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Nostalgic Bites

I miss Korea.  I haven’t been since I was 16 and boy is the entire experience always stuffed with culinary delights.  Not only does the entire family flock around the kitchen and celebrate with food, my aunties are constantly fussing over you to eat, eat and eat some more.  One of the more memorable moments were of all the street vendors yelling for your attention.  With the sheer volume of activity and chaos, it’s hard to take a moment to pause with all of your senses flooded with all things crispy, juicy, fiery…and all just plain delicious but there are a few that remained with me over the years.

While playing the rubber band game (the Korean version of jump rope), the neighborhood girls and I would refresh ourselves with the strangest combination of dried file fish and

2007-2007_03-ic_watermelonwatermelon popsicles to wash down the briny bite of the fish.

At breakfast time, when we didn’t feel like sitting down before a Korean meal (which includes quite a number of side dishes just to complete the affair), my aunty would send me or my brother down to the local bakery to pick up some milk bread.  I have several fond memories of biting into these fat pillowy slices and asking for more.

These sweet red bean cakes that look that look like little fishies are some of my daddy’s favorites.

Korean-Street-Food fishThey essentially taste like hot crispy waffles enveloping sweet, thick red bean paste and sometimes, there’s a nice cool layer of ice cream tucked in the middle.

Rice punch.  The best I’d ever had saved me from the sun that can so fiercely threaten an innocent pedestrian as they walk along side the busy (and super hot) streets of Korea.  At an open air fish market crouched in a corner, a lady with sun bronzed skin and crinkled eyes ladled up this refreshing drink for me and it was like cooling ambrosia on that very hot day and I’ve been hooked ever since.

What are some of your favorite childhood treats?

Love,

Your Squishy Monster ^.~

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43 thoughts on “Nostalgic Bites

  • Deepti says:

    Wonderful! It should have been really nostalgic to you… Childhood memories are the best and cannot be erased by my means… Love all the dishes presented here…

  • Carole McDonnell says:

    that rice punch looks so good.

    Childhood food: Hot chocolate and hard dough bread, bulla, spicy shrimp, salty dried shrimp, grater-cake, tamarind balls.

  • Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says:

    I never heard of rice punch so this post made me go on a Google search hunt!

  • Louise says:

    I’ve really been missing New York lately, Angela. All my childhood memories are there. I can just imagine how you long for those “nostalgic bites” you mention, especially that milk bread.

    I wonder if the time of year has more effect on our cravings for our childhood homes and the food we memorialize? Thank you so much for sharing your “bites” with us Angela…

  • Veronica says:

    YUM. You should make milk bread and share your video/recipe – it looks so good! My favorite childhood treats are cheese sandwiches with lots of veggies (tomato, onion, pickle, lettuce), potato chips and sour cream and chive dip, spaghetti with my mom’s marinara that had black and green olives in it, and chocolate eclairs. We mostly ate health food but these things were the less healthy things
    , thus my favorite.

  • Sarah & Arkadi says:

    your post reminded us how much we love Korean food! We also love those fish looking ice creams, the Melona brand! We live fairly close to Korean Town and frequent it every couple of weeks!

  • ela@GrayApron says:

    I went away from my home country for about 20 years…now I’m back and I get to experience my childhood tastes all I want. And I also appreciate exotic dishes like the ones you posted. Nice!

  • Evelyne@cheapethniceatz says:

    Looks so wonderful and now you need to plan a trip. Childhood flash back, we did rubber band games even more then skipping rope.

  • Choc Chip Uru says:

    I love how sweet bean cakes are associated with your daddy, how special

  • Angie@Angie's Recipes says:

    I love those sweet red bean (fish) cakes. Thank you for sharing, Angela.

  • brian says:

    we used to have the red licorice jump ropes u could about 2foot long. not the same as twizzlers but similar. eating ice cream and picking fresh blackberries off the plant and eating in bowl of condensed milk. otherwise alot of lipton iced tea mix! haha hope the summer lasts more than a day! hehe

  • Lester says:

    Precious memories, How they linger and take us back in wonderful ways…Making new memories is great also. A Lady friend many years ago mad me red bean cakes. Loved them! The watermelon popsickle looks yummy to. Every thing does!Happy Easter to you and your family Angie.

    Love.

    Les.

  • Francesca says:

    I wholeheartedly miss those red bean cakes. and everything sweet made of chestnuts!! Childhood treats for me: FLAVOR ICE!

  • Kumar's Kitchen says:

    we love Korean food…don’t get the real thing in all places…so when we do …we start devouring it…and your post is making us so hungry for some now,thanks for sharing

  • Tandy | Lavender and Lime says:

    I love the sound of the watermelon Popsicles. My favourite childhood treat was my gran’s crunchies

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Oooh, wish I’d had a granny, sounds yum!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Sadly, the Korean restaurants are slim to none here too.

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Yum!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    You are one lucky man, sir!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Have you ever had snow cream? Yuuuum!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Thanks for hanging out, Angie!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Many foods are and I think that’s a large part of why I love food so much.

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I can’t wait to go back, it’s been far too long!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Lucky! It must be like a dream

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Yesss!!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I actually made a video and a big chunk of the files were corrupted just means I shall have to try again

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I bet! It’s the season when everything is re emerging after all

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    How you get to try my recipe!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I love your line up, Carole! I need to get my hands on some of those tamarind balls. I hope you’re enjoying your weekend, my friend!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I’d have to say that so many of my happy childhood memories revolved around food

  • yummychunklet says:

    Great post!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Makes my yearning for Korea that much greater.

  • Daniela says:

    Oh I imagine that you get nostalgic about your home country and it’s food.
    I live abroad since many years and of course what you miss most is family and friends but food is part of your identity, your culture and your roots.

  • Kelly says:

    Childhood foods and memories are the best – everything looks wonderful. I love those sweet red bean cakes too and the watermelon popsicles are too adorable! Thanks for sharing Angela

  • cailee says:

    Ohhh!! These are so cute! Love those little watermelon pops!! How adorable! Also, I had a friend how was an exchange student from Asia and she was explaining to me how they have ‘dessert’ with red beans in them! I was so confused because I’d never heard of it before! She was from Thailand though… is that a popular food all over Asia? Love the little fishy shape btw!

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    For sure. I like it most in rice cakes/mochi.

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    I’m sad that I can’t find those watermelon pops here

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Food, family, friends. What more do you need?

  • brian says:

    i had lots of ice cream but no snow cream. the snow around here is usually yellow so i wouldn’t suggest using it! hahahaha ;P

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    Good point!

  • Amelia says:

    Hi Angela, excellent posting. Thanks for sharing the wonderful Korean stuff. The watermelon Popsicle look cute and so tempting. I sure love to have that…..:))

    Best regards.

  • The Squishy Monster says:

    It’s the best! Rivals the melonbar, IMO

  • Roshani Khanna says:

    My mouth is watering!! Now you are making me hungry Angela! the dressing sounds so good, absolutely loving this! Pinned!

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