15.256 Pretty Jeon

Cycle 15 – Item 256

17 (Tue) September 2024

Pretty Jeon

3.5

by 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 15.255 Almond Brittle).

After Mass, before dinner, my uncle bestowed a blessing on DJ, such that God will get involved in DJ’s college application process, which he’ll begin submitting in a couple months.

Recalling what I wrote last year about the ever-simplification of the food (see 14.267 Fire-Roasted Abalones):

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.

The spread was pretty much the same this year, with ribeye in lieu of LA galbi.

This, apparently, is rock bottom, which is perfectly fine for everyone.

Though to spruce things up just a bit, JS made the jeon pretty by adding a thin slice of chili as garnish for each piece – nice.  They tasted good, too.

Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey 101 (3.0): back in the day, the bourbon version of the Wild Turkey 101 was one of our favorites, if only because it made us feel tough to drink such strong hooch.

DID YOU KNOW: For alcoholic beverages, the “proof” is a measurement of alcoholic strength.  Whereas different countries have historically used different calculations, the American method simply doubles the alcohol by volume (ABV): so, for example, a whiskey that is 101 proof is 55% ABV.  (Whiskey typically comes out of the barrel at around 120 proof and can be bottled at full strength – i.e., “cask strength” – though standard bottlings are usually watered down to 80 proof.).  The etymology harkens back to 16th century England, when spirits were tested by igniting them; those that lit were “above proof” and taxed at a higher rate.  Most countries have phased out the term at the regulatory level, but some brands still use it for marketing purposes.

(See also HANSIK)

(See also BOOZE)

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