<In the City> Happy Lunar New Year.

As the 'real' start of the year 2014, I am truly grateful for this 4-day Lunar New Year holiday after practically living at work for the past couple of weeks. 

I adore being rolled up burrito-style in my ultra-comfy Costco blanky, cooking ridiculous amounts of food for no reason, and doing a lot of reading in fetal position, so this weekend will definitely be dedicated to all these things.

I wish everyone ungodly amounts of good fortune and prosperity.

 :)

<photo by me>

<In the City> The Spankin' New Year.

A huge part of the Korean, as well as many other Asian countries', culture is food. People always believed that in order to live a bountiful life of prosperity, happiness, good fortune, and well-being, one must eat well. Thus, a grandmother's steadfast encouragements for seconds and thirds should not be denied. 

After a month of hiatus and as my first post in the year 2014, I wanted to share my first gimjang (kimchi-making) experience from this past November. It would be no understatement to say that in many ways, kimchi exudes the essence of Korea and its people. 

Kimchi is an aquired taste, yet once acquired, this baby will haunt you if you move to an area with limited Korean market access. There are infinite types of kimchi, variant on regions all throughout Korea. Traditionally, gimjang occurred in early winter time so the fermentation and the long-term storage of kimchi could happen in earthenware jars buried underground. In pre-refrigerator era, the frosty winter months mothered those kimchi jars in a healthy, crisp state until full consumption. 

Gimjang is an uniquely grueling manual labor. From the multiple hand-washing of cabbages (or whichever main vegetable you will use as your main ingredient) to the tedious seasoning preparation to the final 'marination' process, gimjang kimchi is smothered with time, love, and immense back-pain.

My mother's family lives in a picturesque house right on the outskirts of northern Seoul. The visit reminded me once again how delightful the countryside was.

While this gimjang tradition continues today, it definitely has dwindled. This is quite unfortunate as the taste of freshly homemade kimchi is indelible.

<photos by me>