I knew the thing I'd miss most after leaving South Korea was the food. But interestingly, my food cravings for han-shik didn't kick in straightaway. And when they did, they were more based on the restaurants and the people I used to eat with than just the food itself. Even my weekly Monday lunch meetings, where my boss would tell me and my foreigner co-worker everything we were doing wrong lately, is something I'm a bit nostalgic about.
I guess the fact that now I'm eating (and cooking!) pretty healthy meals for two (including my Old Man, of course) eases the pain a bit. If I'm being honest, I'm probably eating a bit healthier now anyhow -- I did OK with eating plenty of raw fruit for breakfast in Daegu, but my veggie intake was hurting. (South Korea is a carnivore's paradise, to say the least.) These days I'm enjoying the access to incredibly cheap fresh produce, and in some cases just bags of frozen broccoli in a pinch.
The point being, I could name a few Korean foods I miss -- kimchi stew, soy-braised chicken and noodles, even Korean-style fish-and-rice rolls. But each one goes along with a memory of a certain restaurant, or co-worker, or friend, or even my two regular convenience stores in northern Daegu.
It's not surprising at all, really. Food memory imprints are directly connected to social ones.
I'd kill for a fried chicken joint within delivery distance, however. If it isn't clear by now, I really am living in the middle of nowhere. According my Google Maps there's a Subway about three miles from us, but that would just be sad and wrong, no?
Also, I miss the price. Here in America five bucks will get you a fast-food value meal at best. In my favorite joints in Daegu you could eat like a king or a queen.
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