Mr. Pizza

Korea (and many neighboring Asian countries) love pizza but have no reason to stay true to traditional recipes. Few fight to preserve the authenticity of pizza in Korea, so local chefs take the logical step of improving pizza to fit the local taste.

The result? Bizarre, complicated, full-loaded pizzas.  For example, this one seems to have a think crust, a layer of cheese (no sauce underneath), potato wedges, shrimp, olives, bacon, ranch, corn, and although we can’t see it I’m going to assume there’s mayonnaise in there. Corn and mayo are Korean pizza mainstays, for some reason.

Saturday Spotlight: Guide to Drinking in Korea

I’e mentioned a few beverage pairings in previous posts, but I thought it’d be useful to explain the alcohol culture of South Korea. One thing to know is that public drinking is legal and to some degree even appropriate. Many a picnic will feature bottles of the most common beverages.

Korean BBQ

Arguably the most internationally well-known and beloved aspect of Korean cuisine: Korean BBQ.

It’s not barbecue in a traditional sense; my understanding is that the name was an attempt to make the food familiar and accessible to Western diners. The main common thread is that Korean BBQ is, like American BBQ, cooked on a grill. There’s a social aspect to sitting around aromatic meat as it cooks before your every eyes.

Saturday Spotlight: What Should I Eat Today?

 

Just about one month past it’s first birthday, Facebook page “What Should I Eat Today? (오늘 뭐 먹지?)” has amassed a following of over 2 million likes. What is this page? It’s officially described as a community center, food consultant, and restaurant — but in plain terms, this Facebook page is a mastery of foodporn. 

Chicken and Beer

Chicken and beer is a thing. Koreans even have a nickname for it: chi-mek, from chicken and mekjoo (mekjoo means beer). Why this combination, I’m not sure — do the two particularly complement one another? Or is it another excuse for Koreans to drink with their meals? I don’t know where the idea came from, but this year the trend saw a giant boost in popularity from being the main character’s favorite food in hit drama You Who Came From the Stars.