Food Promotions

HG and I were in for quite a treat today with not one but two photo-worthy promotions. Both were related to food -ironic given our deep shared interest in that subject.

First up, in Myeongdong:  a lethargic Colonel Sanders distributing flyers for KFC while apparently conserving energy:

Next, in Insadong:  the sushi-heads -vastly more energetic and eager for a photo opp:

Gosh, I'm gonna miss the daily randomness...

Turtle Melon Bread

How have I managed to live in Korea for 2+ years and never notice turtle melon bread before today? 

These pastries are just so darn cute, and after spotting them earlier at E-Mart (where else?!), I'm super curious to know what they taste like.

Readers, weigh in:  is turtle melon bread worth deviating from my South Beach Diet regime?

Pakistani Cooking

Biryani and raita and lentils, oh my! 

Have just returned from my first Pakistani cooking class. Our teacher, Monica, hails from Pakistan and now lives in Itaewon where she offers cooking classes in her home. It was a treat to watch and learn as she demonstrated how to prepare a full Pakistani meal.

A bigger treat, however, was dining on the finished product (photos below). 

For those interested, I'm eager to try out these new recipes, especially when I get back to the States. Hungry?

 

 

 

    

happy students with our teacher

Choco Pies

Oh, choco pies! How you confound me.

How can something so indisputably artificial-tasting still maintain an allure? Is it your new packaging which appeals to the American patriot in me? 

The cashier at E-mart smiled as she rang up the five boxes I purchased tonight (total pie quantity:  120). Wonder if she thought I was planning to eat them all? 

Hopefully I won't be eating any of them. My final lecture for each of my classes is coming up later this week, and I thought I'd go out with a sweet bang. Depending on whether I can work up the nerve, I may throw in a little Dead Poets Society desk-standing, too.

Jun in Winter

Jun is a man I met recently. He lives in Seoul. Seoul Station, to be precise.

Last Sunday, TM and I met Jun during our weekly outreach at the station. We had prayed that God would lead us to someone who spoke Korean and who could be a liaison for us as we worked to better serve the homeless community. Enter Jun.

Jun was personable and spoke good English. From him we learned that there are about 200 people living at the station. Many are alcoholics. They need nutritious food. He requested milk and ham + cheese sandwiches. We agreed to meet the following Sunday at 11am.

This past Sunday, BD + BD and I arrived at the station, toting milk and sandwiches. We prayed that Jun would be there, at the designated meeting spot. He was. 

Jun walked with us around the area, introducing us to his friends as we distributed the food. At one point, he led us to an underground thoroughfare that reeked of urine. It was especially chilly there, like a wind tunnel, and I counted at least a dozen people huddled under blankets.

Desperately wanting to do something more, I gave Jun my bright blue scarf to wrap around his thin frame. I knew my gloves were too small and girly for him, so I said I'd bring him a pair next Sunday.

Today, while walking to and from work, my own hands were cold even though I had on gloves, a thick down jacket, plus a warm scarf. And I thought of Jun.  

How will he get through tonight or any other night? 

How does anyone living on the streets survive a Seoul winter?

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:  to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  -Isaiah 58:6-7  

(If you'd like to help or learn more information, please drop me a line through the comments section.)

Bangsan Market

 

Bangsan Market is a baking depot in the heart of downtown. Just steps away from Cheonghyecheon awaits a haven for bakers. It's probably a very good thing that I only learned about it recently...

BD led a group of us on a tour of the market today. We visited over a dozen stores, but word has it there are well over 100. Products range from ovens, mixers, bowls, and cookie cutters, to ingredients including vanilla extract, chocolate chips, flour, and powdered sugar (though sadly no almond extract). There are also lots of cellophane bags, ribbons, and labels for wrapping up your baked goods. And for those into soap making, there are plenty of related products to be found. 

Bake, eat, and be merry!

 

 

Coffee + ...?!

Coffee + chocolate.

Or a bagel, doughnut, croissant...

But a hotdog? 

