Food from Afar

 

Aaron came home from work one day and handed me this little package.  It appeared to be a miniature hot dog wrapped like a tube of sausage.  As you can imagine, I was a little nervous about eating such a thing.  He opened it and told me to taste it.  I did not immediately comply.  I first smelled it.  Ugh!  Fishy.  I shaved of the smallest of bites and tasted it.  Ugh!  So what is it?

It is a Korean processed snack containing fish (54%), pork, egg, flour, cheese, beans, etc.  Someone must have translated for Aaron because as you can see, the packaging is all in Korean.

Apigigi (left), a specialty in Saipan, made with freshly grated coconut and tapioca flour, then grilled in banana leaves—soft, sticky, smoky and slightly sweet. Tteok (right) is a Korean cake made with glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice or chapssal). This is a pounded tteok called Kongtteok made with black beans. 

Seasoned Sheets of Seaweed
These are delicious with a little rice and sashimi or eaten alone.

Korean Mandarin Oranges

The giving of fruit during the holidays is a tradition that is shared among the Asian and Island cultures. I believe it is meant to wish the recipient wealth and prosperity in the new year. Aaron's office received this large box from a client.