Suna in Wonderland

Recently I started to feel that food prices have went up really high. Then I started wonder if it has really went up or just receiving news regarding inflation too much that I feel it’s getting expensive.

So I decided to make comparison with last year (exactly 2009. Dec)

The result was very surprising!

Total price 15 RMB –> 19.7 RMB (8.5 RMB up)

2 Sweet potato price 3.7RMB –> 4.3 RMB (0.6RMB up)

Mushroom, Rice and egg I could not compare since I did not know how much I bought before. Plus I bought different egg from last year, so I will update it next time

Of course there are some difference that could affect the prices. such as..

1. Season differences
2. It was different market
3. Weight might have been different

But still 8.5RMB higher price for same amount of the food is way TOO EXPENSIVE!!!! Plus if local market is this expensive huge supermarkets will be even worse than this.

Now with 6 euro for two couple for week is not possible any more. Past 3 month, I’ve been spending weekly grocery budget for minimum 80RMB to 150 RMB including fruits. Not only food price is going up fast but also Chinese currency is rising up quickly as well. 6 euro in Dec. 2009 was 59.2 RMB is now 54.5 RMB.

I hear risig of food price is just a beginning now. It’s going to be even worse than this from now on. I am bit worried and wonder how it would affect in the rest of the world. China is known as self- sufficient (自給自足) country, and it suffers with food price with this much, county that has to depend on import will be terribly hit.

2012 project! (2011. 02 was…)

• 12 brown egg: 7.5 RMB
• Small totatomes 0.5kg: 8 RMB
• Straw berry 0.5 kg: 9 RMB
• 2 paprika: 8.4 RMB
• 2 onion: 3.5 RMB
• 1 green pumpkin: 2.8 RMB
• 4 tomato: 5 RMB
• 2 sweet potato: 4.3
• 1 broccoli: 3.7
• 1kg rice: 5RMB
• Total: 57.2 RMB

Yesterday during the CS lecture (Customer Service) I got to know some interesting stories, which was failed business story in China. Especially as Shanghai is land of opportunity many of people come to Shanghai, dreaming that they would be successful with their ideas. There are about 65000 Korean living in Shanghai and I bet more and more people are coming to Shanghai.

Lecturer explains that most important thing to success is to find niche market and understand the culture. Even though you found niche market, culture important matter to consider, and followings are failed episode due to this reason.

Tinted window

In Korea, the more care is expensive, the more likely will have tinted window. It’s because owner would like to have some privacy as well as it looks cool! (Just like celebrity). One business man thought since China has so many cars, Tinted window business will be prosperous. But it failed.

Why? Chinese people like to show off their richness and car is the one of their important main pride. So if one apply tinted window, how can people see who is inside the car?

Fashion

As Korean TV drama is popular in China, fashion as well influence in China. One thought if she could bring all the popular clothes in Korea and sell it in China pricey, it will be great success. (I would not consider this as niche market though)

Anyway she failed while shop next door shop run by Korean born in China (朝鮮系中國人) was very successful, selling lots of clothes. To her clothes next door seems bit odd and not really Korean style. This person simply ignored or forgot that Chinese have their own taste and trend.

Should have wrote this blog yesterday (Feb, 17), which was 2011, ‘Great Full Moon day’ (also called ‘Daeboreum’). Anyhow it’s better late than never.

Last night, fireworks were all over the Shanghai sky once again. My first thought was; ‘Ah!  Chinese people are probably clearing off the remain fireworks from Spring festival.’ But later on I realized that it was Great Full Moon Day.

Great Full Moon day is first full moon in New Year. In old days, it indicated start date of farming and It is very big celebrating holiday in Korea especially.

Why follow moon?

Moon is considered as Yin, which means female. So moon represents as goddess or ground,and of course most important thing women do is give birth. Therefore, when moon becomes full, it not only looked rich but also represent full power of maternity- good harvest. I guess in old days, people used moon as to see the season change, since it changes shapes unlike Sun.

What people do on Great full moon day?

