FINAL FOUR: Part 1- The Foods I Will Miss.

 

Four weeks from today we will wake up in our home in Montana. That is unbelievable to me. We are in the midst of “last times” and tearful goodbyes. It can be hard, but it is an inevitable part of full time missionary service. I am over whelmed with a sense of gratitude. This mission has been a choice and life changing experience for me. I still have “pinch me moments”. My friend Susan Bryson told me that soon Korea will be a dream I dreamed one night. It is already starting to feel like that. So amazing! I really truly lived in Daegu South Korea. I really truly met wonderful people, saw amazing sights and ate Korean food regularly. On the other hand, my excitement over returning to family, friends, home and country is growing daily. I just cannot express my happiness, my pure joy! Life is so very good. The time has come to complete this blog. I plan to create four final posts.This is the first.

THE FOOD I WILL MISS

Good memories are often tied to special foods. We celebrate with birthday cake, Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas candy, and so many more delicious traditional foods. Certain foods can remind us of cherished loved ones and choice experiences in our lives. Food seems to be an important element of every culture. Here are some of the foods that will forever remind me of South Korea and the experiences we will cherish

 

Here's an interesting but unexpected fact- we have a Costco here in Daegu. Although you will never find it unless you ask how to get to the "Cose tuh coe uh". I have two favorites from our Costco visits. First, the delicious bulgogi wrap. East meets west with delicious marinated beef wrapped in tasty pastry dough. The second favorite isn't anything I would ever eat, but it is a memory that endears the Korean people to me. They make their own side dish from the condiments. A huge plate full of diced onions, ketchup and mustard-stirred and eaten with a fork or chopsticks!

Zone conferences are a big part of mission life. Zone conference food is also a big part of mission life. I don't know what I expected, but I was thrilled when we were served traditional Korean food at our very first zone conference. It didn't occur to me that it is just standard church food here. I have loved being served some of my favorites by sweet Korean sisters. A typical zone conference lunch included bulgogi, rice and kimchi plus a variety of extras..


 Samgyetang -yum. We were only able to enjoy this very special dish one time, after our friend Sup's temple wedding in Seoul. A serving of this traditional summer soup includes a small chicken stuffed with rice, dates and ginseng, sitting in delicious broth. Koreans believe it provides extra nutrition during the summer when people sweat due to the heat and need additional energy. 

Korea has some amazing buffets. This one was at an event center where we attended a first birthday celebration. We also enjoyed Ashley's restaurant on the top floor of the Donga Mart Department store. It claimed to be an American food buffet, but it was nothing like Golden Corral.

My absolute favorite aspect of Korean cuisine is banchan- or side dishes. Most meals are served with several side dishes. They are communal and everyone shares, just grabbing what you want. Directly from the dish to your chop sticks to your mouth! I didn't like that part much at first, but I got used to it. The little dishes are filled with different kimchis, pickled radishes, dried fish, black beans, greens and other things. As you empty the bowls they just bring more. I could make a whole meal of banchan.

I will miss the challenge of eating with chopsticks. There are some foods that just don't seem the same when eaten with a fork. Fortunately I have purchased and shipped home a lifetime supply of chop sticks. So when I get homesick for Korea I will grab a set and eat my macaroni and cheese with my Korean chopsticks.

I will miss the fresh produce we purchased from the street vendors and markets. Here you purchase produce in its season. During the fall you find apples and Asian pears. Daegu is known for its apples- sweet, crisp and so delicious. In the spring you can buy sweet little strawberries. In the summer, I loved to purchase their tiny yellow melons and their uniquely Asian watermelons. Mushrooms and greens seem to be available year round. Garlic is sold in huge quantities all the time. I will not miss garlic!

I have learned to make a couple Korean dishes. It may be a challenge to find the ingredients, but I will try. So come on over for some japchae or kimbap. Share a little taste of Korea with me!