that are used for panch'eon (side dishes). The sweet potatoes were only 2000W per basket, half the price found at the Commissary! I did not recognize this tuber, but the shape attracted my attention.
We need a translation! The herbal shops offered many unusual products.
Thorny twigs - I hope people have heavy gloves in their kitchens!