Every year it is Korean custom upon the approaching Chuseok holiday (“Korean Thanksgiving” i.e. the yearly lunar harvest festival) for employers to give gifts to their employees. The things that are chosen for gifts are often quite peculiar by Western standards, but generally involve either something edible or some kind of household good, wrapped up in Chuseok-specific gift sets.
One year, I received a spam gift set. Several years I have received fresh fruits (e.g. apples), always wrapped in a plethora of packaging, including little foam cushions for each individual piece of fruit. Two years ago I received cooking oil (in a gift set) – I still have some of it.
This year, I received a gift set of “Premium Anchovies.” Koreans call these 멸치 [myeolchi], and I do not dislike them. But I have always viewed them as a kind of seasoning – I don’t enjoy trying to scarf them down by the mouthful, as some kind of main course or snack, as I have seen Koreans do.
This gift set of anchovies, however… I can’t imagine consuming this much myeolchi in an entire lifetime. This morning I put some in my noodle soup (guksu) that I’m currently in the habit of making for breakfast – I was generous, given my new oversupply, and ended up putting too much – the saltiness was overwhelming – salt being one of the flavors I am able to taste best given my handicapped tongue. I threw away my breakfast soup and tried again, with fewer mini fish.
[daily log: walking, 6 km]