Gangnam, Seoul

Let's start with dessert first! Hwan, Min and I had a vanilla treat at Red Mango (a Korean frozen yogurt chain) in Gangnam. I have an interesting story about our internet experience, there!

We ordered Western-style food (pasta, nachos and chicken) but ate it communally, with the plates in the center of the table. This is one example of assimilation. Back home I was pretty squeemish about food-sharing.

We dined at "Captain Hook" restaurant in Gangnam, and later went to a Japanese oddang bar where we drank yogurt flavored soju, and shared oddang soup. Hwan (my old roommate) said he'd like to open an oddang bar in Montreal, Canada. I think it would go over well!

I've been going out a lot lately because I only have 4 weeks of teaching left and am trying to see friends as often as possible before I jet off to Hong Kong and Europe, in mid November.

Hiroko (Japanese) and Min (Korean.) I asked them to kiss for a photo tonight but Min said, "maybe in Japan! In Korea we can't kiss in public!" The younger generation is actually very affectionate . You often see teenagers hugging on the street, but Min is a pinch traditional.

Two Lists of Complaints, by Stuart Zehner

Well, it's 3:55 AM. I can't sleep. In order to extend my VISA I need to buy a plane ticket to Hong Kong tomorrow. I was just listening to crickets and turning over my pillow for the millionth time when I decided to check my e-mail. I got a link to this Korea-themed list poem. Made me laugh. Thanks, Greg:

Timothy McSweeny's poetry site.

Two Lists of Complaints.
BY STUART ZEHNER
- - - -
1. Complaints My Middle-School Students in Korea Had About Our School's Food.

"The rice is cold."
"The kimchi is dry."

2. Complaints American Middle-School Students Would Have If They Were Served Korean Food.

"There's an entire fish in my soup."
"The fish in my soup still has eyes."
"The fish in my soup with eyes is full of fish eggs."
"What is this?"
"They made me eat off a metal tray with chopsticks."
"I was served a vertebra."
"This salad is clearly made from the bush in the front of the school."
"I told you last week I don't like fish eggs!"
"The menu says we're having chicken anus for lunch."
"The live baby octopus you served me stuck to my throat and died."
"This is dog meat."
"It's too spicy."
"The rice is cold."
"The kimchi is dry."

Samgyupsal, Kimbap and Cocktails

Tonight was "family time" in Korea, so the lonely Japanese and Canadian girl got together for dinner and drinks.

We ate galbi (beef) and pork belly, at a restaurant in Gangnam. 8USD ea. Tip: There are a lot of good restaurants, bars and clubs near exit 6, Gangnam station. We got "service" (free dwenjangjiggae and cups of cider, which is basically gingerale.)

WA BAR, Gangnam - Western style (meaning you don't have to order food with your drinks, and foreign imports and cocktails are available.)

PS - What's your favorite kind of kimbap?

I used to be a chamchi girl but lately, I prefer "cheesy" kimbap, at 2USD a pop. Buy one at any kimbap world near you. (Ingredients: kim - dried seaweed, rice, carrot, root, egg, raddish and processed cheese.)

Korean Lunch

Did you know: Koreans eat rice and soup for breakfast?

Hungry? Pull up a seat and join us!

My beautiful and funny co-worker, Yumi, invited me out for lunch. I asked her for valuable teaching advice, because my Saturday morning adult class has expanded, and I have no idea what I'm doing!

Dwenjang jiggae, salty fish, kimchi sidedishes, teaching advice ...

A king's spread for man won (5USD each). Boy oh boy I'm going to miss Korean food. Think there's a Korean supermarket in Brockville Ontario? I know Montreal has places you can buy overpriced kimchi. It'll have to do.

PS (sorry to ruin your appetite) but I want to introduce you to my new friend! He eavesdropped on my conversation in a phone booth, last night, but I forgave him. He was leggy and charming:

Korea's Summer Dessert & Hello

Hello everyone!

I cannot believe September is on the horizon. I figured I'd give the icy red bean desert, Pat Bing Su, one last try. It was 2USD at the "Asian McDonalds" (Lotteria.) I have to admit, it was pretty good - that mixture of chewy rice cakes, fruit cocktail, red beans and sweet slush.

This is just a note to say I haven't written much because I can't talk about what's demanding my attention lately. It's a a professional secret.

