PLN at KIS

Sweet aromas here and there all over the streets of Seoul, Korea. Steam coming out of small carts among people is a common sight on cold winter days. Everyone blowing on their warm winter treats, trying to cool them down before they go into their watery mouths. There I stand, surrounded by tons of people, enjoying my favourite winter comfort foods.

If you’ve visited Korea, you’ll know how crowded the streets are with people in Seoul. I bet you’ve noticed some of the foods around the street as well.

Walnut Breads,

Egg Breads,

Sugar Pancakes,

Goldfish-Shaped Waffles,

Fishcake Kebabs, … you name it.

Above all, my favourite has to be the GOLDFISH-SHAPED WAFFLES! There were many carts near my house when I was little, where I could buy them whenever I wanted to. Besides, they are sold practically everywhere in Seoul during winter.

Around the time when my parents come back home from work, I used to call them to ask if they could by me the waffles on the way. When they ring the door bell, I would always look for the white paper bag before anything else to see if they bought the waffles. There were times when they disappointed me, but most of the time, I would give them a big hug, thanking them for the waffles.

I’ve got to say that the Goldfish-Shaped Waffles may be the oldest winter comfort foods loved by EVERYONE! They’ve been around for as long as I can remember. Even my parents used to enjoy these when they were little. What’s there not to like? They’re cheap (3~4 waffles/$1), tasty, and doesn’t make much mess. I love its texture, too. Crispy on the edges and soft and chewy as cotton candy on the inside. The sweet red-bean paste that’s hidden makes these just that much better.

Let’s not forget the best part of eating the Goldfish-Shaped Waffles. It’s the steam that comes right out into the air as it splits in half. You blow and blow it until you think it has cooled down enough to take a big bite. Even if the waffle may be in your mouth, it won’t be gone for a while since it’s so hard to chew something this hot. You can feel the steam still coming out and the roof of your mouth burning.. the fabulous taste makes it worth it though.

But what really makes me love the waffles even more and more is that I can always share them with my family. Isn’t that the best part of enjoying comfort foods? Your family?

This entry was posted on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 8:16 am and is filed under Comfort Foods. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.