eG Foodblog: Domestic Goddess - Adobo & Fried Chicken in Korea

[SuzySushi]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful week with us, O Domestic Goddess! I bow before your hearth.

Seriously, it was great to see both familiar and unfamiliar foods, get a peek into what life is like in contemporary suburban Korea, and delight in your family photos.

[lucylou95816]

Thanks Doddie for the wonderful blog this week. It was informative and entertaining. My cat loved the easter egg video! He freaked out when it was playing.

[Chufi]

Thank you so much Doddie, again I've been introduced to a new world.

I love how these blogs can give you such an intense feel of a country, a family, a life style. I know blogging only shows a slice of life, but I think you did a truly wonderful job.. I really felt part of your family this week.

Thanks again and see you around the Dinner!thread!

Edited March 11, 2007 by Chufi (log)

[hzrt8w]

For our drinks, I served this unique aloe vera drink. At first, I balked at tasting it since I assumed aloe vera tasted nasty. When I finally did get a taste, it was suprisingly good and had little chewy aloe vera bits in it.

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I didn't know what aloe vera is until now. I saw the name used in many of the hand lotions, but never thought it could be eatable (or should I say "drinkable").

Doddie: This has been a wonderful week following your blog - the food, the scenaries, your family, the cultures. Thanks for enlightening us with the Korean and Filipino cultures! I feel sad to see this comes to an end! But now you can be relieved and point the foodblog magic wand to somebody else!

Edited March 11, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Since it is almost Easter and eggs are part of it... I'd like everyone to click on this Egg Link 

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Thank you, Domestic Goddess. Egg yolks are good for the face.

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Carrot Top - my sister-in-law from Chicago sent it to me. I felt it was duty to "pass" it along.

Amapola - there are some asian garlic that are yellower in colour - in my country we call this wild garlic. The garlic has smaller cloves and packs a much more intense flavor/spiciness.

Rebecca263 - I am sad (and glad) the blog is over, too! I never took so many pics in my entire life! Have you posted the Chicken Afritada pics?

Suzy and Chufi - you're so welcome!

Lucylou - I never thought the video would freak out a cat, it sure did freak me out though. LOL

Ah Leung - I shall point my magic spatula/spoon back to the US. LOL

[helenjp]

Thank you Doddie! I love that eggplant/squash salad. It will definintely be making an appearance in my family's packed lunches.

[Domestic Goddess]

For our drinks, I served this unique aloe vera drink. At first, I balked at tasting it since I assumed aloe vera tasted nasty. When I finally did get a taste, it was suprisingly good and had little chewy aloe vera bits in it.

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I didn't know what aloe vera is until now. I saw the name used in many of the hand lotions, but never thought it could be edible (or should I say "drinkable").

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Ah Leung - come to think about it, I never thought aloe vera was edible too until I came to Korea and saw old ladies eat chunks of raw, fresh aloe gel right of the fleshy stem.

[Domestic Goddess]

Thank you Doddie! I love that eggplant/squash salad. It will definintely be making an appearance in my family's packed lunches.

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You're welcome Helen! I expect to it make an appearance in our food/dinner/bento threads.

[ChefCrash]

Great blog DG. What a beautiful country.

A bit of a trivia lesson now - King Sejong is known for the invention of the korean alphabet called Hangeul. ...

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Just so you know, our president has invented a new language too.

[GourmetLight$]

Thanks, Doddie, this has been a really fun and educational week!

Cheers,

[purplewiz]

Doddie, I've been lurking throughout the week, but I wanted to say thanks - so much of the food was so new to me, and yet almost all of it looked like something I want to try someday. (But I'm afraid my taste in scrambled eggs calls for cooking them a lot more! ) It's been a great trip with some fantastic meals, scenery, and writing!

Marcia.

[Cadbury]

Thank you for such a fascinating glimpse into your world. Gorgeous pictures, gorgeous food and gorgeous children. Totally addictive, I think I'll have me some garlic fried rice.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

Ah, so that's why canned corn beef is always in the pan Asian markets here! Learn something new every day... thanks Doddie!

[Domestic Goddess]

Great blog DG. What a beautiful country.

Just so you know, our president has invented a new language too.

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ChefCrash - I totally agree with you on Korea being a beautiful country. LOL at your president's new language.

GourmetLight$ - I'm glad you like the lessons.

purplewiz - to each to his own (when it comes to scrambled eggs. Your style is hubby's style. Glad you like the trip to my part of the world.

Cadbury - thank you for your kind words.

MomofLittleFoodies - You're welcome and thank you, too!

[Marigene]

I don't post here very often but do read every day. Your blog was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Thanks for the good reading and photos.

