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<\/a>Monty Python comes to mind, “We eat ham and jam and spam a lot.”<\/p>\n
Oh, there is lots of processed meat that is cheaper than Spam here.\u00a0 Yes, a local mentioned to us that that “ham” on translated menus here is typically generic spam.\u00a0 This luncheon meat is literally called ham (\ud584, haem<\/em>).\u00a0 Not the cured ham you might conjure in your mind.\u00a0 Specks of it show up everywhere.\u00a0 In your fried rice, gimbap, pasta and even on the majority of savory breads in places labeled caf\u00e9 or p\u00e2tisserie.\u00a0 Confusing and fascinating.\u00a0 Vegetarians would find it challenging.<\/p>\n Perhaps an artifact of upbringing, culture, or simply enjoyment, we can’t deny our affinity for pork.\u00a0 Cantonese char siu bao (steamed pork buns), Taiwanese lu rou fan (pork over rice), dong bo rou (braised pork belly), Singaporean bakkwa (best jerky ever), the pancetta in carbonara, or a veritable slice of bacon.\u00a0 Memories of backpacking days snacking on jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico on toasted bread along with some tinto de verano surface in my mind.\u00a0 Doubtful that we’d haul backpacks around again on another trip, but one never knows.\u00a0 I should stop the stream of pork dishes flashing in my mind.<\/p>\n You can tell I’m writing this post in the middle of lunch hour.<\/p>\n Jeju island is also famous for its Jeju black pork.\u00a0 So one of the meals at home was jeju pork, with seasonal figs, and beets I happened to have come across.\u00a0 The persian spices from N definitely made the yogurt base savory.<\/p>\n On the weekend, we ventured deeper into an older local estate right next to ours.\u00a0 Nondescript stairs descend from an old parking lot and turn sharply into a dim basement.\u00a0 We came here because a combination of online cut-and-paste translation and search guesswork led us to suspect the existence of fresh steamed buns right under our noses.\u00a0 It unfolded into a maze of old shops, butchers, produce sellers, market stalls, and of course food.<\/p>\n And then there it was.\u00a0 Platters of giant buns.\u00a0 And fresh dumplings too.\u00a0 The neighborhood provides again.\u00a0 We ordered a savory one of chives and pork, and a sweet one of red bean.\u00a0 Each.\u00a0 They were pulled fresh from huge steamers and we headed home to savor them to consume them warm.<\/p>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>