Ultimate Pepero Day

11.11.11

While you Spinal Tap fans are celebrating Nigel Tufnel Day, it's the ultimate in pepero frenzy over here. (How often do the numbers line up like this? Won't happen again until 2111.)

This is my 3rd Pepero Day since arriving in Korea. Maybe I'm more aware now, but it seems to be growing in commercialization. It's not just about the sticks anymore, as evidenced by photos I snapped earlier this evening at E-Mart, Tous Les Jours, and Bandi and Luni. 

So many ways to let someone know you:  love them/think they're cute/want to go out/appreciate their friendship...

Which would woo you?

 

Carb Secret

For the first time in my adult life I'm eating healthier than I could've imagined. I've got more energy, and I feel terrific. A few people have begun to notice a difference, and inevitably a discussion ensues as to what's causing these changes.

So I fess up about the carb-cutting (no bread, rice, pasta, etc.) and mention all the veggies and proteins I've replaced them with. They get it, and we move on (funny student anecdotes, Occupy Wall Street, fan death...).

One colleague got me today with a sign left at my desk (thanks, DH!):

   

Caffe Bene Christmas

While running errands this morning, I caught sight of some festive decorations at Caffe Bene^. Apparently I'm not the only one getting excited about Christmas.

^A word on Caffe Bene:  I really like this Korean chain of coffee shops. Decent coffee and gelato, waffles, pleasant ambiance -what's not to love? 

This sign posted out front of a local shop made me smile. Can you guess why?

High Street Market

Gotta give a shout-out to High Street Market in Itaewon. It opened fairly recently and has quickly become a haven for foreigners. The store boasts its own bakery where you can actually buy, and sample, bread that tastes like real bread with -bonus!- authentic bread consistency, too.

The store has a deli section as well as several dry-food bins where you can buy things like black beans, lentils, and granola. It also has a decent wine section which includes baskets full of damaged label bottles that are greatly reduced in price.  

I won't mention what I go there for lest my staple items sell out before my next visit. But let's just say that if you've got cravings, chances are high that High Street Market's got you covered.

Luxury Yogurt

Snow Spoon has always intrigued me with its enchanting name, and yesterday while running errands in Hongdae, I finally checked it out.

The shop brands itself as a purveyor of Luxury Yogurt, and indeed the place feels quite posh. With its clean, white furnishings and crystal chandeliers, it differentiates itself from most other stores or cafes in town. And, in the event you missed these clues, the prices signal luxury, too.

Fortunately the quality of Snow Spoon's product offering is high. I tried the plain (tart) and chocolate flavors, and both were perfectly rich and sufficiently creamy. I skipped the toppings and the side dishes (pizza? pasta??), but their darling yogurt sandwiches (made with macaron-like cookies) were hard to pass up. Next time...

Sweet experience overall. Made me miss California's Yogurtland.  

 

Medicinal Herb Festival

Last weekend, I had the chance to check out Seoul's annual Medicinal Herb Festival in Jegi-dong. It was a memorable experience.

The area is home to hundreds of herb shops, making it one of the more fragrant neighborhoods in town. I saw more ginseng in various forms than I've ever encountered and watched as vendors sliced and diced herbs for retail purposes. Oh, and it wouldn't be a Korean festival without the sound of samulnori drums.

However, the most memorable part was visiting Yangnyeongsi -Seoul's Herb Medicine Museum. My friend and I were treated to a 2-hour tour of the museum with our own personal guide, an older Korean woman with the knowledge base of a college course textbook. Her English was astounding, and we learned so much.

Key takeaways:

• until fairly recently (50 years ago), scraping one's unwashed scalp with acupuncture needles was a method for disinfecting them.
• many different animals, including deer, frogs, and bears, were used to make traditional medicines; this practice is now illegal, though still occurring in parts of Asia.
  
• since my body temp runs hot, I need to avoid white ginseng and stick to red or black.
• based on self-reported answers to a quiz, I was diagnosed Soyangin (healthy stomach, weak kidneys; aggressive and fun) and Taeyangin (strong lungs, weak liver; smart, initiative, masculine, impatient, and stubborn).

on cup:  "Hope only happens to the person who is hoping."