팥빙수 = pat-bing-su = patbingsu
커피 = caw-pee = coffee (surprised?)
Two foods in Korea that will always make me happy. One's a treat, the other a necessity.
팥빙수 first, since that's new and Korean.
Patbingsu is a Korean dessert, especially popular in the summer. It's a fantastic combo: (from top to bottom) soft ice cream, fruit, and shaved ice. The fruit is seasonal, so for summer, there's watermelon, peach, kiwi, and banana. But there's always sweetened azuki beans (red beans), which give patbingsu a distinct flavor. Separatists don't mix the cream, the fruit, and the ice together, but I'm a firm believer in patbingsu mixing. It looks beautiful before mixing, but tastes delicious after.
커피 = caw-pee = coffee (surprised?)
Two foods in Korea that will always make me happy. One's a treat, the other a necessity.
팥빙수 first, since that's new and Korean.
Patbingsu is a Korean dessert, especially popular in the summer. It's a fantastic combo: (from top to bottom) soft ice cream, fruit, and shaved ice. The fruit is seasonal, so for summer, there's watermelon, peach, kiwi, and banana. But there's always sweetened azuki beans (red beans), which give patbingsu a distinct flavor. Separatists don't mix the cream, the fruit, and the ice together, but I'm a firm believer in patbingsu mixing. It looks beautiful before mixing, but tastes delicious after.
It is not socially acceptable to go out to eat patbingsu alone. We usually go in groups and order large, 4-serving bowls, the more friends and patbingsu the merrier! (It's natural to share food in Korea.) However, it seems that patbingsu multiservings only may occur in Chuncheon, our Korean teachers have told us that in Seoul, you order patbingsu in individual serving bowls. What's also great about patbingsu is that it's cheap: 3,000won ($2.50) for a single serving bowl or 2,000won each ($1.65) when shared. Patbingsu is also so popular that it's available for delivery!
팥빙수: eat out or eat in!
커피: Although coffee in Korea is generally the same as American coffee, there are cultural differences. Canned coffee is more popular here than in the states; however, it's usually overly sweet and not strong (see the 'mild'?). Canned coffee has also lead to coffee
vending machine availability (6-8oz, 500won or $0.50/each), which is convenient during the day. Another popular form of coffee is instant and on-the-go coffee (freeze-dried). This option however requires hot, almost boiling, water for the mix to dissolve, which clashes with my iced/cold coffee preference. But I can grab several single-serving sticks to use later in the day. Purifiers with hot water are everywhere, so all I need is my water bottle and the coffee.
There is a Starbucks and a Dunkin' Donuts, but the coffee is relatively expensive (3,000won, $2.50). The let down for me here is that they don't usually have half-n-half/milk or sweetners available to add at your own liberty. Maybe if I ask, but my Korean's lacking the coffee shop vocabulary. Coffee shops (커피숍=caw-pi-shyop, I love Hangulized English words!) in Korea open at 8:00am, comparatively late to their American counterparts. Just as patbingsu is a social activity, coffee shops serve a social function rather than as therapy for the caffeine fix. My caffeine MO is currently the instant coffee, but I might soon invest in a small coffee maker. Due to unfortunate circumstances, there is no Starbucks in Seogwipo or on Jejudo. There may be a Dunkin' Donuts.
A new favorite (from last night):
초코 아이스크림 와플 = cho-ko ah-ee-seu-keu-reem wah-peul = choco ice cream waffle
vending machine availability (6-8oz, 500won or $0.50/each), which is convenient during the day. Another popular form of coffee is instant and on-the-go coffee (freeze-dried). This option however requires hot, almost boiling, water for the mix to dissolve, which clashes with my iced/cold coffee preference. But I can grab several single-serving sticks to use later in the day. Purifiers with hot water are everywhere, so all I need is my water bottle and the coffee.There is a Starbucks and a Dunkin' Donuts, but the coffee is relatively expensive (3,000won, $2.50). The let down for me here is that they don't usually have half-n-half/milk or sweetners available to add at your own liberty. Maybe if I ask, but my Korean's lacking the coffee shop vocabulary. Coffee shops (커피숍=caw-pi-shyop, I love Hangulized English words!) in Korea open at 8:00am, comparatively late to their American counterparts. Just as patbingsu is a social activity, coffee shops serve a social function rather than as therapy for the caffeine fix. My caffeine MO is currently the instant coffee, but I might soon invest in a small coffee maker. Due to unfortunate circumstances, there is no Starbucks in Seogwipo or on Jejudo. There may be a Dunkin' Donuts.
A new favorite (from last night):
초코 아이스크림 와플 = cho-ko ah-ee-seu-keu-reem wah-peul = choco ice cream waffle
The Fulbright ETAs fully support and are faithful patrons of the Back Gate waffle stand. For only 1,500won ($1.22!), the waffle lady will make you a warm, vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup waffle sandwich. Forget waffle cones when you could have a regualr warm waffle. Another sweet heavenly combo. I'm crossing my fingers that there's a cute little waffle stand in Seogwipo, because if there is, they just gained a loyal customer!
What I'm not getting enough of: fruit. Apparently Jejudo, with its pineapple plants, tangerine groves, and orange orchards, is the perfect solution.
What I'm not getting enough of: fruit. Apparently Jejudo, with its pineapple plants, tangerine groves, and orange orchards, is the perfect solution.
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