Learning to Use Chopsticks (젓가락)

Learning to Use Chopsticks (젓가락)

Korean chopsticks are typically made out of metal, so when I first met my wife and we were dating, we would go to a Korean deli, or we would go on picnics and she would pack a Korean lunch for us.  I always like trying new foods, especially Korean foods, but my chopstick skills were always lacking, and quite humorous!

After being married for a couple of years, I managed to figure out a way to use chopsticks, but my form wasn't correct.  I would sort of pinch the ends and wiggle them around, which would work for a while, but my hand would get pretty tired after a meal.

So, this past summer I finally broke down and purchased a set of adult training chopsticks from the Korean market that we visit.  The kind ajummas at the market were giggling as I checked out the different Pororo character chopsticks made for kids before I settled on this set:

After using this device for about two weeks, I tried switching over to my Korean chopsticks and I could use them like a pro!  These Adult Training Chopsticks hold your hand in the correct position and guide your fingers to the correct angles.  They also make a left-handed set for you lefties out there.

33. Folks are like apple pies: they spend more time perfecting the crust and making it look good, but not much time on perfecting the filling.  Strangely, the crust is the least interesting part of the entire pie, and most people are truly after the filling.  After all, it's apple filling that makes an apple pie.

13. Diet pop is nasty.

Green Coffee?!

I just set up shop in a Starbucks to get a little work done and I was offered a sample of Starbucks Refreshers, a new product that they have rolled out today!  Refreshers are made from green coffee extract.  Green coffee?  What in the world is this?!

Apparently, black coffee takes on its flavor from the roasting process.  As the raw, green beans are toasted to varying degrees of darkness, the signature flavor and aroma develops.  Starbucks has taken an extract from the green coffee bean and uses this as the basis for this new drink.  It still has caffeine from the unroasted bean but none of the flavor of coffee.  I tried both of the flavors, Very Berry Hibiscus and Cool Lime (I liked the latter better).  It tastes just like a fruit drink and I couldn't detect any bitterness from the caffeine.  Refreshers come in cans, Via packets, and, iced drinks made right in the cafe.  I was given a coupon for half-off a pack of Vias.  This Friday only, they are offering a free Refresher.  Check it out!

http://www.starbucks.com/refreshers/en-us

추어탕

추어탕 (Chuotang) - Korean Mudfish Soup

I first heard about this soup when I watched the episode about Korea on Andrew Zimmer's Bizarre Foods.  Most of the foods he tried I have also sampled, or at least seen, and most of them I didn't think were too out there, as far as "bizarre" goes.

The 추어탕 looked strangley intriguing (check out the link below) and I decided I would love to try some the next time I go to Korea.  We had some when we went to Korea last fall.  The soup that we tried didn't have the swimming mudfish dropped fresh into the hot pot, as in the video, but was made with a ground mudfish paste.  The taste was amazing!  It was pungeant, fresh, and very flavorful.  There were several Chinese herbs that were used to season it so it took on a very unique flavor.

My wife tells me that this is a traditional autumn food in Korea.  The flavor of the soup matched well with the damp, cool weather and unmistakable autumn scent in the air.

Watch Andrew Zimmer sample 추어탕 on Bizarre Foods