Watching my host family prepare their meals gives me insight into the unique history of food traditions in Korea, as well as the new customs and favorite snacks of today.
A lot of food in Korea has a rich history connected to its local environment. Many of the vegetable dishes are made from plants that grow easily on the mountains found in this region. Seafood is quite prevalent here because it is a peninsula with a large coast. Rice, rice-based noodles and rice cakes are also a popular here because a LOT of rice grows here. Between the rice and the seafood, a lot of Korean food is very chewy! Many Korean dishes also are very flavorful. Popular spices include soy sauce, hot pepper, sesame oil and fish sauce. Korea's environment and resources have led to a very distinctive type of food. I strongly recommend trying Korean food if you haven't before... it's very delicious!
