Land of the Morning Calm

And Steaming Hot Nights



The entire journey to Korea was plagued by one thought... food. Just what was I getting myself into? How good could Korean food actually be? Or was this going to be a big disappointment after all?

I was wonderfully surprised by what I found in Korea. All the thoughts of what was awaiting me could have never compared to what I found. The people were far more wonderful than anybody could have ever described to me. Their food was just the icing on the cake.

The first thing you are struck by upon arriving in Korea is just how polite the people are. Even in simply handing something to you they show a level of respect not seen here at home, and all just by the manner in which they do it. Holding a piece of won with both hands or placing one hand on the arm that extends the money just shows how kind they were to a visitor to their home... their city... their country. It shocked me at first I have to admit.

I have a habit of nodding when I say hello, many of the Koreans I met had a similar response by nearly bowing when they said hello. I also have a habit of saying thank-you a little more often than many fellow Americans I know. Koreans seemed to have the same habit as I noticed by the ever present "kamsahamnida".

But anyhow...

The food was amazing to me. It was simple, fulfilling, and surprisingly complex in flavor. Yaku Mandu was all those three things in one amazing dumpling. Each vendor and restaurant had their own take on mandu. Some had meat while others were purely vegetarian, some had heat while others were sweet, and some were simply filled with the ever present kimche.

I found one particular vendor who made these mandu so perfectly that I went back time and time again. She made her own soy sauce that she loaded in a spray bottle so as to coat each mandu while they were steaming hot. And all this was prepared right there on the road every night.

But that was far from the only way you could find mandu.

Jjinmandu or steamed mandu was another favorite of mine while hopping in and out of one restaurant to the next. It reminded me a lot of the Chinese dumplings I have had. Yet the Koreans mandu had such variety and so many complex flavors. It was wonderfully unique and new to me.

I came across kimche stuffed mandu, beef mandu, chicken mandu, hot pepper mandu, vegetarian mandu, and though I didn't eat it... pork mandu. Yet despite all the different types I had... there just isn't one type of mandu I could call my favorite. Instead I turned into a mandu fanatic. I just couldn't get enough.

So in the end my questions were answered (as far as food was concerned). The land of the morning clam was far from a mistake for me. It was a place of amazement for me. A place that once you have been you will forever wish you could go back. A place where food is as much a part of the culture as that haunting phrase "kamsahamnida".

Bugs as Food

Un-Kosher Delights

Some foods are against my usual diet simply because they are as far from kosher as any food might get. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to try them on this once in a lifetime trip to South Korea. And that is why when on my trip to a Buddhist temple I happened to stumble upon cooking silk worms... well I had to give those a try.

And I am very glad I did. They tasted like shrimp (also not Kosher, but who is counting right?) with a slight hint of almonds. The texture was a little of a shock since they weren't overly chewy or crunchy. And the "goo" inside, to me anyhow, was where the majority of the flavor came from. The broth or sauce that they had been cooking in was not very flavorful or at the very least didn't overpower the flavors of the protein itself.

Having never had this type of food I do have to admit that my western mind took a moment to grasp that these little bugs were normal cuisine to the town people of Yeongneung. But after watching several locals pick the stall at which I ate I decided to give it a go.

I'm not sure yet if their are other bugs out there that Koreans find appetizing but my appetite for these little morsels has been spiked. It has always been fascinated to me what different cultures find to eat in the parts of the world G-d has placed them. And this to me is a gateway into the culture of resilience that has flourished in Korea and its people for centuries.

So as my role-model says... "If it looks good, eat it!"

Day One in Osan

Welcome to Korea

My first day out in Korea was marked by the smells first and foremost. They seemed to drift out from every store front, off the table tops of street vendor carts, and from the sewer unfortunately. But I didn't mind the difference between here and home. After all, this is the city and a different country. So with an open mind I decided to simply focus on the first two.
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And that is how I wound up stumbling upon yakumandu. This wonderful little dumpling snack is filled with some meat, rice, and bean sprouts before being fried. The beautiful crescent dumplings were excellent on their own but were amazing dipped in the soy sauce the vendor provided.
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Best of all was the fact that the snack was 8 dumplings only cost 3,000 Won. So it was cheap but still hit the spot when it came to my adventurous taste-buds.
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This snack led me to the market. And the market has all the fixings I will be using in the days to come. There were fish, squid, crabs, clams, poultry, beef, lamb, and eels. On top of this was the offerings of wonderful veggies and fruits of all sorts. Finally the spices and mushrooms topped off the market offerings to tantalize my imagination.
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So with my feet sore and my stomach emptied... I decided to plop down at a local eatery.
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Gogigui is the greatest way of dining ever made in my opinion. This Korean dining experience was a check mark on my bucket list. It is defined by the grill embedded in the center of the table. The meat is brought to the table raw and is then cooked right in front of you. While you wait for the meat to cook the sides are available to eat.
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Bean paste, soy sauce, and kimchi mix with the banchan to make a meal in and of themselves. Rice here is sticky so it is easy to eat with the steel chopsticks Koreans use. And all of this can be put on a leaf of lettuce to make what we have been calling "Korean Tacos".
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All and all, I am loving Korea. And this is just the start of a new chapter of foodie adventures for me and you the reader.