2.111

26 (Tue) April 2011

Fish Cake & Sausage Stir-Fry

1.5

by Nanny 2

at home

-Oksu, Seongdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

w DJ

I keep trying to explain to our nanny that neither fish cakes nor sausages (the mass-produced kind that are sold in supermarkets here) really constitute meat.  I’ve stocked the fridge with copious amounts of fresh beef and pork and chicken and fish and seafood, begging her to stick with the real stuff, at least when she’s cooking for DJ.  But older ethnic Korean women from China love processed animal by-products.  Yes, I’ve professed a deep fondness myself for SPAM and Chicken McNuggets and hot dogs on these pages, but I don’t serve them to my child for dinner, at least not at home, where healthier protein options are readily available.  On occasion, she’ll purchase some contraband on the sly with her own dime, smuggle it into the house, stash it in the deep recesses of the freezer, and make something with it when I’m not around.  She doesn’t really see the harm.  Her logic is based on the following elements, none of which can really be disputed: the products do in fact have some meat in them, the chemical additives in them can’t possibly be worse than those in all the other packaged foods in our pantry, and they taste good.  Sometimes, I’m just too tired to argue.

(For more details re food, see WHAT)

(For more details re venues, see WHERE IN KOREA)