Did I mention that the director at my Jungchul Academy in Sacheon is a chef and that I've gone out to eat several times since I got here? Already I'm a huge fan of Korean food as a result of this!
Also, I've met a fellow English teacher who lives only a few blocks away. She too is from Baltimore, MD! She's introduced me to open markets with their fish (living and dead), fresh vegetables and fruit, where I tasted my first veggie pancake called pajeon--YUM! The picture I found on the internet doesn't look like what we ate, but there you go. And I believe my first meal here in Sacheon with my co-workers was Bibimbap.
We eat lots of veggies and the way they spice their foods is going to make all other dishes taste bland to me, I'm afraid! Kimchi, in all its varieties, is served during every dinner at the school. I love it, so I've purchased some of the basic pepper powder from an open market near the sea today.
I know it doesn't look like much--it's a heavily spiced cabbage and/or radish dish which is marvelous with rice. Anyway-tonight I went out to eat with some new friends from my Church and we had some sort of duck cooked in front of us with all sorts of veggies and side dishes. After spending the day in an open market near the ocean, I just felt the need to applaud Korean foods. I could go on and on about it--so I won't. Just this: "Try it, you'll love it!"
Agreed! When my sister and I taught English at Hyundai headquarters years ago, we enjoyed an authentic Korean lunch almost every day. Bulgogi, kimchi, barley once a week instead of rice--what a treat! Love you, Joanna. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSusan
Hmmm, barley? I'll have to try that! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're really enjoying your stay so far! Thanks for the Korean food intro. I've had bulgogi and I've been to a hibachi type restaurant where we cooked our own food at the table. That was fun! I'm not a fan of kimchi though... Hmmm. it's showing up as my old website, but this is Judi Stull. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding your name, Judi, or I'd have been scratching my head over the sender! My love of kimchi is relatively new. I ate it decades ago, but now, I think it's how well it complements the rest of what's served at dinner by our school's director that's moved it up to a favorite spot for me! xoxo--let me know how you're doing, k? My email's the same! Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteI know there's different versions of Kimchi and I think the stuff I prefer is fresher--not sure tho. I don't really have a lot of time to cook much, but definitely intend to learn the basics and them modify what's super unhealthy. Like their jeon (veggie pancakes)--just found out there's tons of oil in the flour mixture that goes into it, which eliminates most of its nutritive value. I'm going to play around with just eggs (maybe even just the whites at some point), a little flour and cornstarch, perhaps. Not that I'm a health food guru --that'll never happen! I just like to know when I'm consuming calorie dense foods and when I'm not.
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