Food Adventures

It all started at 7:30 one Thursday morning, when I started a discussion in one of my adult classes on ‘favorite foods’. One of my students, Daniel, answered that his favorite food was live octopus. They laughed at whatever facial reaction I gave and swore that they’d get me to eat it before I left Korea.

Sure enough, they eventually convinced me to go with them to “one of the best octopus restaurants” in Myeongdong. The octopus’s head was actually chopped off just before it was served to us, so I don’t know if it really counts as ‘live’ but it was definitely still moving, even when it was all chopped up and on the plate.

Live Octopus

Chopsticks were slightly difficult for me to manage when I first got to Korea but now I’m used to them. Chopsticks with a moving target, however, is a separate issue for me. I had the toughest time trying to pick up the octopus as it crawled around my plate, suctioning itself down and holding on for dear life, but I eventually prevailed and tried one of the wriggly little guys. Shockingly, it wasn’t bad. It was still moving of course but the taste was just like any other really fresh octopus (and the sauce we were dipping it in). I was instructed to chew extremely well so the tentacles wouldn’t suction to my throat and obstruct my breathing, killing me on its way down. Mission accomplished (obviously, since I’m still alive).

After a few bites, my students offered me a chunk of the brain, which was cut up and sitting (more convenient for my chopsticks and I than the rest of its moving counterparts) on a plate in the middle of the table. It looked nasty but I decided to just go for it. I was terrified of what it would taste like but it actually turned out to be the best part. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste and, after I ate the first piece, I offered to share the rest of the plate with the others at the table (all Koreans). Most of them answered with something along the lines of “Oh no thanks…I would never eat that part!” Huh. Great. Thanks guys! The damage was already done though (and it honestly wasn’t bad) so Daniel and I just shared the rest of the brain.

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My class must have enjoyed watching my reactions to my first moving food experience because, not too long after, they decided to take me to eat another similar (though much tamer) meal of eel. The head, again, was chopped off right as it was served but this time they grilled it. The eels were still moving as the waitress set them on the grill (in the middle of our table) and the blood dripped off but they were totally dead by the time we started eating them (something I’m much more used to) and the taste was amazing!

(I currently can't get my eel video to upload. Lame.)

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After these adventures, I told my students that the only thing I’d never try was beondegi (silkworm pupae), a relatively popular Korean snack, often sold on the street. Daniel, of course, was appalled that I didn't want to try them and went on to tell me how delicious they are and that I had to just once. I was already proud of myself for eating the first two dishes and I figured that if I'd already come that far, I might as well keep going. When in Rome, right? In the end, I promised Daniel I’d try the little creatures.

Bad move.

Beondegi

So...when in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Korea, chew your food really well (if you can catch it) and, if you love yourself, don’t try beondegi.

Video link to all three food adventure videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVw5aN8NG60