Cycle 14 – Item 267
29 (Fri) September 2023
Fire-Roasted Abalones
3.0
by me and JS
at the cabin
-Changchon, Seowon, Hoengseong, Gangwon, Republic of Korea-
with the Family, maternal kin
As per (maternal-side) family tradition, we are celebrating Chuseok at the cabin, including a pre-dinner the evening before (see 14.266 Chinese for Chuseok Eve).
For the past few years, since our return to Korea, the food at the main Chuseok dinners seems to be scaling back, in terms of both complexity and price. In 2020, the spread included songi (matsutake), hanwoo, and king crab (see 11.270 Songi) – all very exclusive and expensive. In 2021, my mother prepared a spread of neo-modern Korean dishes (see 12.259 Hobakip Ssam) – not that expensive, but very lavish and fancy. In 2022, grilled eel (see 13.249 Grilled Eel) – simple yet expensive, tricky to cook. This year, just unmarinated LA galbi. I don’t think that it’s a budgetary issue, just that everyone’s getting old and tired to put much effort into it.
Traditionally, Ballantine’s 30-year-old Blended Scotch whisky has been the ultimate symbol of luxury booze in Korea. Currently retailing around 600,000 won ($399 duty free), sold at bars for 2,000,000 won and up. It’s the gold medal standard for gifts to people in power, including politicians, priests, and professors – when I got my PhD, I gifted a bottle to each of the professors on the committee. Nowadays, with the influx of more brands, including single malts, much more exclusive and expensive bottles are available, but Ballantine 30 held the top stop for decades. One step below would be Johnny Walker Blue Label, then Chivas Regal Royale Salute. Nothing to do with taste, just prestige.
My uncle, the priest who recently retired (see 14.241 Holy Buffet), was in a generous mood and busted out a bottle. I must’ve tried Ballantine 30 at some point in my long alcoholic career, but I can’t recall – no wonder, it didn’t taste particularly memorable, just very smooth and bland, exactly how Koreans like it (watered down further with ice).
The real fun began after dinner, when the old(er) people retired for the evening, and the rest of us stayed out to enjoy a campfire. JS and I prepared various snacks throughout the night, including leftover abalones (intended for yesterday’s dinner), which we improvised to marinate with garlic and oyster sauce, then roasted over the open flames. More fun than tasty.
Last year, JS and I combined to serve an Italian spread for the pre-dinner (see 13.248 Caprese Salad with Smoked Salmon), so this year we went Chinese (see also 4.257 Chuseok à la Chinoise). I made buchu & eggs, hofan, and mapa doufu. He made stir-fried seafood and beef & peppers with steamed buns. It was all good.
(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also BOOZE)