Stuffing Ourselves, Korean Style

The entire time I was in Korea, I kept thinking how great it would be to go back home and share bits of Korea with friends and family. I would plan meals that I would make for them, the things I would tell them, stuff I would bring back. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but when you spend time abroad, there is something about sharing what you learned with people back home that validates your experience. For the time you are away, your lives diverge, and you have all these unique experiences that are yours alone. And that is great, but once you come back, it becomes a little harder to relate to all the people you knew before because you all have been through so much without each other. So you look for ways to share what you experienced in order to build more of a connection. It not only allows people at home to understand a little of what you went through, but it also lets you prove that you learned something while you were there.

And what better thing to share than food? For months and months, I had been planning it in my head, the Korean BBQ I would make for my friends and family when I got home. I love to cook for others, and I don't get to do it nearly enough. And finally, here was a meal that only I could make - I got to be the expert, and that was fun. Not only that, it was mostly food that none of my friends or family had ever had the chance to try before.

Fortunately, I live pretty close to a KoreaTown in Santa Clara, where there are 3 markets. The first one I went to had pretty much everything I needed, but barely. When I went shopping the morning of the BBQ, I ended up going to a different market after making a wrong turn, and it was the best mistake I could have made. This second market, Han Kook Super Market, turned out to be 3 times bigger and 10 times better. It had EVERYTHING....far more than any market I ever saw in Korea! So amazing...meat, produce, kitchen goods, dry goods, sweets, drinks, pre-made side dishes...oh my god. Like I had died and gone to Korean food heaven. I just wandered the aisles and reminised for the longest time. I know that if I get homesick for Korea, I now have a place to go.

My menu was pretty big to begin with, but once I was in that market I went nuts. All these things that I just wanted people to try...and I ended up with insane amounts of food. 2 types of meat, 4 types of kimchi's, veggies to make 3 side dishes, 2 types of lettuce, 3 types of Korean wine, beer, rice, and Binch cookies for dessert. Luckily I have friends who love to eat just as much as I do!

When I left that market with a trunk full of Korean food, I was the most excited I have been since coming home. Never thought I would get so nostalgic for Korea, especially so soon....but damn, I was on a total natural high. And I had a LOT of cooking ahead of me!


The funnest part was seeing everyone's reaction to the Korea food. Silly me had actually been worried that they would not like it, but that was based on a total brain fart.....these are my friends, and they love food. Plus, who wouldn't love Korean BBQ?

The biggest hits of the meal were:

The meat, of course. Someone came up with the new nickname "Korittos."

Chap Chae, aka, Noodle Stuff.

Watery Radish Kimchi, which has been officially renamed "floppy white."

Binch cookies...and I'm sure you can guess what these were nicknamed.



Korea Friends, meet California Friends....

Andrea, my BFFManuel, her hubby, scanning the table for more food

Juan, aka JuanchoMichael and his favorite weiner

Nette and Jay, my former housemates and dear friends who taught me a lot of what I know about cooking
I made a big deal about everything being authentic Korean style. In fact, the only part about the meal that was not Korean was the beer; whoever has had Korean beer will know why. I had metal chopsticks, and only my parents reverted to using forks. When my mom tried to put nice American napkins on the table, I scoffed and got a roll of toilet paper. I'm talking authenic!

Grill master JuanThe cute blonde lady is my Mommy.

Poor Jay fell asleep right after the meal. He is the principal of a brand new high school which was opening the very next day, so he was a bit pooped....My Dad eating Samgyepsal...never thought I'd see this.

I got some Korean liquor for people to try, none of which they liked too much. Juan finds a clever new way to drink Soju.

Look at the photo above his head, and you'll see why Michael took this photo.