Oh Kimchi

Kimchi. Not just a food, but a way of life. Korea's national dish. Fermented cabbage covered in chili paste. I know that doesn't sound like something you'd want served with every meal, but stay in Korea for any period of time over a month and you'll come to not just love it, but to expect it with every meal. 90% of Korean meals are served with some type of kimchi. Yes, kimchi comes in many different styles and flavors. The most common being Chinese napa cabbage with chili paste. It ferments for a few days and can be eaten at any stage. My favorite is fresh kimchi (yes I can tell the difference between fresh and day or two old kimchi). The longer kimchi sits, the more sour it gets. Even better than standard kimchi is Gat Kimchi, or Yeosu's own special kimchi. It is made with mustard leaves and scallions. I can't even describe the flavor. Kimchi varies by region and even by family. Every family makes theirs a little differently. One of my favorite restaurants here serves you 4 different kinds of kimchi with your meal. Its heaven. I'm sorry to say that I missed the National Kimchi Festival. I'm really going to miss kimchi when I leave. Kimchi withdrawl is a common phenomenon. An American POW from North Korea, upon returning home, told his wife that she NEEDS to learn how to make kimchi. Its powerful stuff. Don't trust me? Ask the Koreans.

Kimchi is a wonderfood. Eat enough kimchi, you'll never get sick. Sometimes they go so far as to put a piece of kimchi on a wound to let the cabbage do its miracle. I don't know about that one, but so far I've been healthy and I eat kimchi at least once a day. They claim its also good for your heart. That I believe. How can it not be good for you. All it is is raw cabbage and sometimes other vegetables, and chili paste. I'm told its good for my heart so, cheers to you kimchi!

LSG is sponsoring a Kimchi Party however. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am. Matilda, one of the Korean owners, is teaching us how to make kimchi and we even get to keep some for ourselves. Matilda treats us like her own children. She cooked a feast for us on Chuseok and now she's providing us with free kimchi lessons, kimchi supplies, and dinner that night. She's great.