Cycle 4 – Item 105

20 (Sat) April 2013

Gold Mountain Pork Bellies

3.0

by me

at Hosu Sanjang

-Yeoju, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with DJ and various families from DJ’s kindergarten

As the mainstream popularity of camping grows by the day, everyone wants to get in on the action.  Back when I first started, I was begging people to go with me, promising that I’d bring all the gear and do all the work, but nobody ever took me up on the offer.

Now, it’s the exact opposite; I’m constantly bombarded by requests from first-timers/amateurs, acquaintances/relatives, which I avoid as a general rule, knowing the headache/hassle that such an outing would entail for me without being sufficiently appreciated for it.  Experienced campers call it “jeobdae (to service/entertain) (접대) camping,” something that we’re resigned to do every once in awhile when the asspain may serve a higher purpose – e.g., “I have to take my clients jeobdae camping this weekend.”  My kid’s happiness would constitute a higher purpose, certainly, though I’m not so sure that camping necessarily makes him happy.

A couple years back, I camped out at this site with members of my camping crew –that was a good time (2.045 Pork Bellies: Seared, Dipped, Topped, Wrapped).

When servicing/entertaining folks for the first time, I often bust out my signature Gold Mountain Pork Bellies, always sure to please the crowd.

(See also CAMPING)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)