I just got an amazing package from my mother today full of a plethora of goodies. As a foreigner, you come to find out very quickly what sorts of things you miss here in Korea. Now, I'm mainly a Californian (read: spoiled when it comes to food), so my tastes tend to run a bit different from others. But here's a quick laundry list of what she send, so you get some idea of what sorts of things you might miss out on.
2 bags Cheez-its, one regular and one white cheddar
6 instant soups (minestrone, split pea, and hearty bean)
1 summer sausage
1 bag mexican chili pods
1 of each of the following cheeses: super-sharp cheddar, mont blanchard, gouda, chili chive onion gouda, smoked swiss and cheddar
1 package mulling spices
2 pounds of coffee (the stuff here tends to be freeze dried)
And I like to cook a good amount, so a variety of spices: cinnamon sticks, Vietnamese cinnamon, lemongrass, creole, chipotle tofu scramble, smoky bbq rub, Seattle salmon rub, and jerk rub
Truly, she is a goddess. There are a lot of other things a Westerner misses in terms of diet. Some of the other things we constantly mull over:
-Good gum (the stuff here is terrible)
-Avocados (expensive here, hard to find, and very green)
-Limes (hard to find and very expensive!)
-Cottage cheese (not a big fan, but some are)
-Cheese in general (usually processed here, and expensive when not. Some types are just impossible to find)
-Good sandwich meat (usually just processed ham)
-Sandwiches (trust me, the ones you can find are awful)
-Decent gin, tequila, bourbon, vodka (when you enter and leave the country, duty-free is a must)
-Sour cream
-Wheat bread (not as readily available, but certain bakeries are good for it)
And I'm sure I'll think of more later. I'll ask around and see what other people miss. Baking goods tend to be hard to find since most places don't have an oven, but there are a couple of decent stores in Nampo-dong. For Thanksgiving, we wanted to make pies, so I made a trip out there to find various ingredients, including shortening for crust. I ended up at a wholesale shop that would only sell me a box of it weighing 4.5 kilos. Needless to say, we've been making plenty of pies and quiche, which I will not complain about!
13 years ago
4 comments:
Well, isn't that why it's "Korea" and not "California?" Sounds like you're blaming the country for not adopting American standards -- bad, bad Koreans...they should be so selfish and not adopt Mr. American's needs.
Oooops, am I sounding as negative as you are?
wow, who are you? and where do you get off attacking me for what you attribute to my words, rather than what i actually say? did i say i was angry or bitter at Korea for not servicing my needs? am i some imperialistic American that expects the world to bow to my whims? no, i'm a foreigner that has become accustomed to having access to certain foods, especially since i am used to cooking with supplies that are difficult to find here, and i enjoy or miss them on my own. do i eschew contact with "dirty Korean foods" in favor of a good ol red-white-and-blue hamburger? no, and you might know that if you spent a second actually speaking to me and not being so critical. get off your soapbox, or just get off of my blog.
and when did i sound negative? wistful, nostalgiac maybe. now, this post could be categorized as negative.
Ok, 5 paces guys! Step back a bit Kelly. good on ya Erick ! I love this blog. I used to live in P.N.G. and I missed stuff easily found in OZ. Now 20 years later, I am planning to go to S.Korea teaching. Thanks, Paul
I think this year deserves a blog post too ^^
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