Korea

Korean people eat nuts in the morning to guard oneself against boils for a year and in the evening, would go to hill to view the moon, make wishes. People also predict that if moon light is white, it will bring many rains, if red then will bring drought, if color is strong it will bring rich year and bring bad year if moon light is dim. So as to hoping for rich year, some region do some ceremonial events.  Such as…

making fire to lighten the area as well as chasing away bad spirits

At night, kids would put fire in empty can and play like photo. After play, they throw on empty rice field

This is to kill all the harmful insects and mouses

write one’s birthday/name on the kite and send it to sky

Later cut off the string to send off bad luck and brings good luck

Eat Ogokbap

Bowl of steamed rice mixed with grains including barley, foxtail millet, millet and soy beans

China

In China, not only huge firework, but also special events takes places called Lantern Festival, where families walk the street with lighted lamps. Also make bean porridge and do ceremony infront of doors (I think to chase away the bad sprits- same ritual happens in Korea on longest night of the year). Alos eat rice dumplings (tangyuan) are eaten and lit outside houses for chase away bad sprits just like korea.

Japan

In Japan, it used to be ritual day for them as well but do not celebrate much anymore. Some people eat red bean soup.

Nice sunny weekend but  sadly my husband had to go to work. But I would not let myself stuck in the house in such a nice weather. It’s a sin, if I do!

So I decided to go to flower market, perfect place to feel spring. Plus last Christmas I got mustard & watercress and tulip bulbs from Holland as presents. So I had to find pot and soil.

Hongqiao Flower Market

718 Hongjing Lu, near Hongsong Lu -虹井路718号, 近红松路

So I head to Hongqiao flower market, which was about 20 min cycle distance from my house. Last time we went there too that could not see much, so today I decided to take my time to look around.

Flower market was busy as valentines day is coming, lots of roses in different colors, little teddy bears for decorations and colorful wrapping papers were being prepared in the market. I guess these flowers will be delivered all over the Shanghai, ready to make lucky girls in Shanghai smile and happy.

‘Who will be my owner?’

Surprisingly, this place was more than a flower market. There was also place to  sell fish and handicrafts behind the flower market. All the nice tea pots, antique furniture, western kitchen supplies and Arts & paintings  can be found here. Actually this place had more foreigners shopping than Chinese people.

Found typical dutch pot in China. Cheaper in China of course!

Can find lots of house decoration stuff here!

Bit pricey but still cheaper than western standard

After wondering around, I finally bought soil, pot and little spade. I find it bit ridiculous to buy bag of soil for 10RMB, but had no choice, since it’s easy to find asphalt road than soil road.

On my way out, beautiful flowers caught my eyes. ‘Oh! Spring has arrived!’ And just like that, I bought 6 new flowers, hoping that this time, flower would survive.  To be honest, I have minus hand when it comes to plant but since my husband have plus hand, I am hanging on to him. And what the heck, it makes me happy and smile just by looking at it.

Our little spring garden

Today’s  menu is Korean fried chicken & potato soup!

Called ‘닭볶음탕/ Dak bokkeumtang’

What to prepare?

Chicken, Potato 2~3, Half onion, one carrot, 2 green onion

Sauce: Korean red pepper sauce 1 big table spoon, 4 table spoon of red pepper powder, 2 table spoon of soi sauce, 1 table spoon of alchole, 1.5 table spoon of starch syrup, 1/2 spoon of crushed garlic, 1 table spoon of sugar, little bit of salt & pepper, little bit of sesame oil

Wash chicken and let it stay in cold water for half an hour

After 30 min, Put chicken in pot,

Add fresh water and boil about 30 min

While chicken is boiling, prepare other ingredients

Cut Potato, onion, carrot and green onion

Mix all the sauce ingredient  in a bowl

When chicken is cooked, take chicken out

Remove impurities (foam/oil) in the soup

Then put potato in the pot to boil

While  potato is boiling  marinate chicken with sauce

(Do not use all the sauce, use 2/3, rest will be used later)

When potato is done,

add all the ingredients including potato and rest of the sauce

If there are too much soup, you can throw some of it,

but leave little bit of soup.