Also, my e-mail is backed up like crazy. I know for a fact that I have unanswered Stranger in Suwon e-mails, or I've forgotten to post links to your blogs. Could you do me a favor and resend your inquiries if I didn't reply to you? It's not you, it's me, as they say.

Thanks,

Eva.

Easy Dukbokki Recipe

ONION:

FISH CAKES:

RICE CAKES, WATER AND GOCHUJANG:

Ingredients

For main ingredients
1 Instant noodle pack.
300g Fresh rice cakes (about 30 pieces)
120g Fish cake (4 sheets)
1 Onion
4 Leaves of napa cabbage
1 stalk Green onion (optional)
8 Instant dumplings (optional)
1½ cups Water

For sauce (Mix well in a bowl)
4t Gochujang
4t Dark brown sugar
1t Minced garlic
1t Chili powder (Gochutgaru in Korean)

Preparation
1. If using pre packaged rice cakes, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes before you use them. 2. Thin slice the onion and diagonally slice the spring onion.
3. Rinse the fish cakes in hot water. (To clean the oil coating from its surface)
4. Cut the fish cakes and cabbage into medium size pieces.
Cooking (I cooked them on a portable burner, it is the restaurant style of eating) eating)
5. Pour the water into the pot. Start to boil it.
6. Add the sauce and stir it well.
7. Add all the other ingredients. (reduce the heat to medium to low)
8. Stir them well.

From the My Korean Kitchen Website.

Amusement Park & Samgyetang

Woncheon Amusement park is built on a resevoir in Suwon. Tae Hun and I went for a walk on the semi-abandonned grounds before enjoying Korean health food: samgyetang.

Samgyetang: gingseng chicken soup, is traditional Korean health food- often served at dog meat restaurants. A chicken stuffed with sweet rice sits in a broth of ginseng, garlic, and chestnuts. Ours came with kimchi sidedishes. A bowl costs about 10USD. This restaurant was located near Ajou University, but you can find quality samgyetang just about anywhere:

Bottles of ginseng on the window ledge:

Food Etc.

My new food obsession is 된장 , Doenjang Jiggae:

When you order doenjang jiggae, everyone in the restaurant knows. The soup leaves behind a foul odor as the waitress carries it to you. Korean friends thought I'd be put off by the smell but it is actually the most soul satisfying food I've ever had. It leaves me feeling good, full, happy.

The base is made of fermented soybean paste:doenjang (read more below) and ingredients like onions, tofu, clams, zucchini, etc.

"Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. Beans are boiled and ground by rock into fine bits and formed into a block, which is called meju (메주). The blocks are then exposed to sunlight to be dried, during which mold special to soybean appears and the initial fermentation process begins. This sometimes produces an unpleasant fish-like smell. After the blocks have been dried, they are put in a warmer place to speed up the fermentation. Still later, they are put into large opaque pottery jars with brine and left to further fermentation, during which time various beneficial bacteria transform the mixture into a further vitamin-enriched substance, similar to the way milk ferments to become yogurt. Liquids and solids are separated after the fermentation process, and the liquid becomes Korean soy sauce (Joseon ganjang; 조선간장). The solid, which is doenjang, is very salty and quite thick, often containing (unlike most miso) some whole, uncrushed soybeans." - Continued at WIKIPEDIA.

A box of peaches for 20,000 W (20 USD) Fruit is a real treat in Korea. If I make it home for Christmas in Canada and find an orange in my stocking, I'll be grateful like it's wartime.

Kevin's drawing. Mrs and Mr. Chair are sad when their son falls over. The desk begins to cry because there's nothing she can do to help him up. Yes it's a sad story. Don't lose sleep over it. Dr. Elephant eventually comes to the rescue.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a favorite student. Enter Cindy. She's so beautiful, and does hilarious imitations that make me laugh. She's in ballet. She teaches me dance moves and whenever we go somewhere, she holds my hand like I'm her big sister.

I bought some new incognito sunglasses in Seoul this weekend. (To hide my tears about Damien Rice's cancellation.) Does the name Roberta de Camerino mean anything to you? Koreans are big on names. The sales woman kept repeating the designer's name trying to impress me but I had no idea who it was. With all the knock off brands in Korea, I'm skeptical anyway.

Have some candy from Korea's chain, Paris Baguette. Great for gifts: