Amanda Takes Off...

Last week, I watched a worm hatch in my hand. It wriggled its way out of the cocoon. Wriggle, wriggle. I watched it, fascinated.

Last weekend, Mark and his Lover came over to our house for a Korean dinner. Spicy pork, sesame leaves, red-leaf lettuce, kimchi, sesame leaf kimchi, mushrooms, three types of pajeon (green onions, mushrooms and green onions, and kimchi and mushrooms and green onions), dipping sauce, brown rice, and some raspberry wine.

Dinner

After we ate, Mark and I separated my worms (more than a pound) into two parts and we got him started on worm composting. I also harvested my compost and restarted my bin.

I actually harvested this bin in two parts, two weeks apart. I used the light harvesting method with a bit of a twist. (The light harvesting method consists of shining a bright light on the worms in the bin. They burrow down, you scrape some compost off until they appear. Let them burrow again, scrape... Repeat.)

My compost wasn't fully finished yet, so when I reached the point where I was tired of harvesting and I was having a hard time finding finished compost, I closed the bin. For two weeks, I didn't feed the worms anything. I just let them finish what was in the bin.

Well, my idea worked very, very well. I was able to harvest the second batch of compost fairly quickly (although I'm not sure Mark thought it was quick).

My first batch of compost was rather wet, so I let it dry out for about a week. Then I ran it through a piece of 1/2" hardware cloth to get some of the still-uncomposted stuff out. When I did that, I found a few worms I'd missed. Based on size, one was an adult when I missed it. The others were juveniles and hatchlings, and I'm pretty sure a few had hatched in the compost.

Freshly Harvested Vermicompost

Since that worked so well, I'll be doing the same thing with this second batch of compost. Wait a week, run it through a screen, take out new worms.

The only thing I really got wrong? I didn't think the first batch of compost looked like much, so I got a 10 liter bucket to store it. Well, letting it dry and then passing it through the hardware cloth really made it "fluff up" and now the first batch is nearly to the 6 liter mark on the bucket. Since I won't be using this compost until the spring, I will probably need a bigger bucket.

Also, there is still some unfinished stuff in the bucket. When my hardware store gets 1/4" hardware cloth back in stock, I'll be sifting the compost through that as well.

Compost, Post 1/2" Hardware Cloth

I've made a few changes to the way I worm compost. Last time I started off my bin with newspaper, but this time I started it off with a mixture of newspaper, junk mail and computer paper, cardboard and paperboard, and cotton. I usually keep my food scraps in the fridge for a week, but I read that freezing the scraps makes them decompose faster, so I'm going to try that.

Vermicomposting, Round 2

I think I did two things wrong my first time around with worm composting, so I'm going to change my methods this time.

First, I didn't keep adding paper bedding as I was adding food. I thought they'd eat the bedding and then food and if I quit adding bedding, they'd finish all the food. Instead, it got too wet and then I couldn't harvest it. (It was really wet.) Then I'd have to quit adding food and add more bedding and wait longer for the bedding to be eaten.

This time I'm going to add paper bedding about once a month. I'm figuring that they'll basically eat the food and bedding in equal amounts.

Second, I started off feeding the four corners. By the time I got to the first corner, if that food wasn't gone, I'd wait a week. This worked well. In fact, the worms mostly followed the food around the box, which made it easy to see how the worm population was growing. But then the box started getting too wet (not enough bedding!) and I'd only feed them in another corner when the first corner was entirely gone. This didn't work as well.

I'm going back to the four corners method of feeding, and I'm going to add bedding to keep the bin's moisture level right.

I did discover one great secret: if stuff grows in the bin, conditions are right. I had a onion end that grew a root a good two feet long. Most of my scallion ends sprouted as well. I had apple seeds sprouting left and right. If stuff grows in your pure compost, it'll grow in your compost-enhanced soil!

Mother taught me how to make kimchi "the lazy way." We made very easy, no-frills kimchi and radish kimchi together. Here's what we did, step-by-step.

