The List

A common question I'm asked by friends, family, and acquaintances is, "What foods do you miss from your home country?"

I've decided to set the record straight and make a list of what I miss. It's very superficial. And honestly, I am just fine living without most of it. Anyway here goes:

• Good Beer - Korea doesn't produce many craft brews. The popular brands range in taste from water to a light wheat. Where are my nut brown ales?


• Fruits and Vegetables - Korea has these things, but they are SOOOO expensive! Grocery stores sell watermelon for $20, grapes for $7, and strawberries for $12. I miss cheap produce. Buying grapes and strawberries is a splurge for me...


• Good Cheese - I can get it in Seoul but it is obscenely priced because of Korea's outrageously high import tax (note the fruits and vegetables). I definitely didn't have this problem when I lived in France... Give me earthy and hearty cheeses!


• Chai Lattes - I can get chai at Starbucks but the closest one is in Seoul. I'm ashamed every time I realize I'm a slave to Starbucks, but it's so good!


• Pumpkin flavored anything: lattes, ice cream, candles, etc. - Korea is missing out on one of my favorite tastes and smells. Luckily, I'll be returning to the states as Pumpkin flavors are at an all time high (watch out!).


• Sourdough - This delicious version of bread hasn't made it across the globe. Most breads here are very VERY sweet; even garlic bread has sugar on it. The Korean perception of bread is very one-sided. Bread is heavily glazed, sweet, and often greasy. Most Koreans pinpoint bread as the biggest culprit in western obesity. To be fair, I would blame bread too if sugar was the only flavor.


• Freshwater Fish - I live on the coast which is a great blessing. I have fish all the time, but it's all saltwater varieties. They don't taste much like walleye...


• Proper BBQ/Buffalo Chicken - It's summer. I can't help it.


• Home-cooked Favorites - Everyone loves their mom's cooking. I'm no exception: chili, roast beef and "smashed" potatoes, broccoli salad, roll hickey... yum.

The pseudo-nice thing about Korea is it is very westernized and I can get most of what I want if I travel to a bigger city. However, I will say I greatly appreciate living in a small town. The price is right and I feel like I am having a more authentic experience. I've grown very used to the Korean diet, and I find myself craving kimchi and the like by Monday when I return to school after a weekend of fun restaurants in Seoul. Korea is very much home to me.

Pass the Kimchi,
-Bets

PLEASE NOTE: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups have been omitted from the list as my family has supplied me with enough fun-sized cups to get me through the year. Thanks family!