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Supermarkets Kimchi And Tea Spending Time In Seoul South Korea
efore talking more about
Kimchi, which I am sure In Korea, Chinese medicine seems
most Koreans have looked to be very popular and as a
for in the index of this book result, supermarkets often stack
(before considering if this book traditional remedies such as deer
was worth buying) let's talk antlers, which are thought to be
first talk about supermarkets in able to give energy and strength.
Korea. I have always felt that On first seeing them, I thought
visiting a supermarket in a new they looked unappetising,
country is a good way to get an particularly with them being cut
initial insight into the new into thin bloody slices. They are
culture. Certain things such as nevertheless very popular as a
yoghurts, washing powders and remedy and are also quite
soft drinks may be pretty much expensive. I tried a medicine
the same worldwide, but a stroll that contained deer antlers
down the meat section in Korea extract, ginseng and other herbs
can be very different from the and my taste buds did not quite
meat section in England or agree with the taste BUT I felt
America. Pig's heads and types of more energetic. I think though
fish you have not seen before for that the way in which the taste
example, become noticeable. In made me almost jump out of my
the fruit and vegetable section skin had something to do with the
you see types of fruit that are sudden burst of energy I felt. I
unfamiliar to you and a few get the same feeling from
vegetables that you do not drinking a full bottle of Soju!
recognise. All of these new
things you would not find in As well as certain types of meat,
supermarkets in your home Korean supermarkets often offer a
country, but they are popular and great selection of items such as
part of the diet in Korea. 'Tofu' (dubu) and 'Kimchi'. Tofu
comes in many different types in subject of this phenomenon in
Korea, usually varying according Korea come up in conversations in
to the consistency. Tofu tastes classes, but there are also
great in soups, especially in one dozens of variations of Kimchi on
of my favourite soups 'Sun-Dubu'. display in the many supermarkets.
I prefer the soft tofu of It was clear early on from my
'Sun-Dubu', more than the hard students, that Kimchi is more
Dubu which I also experienced in than just a food. It is a
soups - but cut into slices or necessity. A passion. An
diced, and fried. essential ingredient of Korean
culture! Many students told me
The speciality of Korea, which I off how when they go abroad, they
had expected to find everywhere miss Kimchi more than anything
and which was everywhere, is else. One student said that he
'Kimchi'. Kimchi may be mentioned missed Kimchi even more than his
many times in this book and it is own family and friends, when
unavoidable. It is like writing a abroad.
book about England without
mentioning football, pubs and I learned after a few months in
London; or writing about America Korea that there thought to be
and not mentioning the 'B' word - over 100 different types of
Bush or baseball; or writing Kimchi and different types of
about the French and not Kimchi according to the area of
mentioning how much they hate Korea. Cheju island for example,
visitors speaking English rather have Haemul (seafood) Kimchi and
than French in their country. Nabak (square cut radish).
Kangwon Province has Chanran
The importance of Kimchi became (fish paste and sliced radish)
clear almost as soon as I arrived Kimchi and Ojingeo Mu-u (squid
in Korea. Not only did the radish) Kimchi. Ch'ungch'ong
Provinces have Gul Ggaktugi sautéed mushrooms can be found. A
(oyster and sliced radishes) and warning though! Be careful of
Hobak (pumpkin) Kimchi. Korean bread, as things are not
always as they seem. What looks
I actually like Kimchi quite a like a normal Western loaf of
lot and I never hesitated to eat bread, can when you bite into it,
Kimchi when this cabbage, garlic leave you with a mouthful of
and chilli based food was on the cream. The centre of the bread is
table in front of me. My own often full of cream and it can be
favourite is Myeolchi Kimchi - quite a surprise the first time:
made with a dried fish base and not because there is anything
strong seafood taste. Many wrong with cream, but just
English teachers in Korea love it because you are not expecting it,
as well. I could never eat it for and you are caught off guard. I
breakfast though. Many people do not know why there is cream
from Anglo countries dislike inside the bread, but there is.
Myeolchi Kimchi, but they do It could be because Koreans
often like other types of Kimchi. usually eat rice at every meal,
The fact that many Koreans eat rather than bread, hence bread
Kimchi at every meal including for Koreans is more like a
breakfast shows the depth of dessert. Maybe it is a new thing
passion for what is considered a in Korea just to keep the
National treasure. Westerners on their toes!
In addition to an amazing As an Englishman, the tea section
colourful display of different in a supermarket can be very
varieties of Kimchi, ready-made important. Green tea and barley
Korean specialities such as tea are common in many Korean
Korean pancakes, cold glass supermarkets and the quality is
noodles, cooked vegetables and always good. The problem for an
English person though, is that friends who work in Korea. Tea is
black tea is the most common type probably as important to many
of tea drank and in Korea, the British as Kimchi is to Koreans.
only black tea you can normally In the English language there are
find is Twinings. Twinings and even expressions which use tea in
all other black teas I found in the expression; such is the
Seoul, were less than half the importance of tea in British
strength of black teas on sale in culture. A typical expression is:
England. When I visited the U.S., "I wouldn't visit the South Pole
I always had the same problem for all the tea in China". Not
finding a good quality cup of "(to do something) for all the
black tea so these days when tea in China" is a common
travelling, I usually take some expression in British English to
good tea bags (a good brand of express when there is no way you
Indian tea on sale in England) would do something. Maybe there
and a travel kettle. I even have is a proverb or expression in
to send it to my English, Korean involving Kimchi.
Australian and South African
About the Author:
Living in Seoul. South Korea, Asia travel book - http://seoulkoreatravel.blogspot.com/
Read more articles by: Paul Symonds
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