I usually leave about 1cm from the pot

add green onion when onion is cooked

Boil once more

Also can add sesame seed for more taste

Eet smakelijk!! 잘먹겠습니다~

I always wondered how foreign company define boundary between bribery and presents. Would Western culture able to understand concept of gift giving in Asia?

Unexpectedly this subject brought in to the surface during the seminar that I attend few weeks ago in Korea, Internal Control Assessment Certification Program. Just like the title, it was mainly about how company can control/manage their employees and system in order to manage risk and increase productivity of work.

X bank is foreign based bank in Korea. Recently headquarter sent new policy regarding Gifts and Entertainment. When it comes to receiving business meals, employees cannot receive more than $200 worth of meal and if it is over the amount, every employee should get approved by head department or CEO. Also receiving gift are only allowed under $200 or promotional items with corporate logo items but cash or cash equivalent are not allowed. If item is more than $200, it also need to get special approval from Head of Dept or CEO. Moreover, if giver is Sovereign, policy is even tougher than others.

It seemed clear and reasonable, but when it comes to apply in Korean culture, presenter told us that it was a bit problem. Around New Year (lunar year) Korean people send gift to whomever they want to thank or show respect. Most believe that the greater gift is the more they show their respect. Gifts are various, such as  a box of fruits to gift certificate. This applies not only to personal life but also in business life to manage relationship with customers, partners and subcontractors e.t.c. Some might think it is very superficial but this is how things work in Korea. Basically it is like Christmas in Korea.

Not only New Year but also marriage or funeral events people send some cash (sometimes including flowers) to show their heart and support. (Anyway this money always comes back when person has their own wedding or family funeral) This means, in order to keep relationship with people in Korea, some cash transactions are necessary.

Therefore when this new policy applied in Korea branch company, due to this reason, people could not accept fully. Their argument was, if this policy applies, either employee have to use their personal money to keep customers or take a risk to lose customers.

For this matter, this X bank is in the process of discussion with head quarter. However, once policy has distributed, it is very difficult to make exception, otherwise the power of policy would decrease.

I am really curious how this company would solve this matter, as I myself wonder where to draw line between bribery and receiving/giving gifts. Plus I personally think it is not just a problem in Korea but many other Asian countries.

*Special thanks to Mr. Pyun, who invited me to attend these special lectures!

This is my first New Year after I got married and sadly my husband and I are so far away from either my family or husband’s family. I miss family noisy, smell of cooks even a pile of dishes in the sink waiting for me, which in the past I did not value so much. So I decided to have my own New Year celebration, which is making Korean Aging Soup.

In the morning of Lunar New Year, Korean people eat aging soup called ‘떡국’ (Tteokguk)

This is one of my favorite dishes which are pretty easy to make as well as very delicious. So when I was young, asked for another rounds, my uncle would joke that “If you eat two bowls, you would gain 2 years”, then I would eat even 3 dishes so that I would become adult quick.

Every region/family has different ways of preparing it specially in terms of making taste of soup. It could be Kelp, oyster, beef leg bones, and beef tail bones, anchovy, and chicken e.t.c. In my house, we always made soup from beef leg bones. My grandma would boil the bones and together with radish and onion in the water for overnight. Probably 6-8 hours. After several times remove grease, the water turns into white just like milk. Then add rice cake, beef, egg and seaweed. Once rice cake is cooked, it’s ready to eat. Salt and pepper can be added as own preference.

So I did the same, but somehow my soup did not turned into white but still tasted good. My husband also liked it very much! Success!!!

There is no clear history when and where this custom has started but probably because rice cake (tteok) symbolize purity and cleanliness that good way to start the New Year. Plus it’s easy to cook a lot as well as tasty!

So If Korean people ask you “How many bowls of tteokguk have you eaten?” then you can just answer how old you are.