[Domestic Goddess]

Marigene - I'm glad I have enticed you to post at least once. Thank you for reading and enjoying my blog. It's people like you that makes it truly a worthwhile effort.

[agalarneau]

Wow. Just, wow. And thank you. I have to go cook some rice and wait so I can make garlic rice ...

[Domestic Goddess]

Wow. Just, wow. And thank you. I have to go cook some rice and wait so I can make garlic rice ...

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You got it right! Always remember that it is cold rice that makes the great fried rice, not freshly cooked rice.

[lumiere]

I love having salted egg "salad" as a side dish. I make mine a bit differently, though, by using red onions (I like the sweetness of it) instead of the white you have up there.

Longganisa + Sinangag = Heaven. Just add some spiced vinegar with minced garlic and a lot of siling labuyo -- my kind of breakfast. The aroma alone makes my knees weak.

I remember how in school my friends and I would have longsilog/tapsilog/tosilog during Recess. Perfect condiments would be ketchup for the sunny side up and the spiced vinegar+black pepper for the meat. Memories... *sigh*

Look at my shirt!

[lumiere]

Lumiere, is it a family recipe? Can you post it in RecipeGullet please? I'd love to see it too.

Yeah, sort of. It's my mum's recipe. I'd post it to RecipeGullet once I make it again so I can have photos to accompany it. hehe. I'm a visual kind of person...I like seeing how it'd turn out before trying out recipes.

In the meantime, I'll just email you.

[Pan]

Doddie, I want to thank you for this interesting, fun, photo-filled blog, but a thought also occurs to me: It seems to me that Filipinos (and especially Filipinas) are among the most-traveled people in the world, adapting themselves to many different countries. Often, this is for sad reasons: The Filipino economy has been so weak that for many families, having the wife or/and older daughters work abroad as maids or nannies has been the best or maybe even only effective way to stay above water and maybe allow some of the younger siblings to get a decent education. So many Filipinas miss their hometowns and families acutely. But is there something to the idea that a culture of traveling for work has made a lot of Filipinos comfortable with adapting to foreign lands? And a couple of related questions: Are there many Filipinas/Filipinos in Korea? Do you know and get together with others from your hometown or other parts of Luzon to speak Tagalog (which I assume is your native language?), sing Filipino songs, etc.?

[mizducky]

Doddie, thanks so much for showing us your world and your food. My brain is now totally obsessed with learning how to cook more Filipino and Korean dishes. We've got a huge Filipino community here in the San Diego area, and I've already made some exploratory visits into their neighborhoods, but now I've got to plan a major expedition. So many new foods, so little time ...

[Domestic Goddess]

Michael - you are right on the dot when you mentioned about the weak Filipino economy being the crux of the worker migration out of the country. During the 60's and the 70's, most of the migrant workers were men. A lot of my uncles, male cousins & relatives worked for seafaring tankers and ships during that time. Present times see women joining the men abroad, for nanny and maid jobs mainly. It is a sad fact but true. It doens't help that a weak government riddled with corruption and beaurocracy doesn't help our economic situation a bit.

With regards to my situation, I must confess I am a bit of an outcast with some of the Filipinas here. Most are migrant workers (legal and illegal) and mail-to-order brides for korean farmers. There are about 4-5 Filipinas living here in the Janghowon area. I have met all of them and tried to get together with them, but I am always considered different because I am married to an American (not a mail-order bride). I do try to call them up sometimes to find out how they are doing, give them some artisinal food gifts and even counsel them. I am still finding it hard for them to include me in their activities (mostly korean occasions and celebrations). The Filipina wives here hail from all over the Philippines, mostly from the province and mostly high school graduates or collge dropouts. I tell them that they can call me anytime should there be an emergency and that I am always here for them. I have met some Filipinos who are illegal migrant workers here (no working visa) but they are too wary to spend time outside for recreational activities. So, most of my friends are local koreans and other expat teachers here.

[Domestic Goddess]

We've got a huge Filipino community here in the San Diego area, and I've already made some exploratory visits into their neighborhoods, but now I've got to plan a major expedition. So many new foods, so little time ...

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Mizducky - don't be surprised if you keep getting invited into their homes for some home cooked Filipino food. And if they insist you eat more food (even though you're already stuffed to the gills. And one very Filipino trait is to pack some of the served food for guests to bring home. I do hope you get to enjoy those experiences. I am so glad I have sparked your interest in the Filipino cuisine.

[agalarneau]

Thank you for your extraordinary report. I especially enjoyed the sections on the market.

Do you know where I can get a decent recipe for "Korean fried chicken"?