Chusok is the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving and the biggest gift-giving occasion of the year. An estimated 8 million cans of Spam change hands annually there.
"My children are in high school and they love it," she said. "I cook it in ... stew with kimchi."
Jae Moon, a University of Minnesota professor, said one reason for Spam's popularity in his home country is that it goes well with an alcoholic beverage called soju [a rice-based alcoholic drink].
Said Chung Kyunghee, a partner in Kim's Oriental Market on St. Paul's Snelling Avenue: "The young generation, they want the American food. They want the Spam. We sell the Spam."
Monday, October 24, 2005
Spam (for the Holidays)
Also courtesy of Kyle via the Star Tribune, a touching expose of just how much Spam means to Koreans. My sister better hope I'm not her secret Santa, cause if I am, I'll be expecting her to turn my gift into some Spam kimchi for New Year's. Some excerpts:
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3 comments:
Since moving to Hawaii, I've had plenty of opportunities to imbibe in that salty canned meat, so too with kim chi. Can't say that I can see the two going toge ther very well, though I'd imagine its like relish on a hot dog to some.
I've moved around a bit, from the most eastern in the US to the most western, and I think I'm pretty good at eating local (kahlua pork plate lunch is tops), but I've got to tell people here that Spam is no good, and I'd eat more kim chi if I could find it without msg. They always tell me, "you're in Hawaii, everything has msg," and they're right too.
Soju can be bought out of the soft drink refer. Your sister bought some for her mother when in Korea, then telling her mother it was water. Suprise!
Anonymous: You crazy.
Yeah, it took you a while to find this article. It's been forward to me *multiple* times by now! Twice the Rice had some funny posts about spam/hawaii/kim chi the other month. I have to admit: i am curious and if offered, might have to give it a go!
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