Ann Babe

After university, I moved by myself to Korea to teach English, leaving behind the mild-mannered Midwest to begin a new life in a foreign country. Only that, to me, this country wasn’t completely foreign. It was where I was born. Then abandoned. Then adopted from. And, ultimately, it was where I wanted to return to take my first real stab at adulthood.

Korean cuisine is all about the jang — that is, the ganjang, doenjang, gochujang, and other soybean-based sauces and pastes, whose fermentation brings complexity and depth to every dish they season. If you’re looking to experiment with fermented flavors, there are three major jang ingredients you’ll spot in just about every Korean kitchen (and may want to stock in your own). Ganjang is soy sauce. Within the classification, there are two key types: wae-ganjang and guk-ganjang.

In South Korea, stop into almost any business or office, and, along with the friendly employees, a selection of instant coffee packets will be there to greet you. No coffee pot or brewing time necessary — just a hot water dispenser. Outside of the workplace, instant coffee is offered at restaurants and homes across the nation, and sold in small paper cups from vending machines at many convenience stores, gas stations, transit hubs, and even street-sides.