Monday, December 6, 2010

Photo diary: DAY ONE

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Korea I have decided to do a three day photo diary just documenting some of the awesomeness that surrounds me and my life in SoKo. Welcome to day one.
a shabu shabu and a trip to the grocery store.
Shabu shabu?! I Hear you say? What is that?! Is it some new eclectic dance? A tribal ritual? Harry potters latest spell? Luckily for you I'm about to show you. Behold the shabu- HUGE POT OF BOILING BROTH AND VEGETABLES FOR MEAT-COOKING, NOODLE-WARMING AND RICE-SCORCHING, MAKING FOREIGNERS IN KOREA OBESE SINCE 1965.
First course is shabu meat and vegetable broth. ROUND ONE: You cook your meat in the broth and drink the soup until you feel like your face is about to explode. Then it's time for ROUND TWO: noodles!!



Alas I forgot to take a picture of the broth without the noodles I was too consumed with consuming.
ROUND THREE: scorched rice.



This is the best part of the meal-scorched rice that u dip into your personal bowl of wasabi and soy sauce. Yum.



The omnipresent kimchi eaten with EVERY meal. Kimchi: fermented cabbage. An "acquired taste".



Above: The aftermath.
Next comes a trip to the local grocery store! Going grocery and household product shopping in Korea is always like a Fun adventure! Step one: don't forget your seaweed:



If you feel the need for a sweet treat- why not try one of these?



Not quite your flavour? Ok how about these delicious dessert rice scorched candies?! It's like shabu shabu all over again!



More of a sweet tooth? I have just the thing enhanced with blossom essence:



Or try these plum candies they are really in love:



For the record, NEVER TRY THE FOLLOWING CANDY. you WILL throw up



Moving on... Did you forget your seaweed?! No worries, stock up here:



Or here:



Or here:




Glad we took care of that. We wouldn't want to run out.



Above: I have NO idea what this is. But your koala will love it.



Kimchi.



Yeah. I told you it was omnipresent.



ASIANS EAT RICE. By the 20kg bag-load.



Yeah I think I'll have that for dinner. (?!?)



Free taster samples. Wow it just SCREAMS "buy me" don't you think?



And then we have toilet paper- which may only be bought in packs of 100. Haha (but really.)



Your lamb needs this for (lifestyles of health and sustainability)?



Above: is it bleach? Is it cooking oil? Is it washing detergent? You'll never know until someone eats it and dies. Oh grocery shopping is such a fun and mysterious adventure!



Yes I need a no-spon scrubber! And last on the shopping list:
a twinkle scrubber



EVERYBODY needs one.

9 comments :

Ndileka said...

wow very interesting- im sure other fans of your blog would love to see more of your crazy lifestyle in korea :) looking forward to more! (what do they use seaweed for besides sushi?)

Che said...

seaweed with rice, seaweed with vegetables, seaweed with rice and vegetables, seaweed in bibimbap, seaweed in kimbap, seaweed in soy sauce and just plain seaweed.

Unknown said...

heeeeeeheeeheeheehee!! *scrubs twinkle* .."cleanly", and "clearly".. :D

sarah g said...

Bahahahahaha - Che, I love this post. Finally a way to show everyone back home the joy of grocery shopping in Korea. I am reposting this link on Facebook stat :)

Anonymous said...

love the shopping trip!
brings back so many memories of time spent in Japan.
Jacci x
ps: the package arrived! thank you so much. i'm in london at the moment but my husband let me know it's waiting for me.

Janine / Being Brazen said...

Such interesting pics :)

Werner said...

so...seaweed...ahem.

those things in picture # (hmmm...one after overl-huge-insanely-heavy bags rice.

they look like courgettes stuffed with tomato smother....yummy.

great picture diary,che!

Marcia (123 blog) said...

I've always wondered what kimchi is - I used to read a blog called kimchi mamas :)

Tessa-Jean Tuttle said...

hahahahaha this made me laugh, a LOT. I think groceries are an adventure in Cape Town - I would love that jaul!