Traditional Food Fiesta @ Gwanghwamun Plaza

A feast to the eyes ONLY. Yes, we could not enjoy these since they were only for displays. 

All of these colorful delicacies were made of traditional ingredients... 

Even these cakes..layer after layer were actually tteok or rice cakes. Unbelievable. 

Not to mention...these nuts...^^ 

and these.....

gee..I wish I'd known what they're called. 

Each booth had each its own signature....that we become overwhelmed by the sheer diversities being thrown upon us.

We're exhausted of ....taking sample after sample... 

and..gee...this Jeonju Bibimbab looked just what I needed the most.

not to mention the rice served with full of vitamin ingredients prepared on a hot stone bowl...^^ or simply called 돌솥영양밥^^ (dolseot-yongyang-bab) 

and more and more....snacks..mouth-watering snacks after snacks....

Gee..WHY of WHY..they're NOT for sale? gosh..I was furious. 

Can't believe my eyes....just CAN'T. 

I would have paid for it, had they been for sale!!!!!!!!! 

and this one, too.

OHHH....AGONY!!!!! MISERY!!!!

콩국수가 왔다!!! Kongkuksu is Coming......!!!

콩국수 (kongkuksu) or let's see...I don't know how to describe it...I just do not want to copy and paste from the internet to 'tell' and 'describe' what it is. Just that. Ok..let me try...I think..this is a summer-only noodle soup. But, here's the catch: the soup is not just an ordinary one, it is made of grated or ground soybean (be it the white ones or black ones). Yes, the ground soybean is mixed with water, salt..(I guess) and other ingredients that I am not sure what..then mixed together with some sliced cucumber for garnish. Oh...a slice of egg, too..would do the trick to make it tastier. 

oh..I guess...are those sesames?  

And..another thing that I ordered at the same time...was....라뽁이 (rapukki). It's I-am-telling-you-I-am-not-lying spicy noodle mixed in gochujang or Korean-style chili pepper (this one what makes it hot!). Other garnishes they put in it are.....odeng (fish-cakes??), sesames (not agaiiin), one whole boiled egg, and..of course..the tteokpukki itself. Because  rapukki is a coined word that comes from a combination of ramyeon + tteokpukki. 

Ok..back to 콩국수 (kongkuksu)....I guess I'll have to eat more of this during summer....

cos it's refreshingly fulfilling.

The First Korean Food: Deolseot Bipimbab

Since we had yet any tools to cook, we got no choice but to go outside and had something for dinner. The only thing that came to my mind was deolseot bipimbab –my favorite food. It was a good thing that I have a regular place to go whenever I want to have this specialties.

The ajumma at this siktang has been sooo nice and generous to me that I never skip any deolseot bipimbab at her place whenever I have this appetite for this one. This is something that I treasure most.
So, I took my family, along with Seonhee and Wawan to have late-lunch together. The kids loved it soo much. It was a good choice since the veggies were a lot and the banchan or side dishes were also thoroughly good.
Eyra and Freya did love it. It was good to know that they could enjoy their first Korean

Lunch: Yeongyang Deolseot Bibimbap

영양돌솥비빔밥 or literally translated into a 'mixed rice full of nutrition in a hot bowl'
That was what I had for lunch. Thanks for Yumi who invited me to have lunch with her.
Oh, it was also her celebration for she has been accepted as a staff at KIEP research Center in Seoul.
It means she passed all of the requirements to be eligible staff at the center.

Yumi 

맛있다!  hmm yummy

it was only half of what we had on the other side of the table

 She seemed to be pretty happy about it, for I know how hard she tried. We did have a rehearsal of how to face the interview should any Indonesia-related questions might came up.
Though, none of what we rehearsed was present during the interview, one thing for sure, she got a job!
I am happy for her, too.

autumn really sets in.....

Oh, the meal was sumptuously presented before us with lots of banchan or side dishes on the table.
It was a treat indeed.
It was indeed a great time.


oh, the picture of the school: out of my curiousness while waiting for Yumi at the main gate.