[Rice in the soup bowl]

Getting your rice in the banchan, especially the soup, I have been told is a no-no -- one of the few ones. I ask about etiquette all the time. I've heard mixed things about leaving the chopsticks in the rice. The younger generation seems to not care about it. Older people say it brings bad luck. Lonely Planet says it's an indicator of death because they look like incense sticks.

OMG I would never leave the chopsticks sticking up in the rice!!!! Yeah, rice in the soup is really bad too. However I always dip my spoonful of rice in the doengjang chigae (god I hate spelling out korean words) and try very carefully not to drop even one grain of rice in it. Do you mix your rice into your individual bowls of soup, like seaweed soup? I hear this is bad, but I do it anyways.

I love the spoon and chopsticks in the same hand, it is very convenient and much more easier than constantly picking up each utensil after you are done with the other. This is why I love the long handled korean spoon better than western spoons

ps: sorry for throwing the thread off topic guys

[The Kimchi Topic]

This has reminded me of a second question. Which kimchis do you use fermented fish products in? I have seen small fermented shrimp used in regular cabbage kimchi, but not in others. Other recipes I have seen call for "fish sauce". I have never used these ingredients in my kimchis and they have tasted fine.

That is a good question, and to be honest with you I have no clue! I love kimchis with fish sauce in them though. I think it adds a really nice round and complex flavor. Vietnamese fish sauce - I believe the 3 crabs brand - is great in garlic chive kimchi

[Dosirak]

lower class? I didn't know this. I remember my mom yelling at me everytime I accidently dropped rice in the banchan during meals. I hear holding chopsticks and your spoon in the same hand is really rude but I do it ALL the time.

My excuse is that i'm only half korean. Thats why I dont know much on the dosirak!

[How we ate growing up]

Love everyone's answers by the way...very interesting so far

What was your family food culture when you were growing up?

My mother is Korean and my father is american born from Maryland. My little sister and I ate more Korean food than american growing up. My grandmother (on my father's side) lives close to a large population of Amish and Mennonites so we ate some Pennsylvainia Dutch food as well.

Was meal time important?

Very, we always ate dinner together as a family. Eating meals with my family always evokes fond memories.

Was cooking important?

Yes, there was always a home cooked meal on the table. My mother's food was a way of preserving her culture and introducing it to the rest of the family

What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table?

How the heck can I put my elbow on the table when every 10 seconds I am reaching over for veggies and meat with my chopsticks!! Seriously though, my mother was into good table manners but those have since vanished.

Who cooked in the family?

Always my mother. Even when I visit my parents on occasion my mother does all the cooking.

Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions?

We only went to Korean restaurants and that was really rare, like once every few months

Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over?

Yes, they made me sit there until I was 16

When did you get that first sip of wine?

don't know, but I had my first sip of beer when I was 8 and I loved it (still do).

Was there a pre-meal prayer?

"rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub"

Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)?

yeah, leftovers every day

How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life?

I have a boyfriend and he HATES Korean food!!!! He also hates anything that comes out of the ocean. So, how much of my family culture is being replicated in my present-day '' family life '' ? NONE. Only I eat Korean food and if I eat it, I have to eat it before he comes home because he says my food is stinky.

Any single men out there who like Korean food/seafood?

[Colorful flavorful wraps enhance sushi]

sounds fun to me....on a similar note, I remember in the mid 90's in Seoul everyone was really into gold leafing and chefs would wrap kimbop in gold leaf. Personally I enjoy the taste of seaweed.

However I think natural vegetables/ingredients would only enhance the flavor of the sushi. Sounds yummy

[What Beers Did You Drink Today? Or Yesterday? (Part 1)]

had my favorite beer in the world yesterday: trappist rochefort 8 and unfortunately now I am drinking some dogfish 60 min IPA----doesn't taste that good and I'm too lazy to leave the apartment

trappist roquefort, eh? mmm cheese beer

[unagi]

which eel is inbedded in a rectangular piece of egg? I love to fry or grill it up and put some of that sweet brown sauce on it. Its very cheap and filling and I would love to buy the eel separately because it tastes so good

[Morel Foraging?]

Ive read somewhere that someone found some morels in massasoit state park (taunton, ma) and even one in cambridge of all places

I might go to massasoit state park within a week or two and look around for some, if I can't find any there are always chicken of the woods and other edibles

[The Kimchi Topic]

I would like some advice from other people who make kimchi at home. My kimchis seem to become more and more watery as they ferment. This seems to dilute the flavor but also spreads the lactic acid flavor. Other kimchis I have had have not been nearly as watery. Am I adding too much salt?

After you heavily salt the veggies/fruit are you rinsing off as much salt as possible? Maybe it would help to delicately squeeze them with your hands or a hand towel.

[Dosirak]

I would usually eat kimbop with lots of left over namul, some spam and that flourescent yellow radish. Kimbop is the ultimate lunch/snack meal and is a great way to use up leftover meat and veggies.

My mom would also pack me up some dried squid and peanuts as a snack...yummy! Now I enjoy this with childhood snack with an ice cold beer or five

[NBC's "Celebrity Cooking Showdown"]

This isn't food related but did you notice how low cut that one woman's dress was? I couldn't stop staring at her chest!!!! I thought they were going to catch on fire when she was frying up that szechaun beef.

Anywho....just an observation

[Dosirak]

I guess its messy because it was shaken. Do you shake all of them or is it the one that is most similar to bibimbap with the rice, egg, assorted veggies and gochujang? Its probably alot easier to shake a bibimbap in a square box than it is to stir

I used to live in Korea as well and I can say that I have never seen these things. My lunch boxes were alot neater, in their own seperate compartments and in cute little hello kitty boxes

[Dosirak]

how about the korean version of the bento box -- dosirak? Its the antithesis of the japanese bento box, incredibly messy and not neat at all (but it looks sooooo delicious)

There is a nice section on it on Zenkimchi's blog: ZenKimchi

[The Kimchi Topic]

My favorite definitely has to be ponytail radish kimchi (Ch'ongak kimchi) . I like it better than Ggaktugi because I love eating the radish tops.

Other favorites include a mul kimchi made with purple cabbage (my favorite growing up) and my mom's signature garlic chive kimchi with lots of fish sauce.

The wonderful thing about kimchi is that it can be made with ANYTHING. My mother's korean friend even makes a papaya kimchi which is really really good. I bet even watermelon rinds would be good in a kimchi!!!