I have neglected this blog for awhile, and I guess it is because I come and go as to whether I like Korea or not. I am still struggling to find color and inspiration here. Sometimes I like the food and sometimes I don't. It can be tasty and flavorful and delicious like bulgogi, beef or pork that has been marinated in hot red chili peppers, honey and barbecue sauce with vegetables. But it can also be overpowering, like kimchi-- fermented cabbage with peppers and garlic, which still hasn't grown on me. When I read about bulgogi in the Lonely Planet guide to Korea, I knew right then and there that one of my first missions when I arrived would be to try it. Well, after I moved into my apartment, I ventured into my new neighborhood and poked my head into all the local restaurants and uttered one word: "Bulgogi?
"No, bulgogi," was always the reply. Finally, one day about two weeks ago I was shopping at E-Mart (a big everything store like Wal-Mart) in the supermarket section when I smelled something strong and peppery in the air. This section is always full of women employees giving out samples of whatever is sold in each aisle and one of them was cooking bulgogi in a rectangular pan on top of a stand with toothpicks and a built in trash can. I stabbed a piece of the meat with the toothpick, and the flavor just exploded in my mouth. Slightly sweet, but mostly spicy and the pork couldn't have been more tender. There were large packages of the raw meat already in the marinade ready for purchase. The temptation was too great. I put one in my cart. It was enough to last two weeks and for only 10,000 won ($10) it couldn't be beat. So there you go. One thing I know for sure that I love about Korea is bulgogi!