mary eats

Late last month I posted that there was little in the culinary way to note the changing of the seasons.

Not true.

To the trained Korean eye, plenty, other than the cooling temperatures elude to the time of the season.

Speaking of cooler weather, the snappy chill in the air is perfect for drying out the summer’s harvest of red chilies. All over the city you can find hundreds of chili peppers spread out on mats, sunbathing. Catching a blur of ruby red as I whiz past on the scooter is as thrilling as spotting an egg in an Easter egg hunt.

Later, the ladies of the house remove seeds and stems, then grind the chilies (or take them to the neighborhood mill to be ground) to make gochu powder.

Other fall nods, include a desire for heavier food. JoongAng Daily writer Cho Jae-eun, published a piece on Jokbal earlier this month, as the ultimate comfort food.
“It might sound exotic for non-Koreans, but to locals, the dish remains a dependable friend — the kind you sometimes take for granted but that you always come back to for consolation.”

Jokbal is pig’s trotters, feet and legs, generally sliced and boiled in an enticing broth that can include, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, garlic, and on and on.

If you are already familiar with trotters, check out Zen Kimchi’s Pig’s Trotters two ways.