Dear Korean Food,
I still remember the day we met; I bought some mysterious pickled cabbagey thing I’d never heard of from the local Wild Oats. I brought it home, popped it open, and as soon as that fermented smell hit me, I knew we were gonna be friends. Remember that? I was living alone and we’d just hang out in front of the open fridge, eating kimchi straight from the jar… yeah, that brand with that grumpy looking woman on the label? What was her name?
No matter. It was pretty hard for us to keep up a relationship; what with me living in the suburbs of Massachusetts and you, well, not. Still, I got to know you a little better during that time — mostly from watching Dae Jang Geum — and I hoped by moving to New York we could really get to be friends.
So, why then, did I only just now learn that you evidently make the world’s greatest fried chicken?
I understand we’re not BFF or anything, but I never thought you’d keep fried chicken from me. Fried! Chicken! You know how I feel about that! And I had to find out about it in The New York Times, for chrissakes, like everyone else!
I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m hurt, you know? I know when I moved here, I changed plans and chose to live in Washington Heights instead of Jackson Heights, but I thought we were past that, aren’t we?
So, anyway… if it’s okay with you, I’d really like to meet this fried chicken of yours; maybe sometime this weekend? I’ll even come out to Queens to see you.
Your friend,
Kristen.
Now, see, posts like this make the blogosphere worth the time I spend here! (well, most of it, anyway…)
If you trek it out to Queens this weekend, I’ll meet you.
Or we can meet for dinner, here
http://events.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/dining/reviews/20unde.html
OMG you too watch Dae Jang Geum?!?! *squeeeeee* I was addicted to that show, dude. I watched it in Chinese while I was home in Asia. Whole family LOVED it. And the fact that it was a kitchen show was really just the icing on the cake. The cherry on the icing? The Silly Hats. Oh, those koreans and their silly hats. *love*
Oh my gosh! And here I thought I was a fried chicken expert just because I’m Southern! Turns out I could learn a thing or two from this, huh?
I’m totally trying some this weekend.
brokendecade: If it gets above oh sweet jesus I think my eyes just froze shut this weekend, I’m so there. I’m gonna email you in a sec, in fact.
tinymich: I freakin’ love Dae Jang Geum — there’s this one bar/restaurant on E32nd that’s always showing it on a TV that faces the street, and I’ll totally stop and watch it, just standing there on the sidewalk, until finally I’ll burst out with something like, “LOOK OUT! LADY CHOI IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU!” and then my embarrassed husband drags me away.
Don’t take what Korean Food did to you personally. I felt the same way when I discovered that Japanese Food has amazing curry, but then I realized that sometimes ethnic cuisinse get really busy, and sometimes they honestly forget to let us in on things.
Thanks for making me laugh this morning :-)