Now you may remember how I tried some steamed silkworms (Beondegi 번데기) at Makgeolli 3000 a while back. Rumor has it that they taste pretty different depending on where you get them. Best ones are found on mountain trails. I guess it’s a healthy dose of much-needed power food. We came across a vendor selling them at the Andong Mask Festival and thought we’d give it a try.
On the left side are some small shell things, and the silkworms are on the right.
Festival Steamed Silkworms:
First thing I found interesting about eating here in the cafeteria in my school? Teachers eat the same school lunch as the students. When I asked how that was possible? My teacher said parent’s complained and asked why was teacher food better than the student’s food. Very valid point.
Second thing? It is a very communal environment. Teachers come in and file into the next available seat. If there is no more room for the students, they come sit with us.
Thirdly, we will always eat rice and a soup for lunch along with the added extras.
Fourthly, they do not drink with their meal. After you are done you file out and get a drink of water from the machine. Very interesting difference. I’ve gotten use to it.
And lastly, the soup HAS to go on the right and the rice on the left. Seriously. We don’t deviate from this, and the one day I did I felt rather deviant lol.
Typical lunch here minus the yogurt drink
My teachers were very surprised that I could use chopsticks. I grew up around a Chinese community and enjoy Japanese food. Funny enough, my Coteacher found it weird I eat my rice with chopsticks and not with the spoon. “It’s so much harder!” she told me, and I laughed because she is right and Korea is sensible about eating rice with a spoon and not with chopsticks like the other cultures I learned from.
I just loooooove this style of eating!
From Korea With Love 