Happy New year~~

새해 복 많이 받으세요~(Sae hae bog manh I bad eu se yo)

It’s my first New Year in China.

Last year I only saw film of Joop how Chinese New Year is loud. But this time I got to feel it myself.

Last night with Joop and nice friends, we head to Hongmei Road thinking that it would be the most likely place where open shops are, plus little afraid whether there will be taxi for everyone to go back home. So we had nice Indian food for dinner and head to famous Hongmei Road Cuban bar.

Chinese people love firecrackers. Before the new years they would make special booth to sell tons of firecrackers and the price is not cheap.

About 15min before Midnight, people start to put firework on the road even blocking the streets. Lots of smoke quickly blinds the view and exploding sounds are as if war has occurred. The funny thing was, Chinese have been already using firecracker past one week and whenever we watched Band or Brothers (war series) it helped us to feel as if we were really in the middle of the war. – And perhaps reason why Korean people do not use firework is not to confuse the people. Otherwise people might think that N.Korea has invaded or sth.

Anyway it was bit dangerous and way too loud but surely makes people excited and brings smiles on their faces.

Well everyone Happy New Year!

Clam was on sale.

‘Why not? It would make nice soybean soup’

Soybean soup and Kimchi soup is Korean’s most loved and basic soup.

The key of Soybean soup is definitely soybean paste. Of course house made soybean paste would be great ones at the supermarket is also good enough looks like —–>

Ingredients: Water, Soybean Paste (Doenjang-된장) 1 spoon, 1 Potato, half green (young) pumpkin, half onion, little bit of crushed garlic , Tofu, palmful of  clam, mushrooms.

1. Put water in the pot. I used water from washing rice since it would add more taste. (for avoid impurities, wash rice 2 times and use 3^rd washed water)

If you do not want to use rice water, just use clean water. Add kelp (다시마 Dashima) and Dry anchovy (국물용 멸치)and boil then take them out.

2. Boil water and add palmful of calm.

Tip: before cooking, for about 3 hours at least put clam in water with lots of salt. After few hour calm would spit out all the impurities and sands. Then clean the shell with brush hard.

3. Once it’s boiling skim off the foam and adds one spoon of soybean paste. Gently melt the soybean paste.

4. Then add rest of the vegetables and crushed garlic.

Start with hard vegetable like potato and slowly add soft ones. Tofu and Enokitake mushroom should get in the pot in the last (FYI: my order was Potato-> pumpkin -> Onion -> mushroom -> Tofu)

Since Soybean is salty, usually salt is not necessary to add but if you still want more taste, you can add little tea spoon of beef seasoning (Korean MSG) ‘다시다-Dashida’

5. Done!! Enjoy eating!!

There are lots of ways to make soybean paste soup. basically what you want to put in will be your master piece.

Incheon to Daejeon

When you arrive @ Incheon airport there are buses that goes to Daejeon straight.

Look for airport limousine service in the airport and ask for Bus to Daejeon.

It costs around 13000 won (9Euro) and price differ depends on type of bus.

It takes 3 hours from Incheon to Daejeon and there are 3 stops. Hotels are usually around Yuseong area and government complex area. However taking taxi in Korea is easy and cheap. As long as you have written address (preferably in Korean) you will be saved

Seoul to Daejoen

There are several ways of coming to Daejeon, by train, by rental car and by bus.

However coming by train will be most convenient. I would recommend to take KTX train from Seoul station. This would take only one hour to reach Daejeon station. Plus from Daejeon station to our marriage place is not so far.

Cost of KTX is 32100 won (21euro) one way. If you like to save money, you could also take slow train. It takes 2 hours to reach Daejeon station and cost 10500 won (7 euro). If you like to book train ticket in advance, you can check http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp

From Daejeon station to wedding place, you can take taxi.

Address: Daejeon Donggu panam 2 dong 529 bungi Ssang chung wedding hall

대전광역시 동구 판암 2동 529번지

쌍청 웨딩홀

I would recommend to print address in Korean and show to taxi driver.