Cut

Napa Cabbage

Daikon

Kimchi/김치: Traditionally, napa cabbage kimchi (general old "kimchi") is only cut in halves or fourths and is stuffed with the pepper materials in between each layer. However, Mother taught me "the lazy way," which is how she generally makes it. Cut the cabbage into pieces.

Ggakdugi/깍두기: If making daikon kimchi, peel and then cube.

Salt

Salted Cabbage

Kimchi and Ggakdugi: Generously salt using coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt. salt in layers and leave for a few hours, so water is released.

Season

Gochu (Red Pepper Flakes)

Daikon Radish

Kimchi

Kimchi: After a few hours, rinse the cabbage well several times so that the salt is removed. Add a generous helping of minced garlic, some chopped up scallions, some julienned radish, and oligoldang.

Oli-what?

Oligoldang

This bottle is rice oligoldang. I have absolutely no idea what that means. It's basically a rice syrup. Mother also used it on pancakes instead of maple or pancake syrup. We were able to find that exact same brand and syrup at our local Korean market, but if you can't, substitute a couple of tablespoons of sugar.

A Palm of Oligoldang

Kimchi

Ggakdugi: Mother seasoned the ggakdugi differently. She threw a (eww, gross, gross) handful of baby shrimp in the bowl first. Then she added pepper and a little oligoldang.

Shrimp, Complete with Eyes

Ggakdugi

Packing

Finally, Mother packed the two versions of kimchi into plastic containers before storing them in her kimchi fridge.

Finished Kimchi

Results

These were really basic versions of kimchi. I'll probably try making these myself first, before playing with adding different things (carrots, oyster sauce, etc). They tasted good as-is, though!

Mother said it was important for women to know how to make kimchi, but too many young women don't know how. I asked her if Sister knew how. "No," she said, "but she must learn before she gets married."

The Korean government might not consider me family since I'm not Korean, but Mother sure does. When Good Man and I finally got home late last night, I told her what happened. I was addressing her with my standard phrase: 시어머니.

Mother said, "Amanda!"

"Yes?"

"When you are talking to something else, I am '우리 시어머니.' But when we talk, call me 어머, 어머니, OK?"

I nodded. "Yes, I understand 어머니."

She nodded toward Father. "And same for 아버지, OK?"

I started off with 시어머님. Then she asked/told me to drop the 님 (honorific ending) in favor of 니 (standard). Now she's asked me to drop the 시 (meaning "husband's") and possibly the 니, bringing us down to a familial, intimate "Mom."

Cooking Classes With Mother

In Korean, there's a saying about the hands' taste making food delicious (손맛). There's even an English-language Korean brand of snack food called "Mother's Fingers."

Well, Mother wants me to get her 손맛, so she's going to teach me how to make some of her meals. Today we started with kimchi bokkeum bap. I'm translating from the Korean pretty much as she said it, to the best of my understanding and ability. (She checked my spelling on my written notes and is sitting next to me, helping me right now!)

김치볶음밥

김치볶음밥

"Amanda! Grapeseed oil. Use grapeseed oil, or olive oil. You know olive oil?"

"Yes. But why don't you use sesame oil?"

"It burns took quickly and makes the food get burnt. OK, grapeseed oil, kimchi, ham—or tuna, tuna always in olive oil—"

"In America, tuna usually comes in water."

Mother nodded. "Ooo, that is healthy. A little bit of oyster sauce—little bit, little bit, really little bit—rice, onion." She mixed it all together (hence the "볶음" part) and continued, "When it's done, turn the flame off and add a little bit of sesame oil and sesame seeds."

She plated our food and served it to us for lunch. "맛있어?" Is it delicious?

"Mmmm."

"괜찮아?" Is it OK?

"Mmmm."

"'Mmmm 뭐야?" What is 'mmmm?'

I laughed, "냠냠이에요!"

Next up was kimchi jjigae, which she made for dinner. Mother and Father were out for the night so Mother prepared us dinner before she left. (Dude. I could sooooo get used to daily homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner.)

김치찌게

"Amanda! Kimchi, a little water, onion, tuna and oyster sauce. Cook like this," she showed me a medium flame, "for about 30 minutes."

I don't have a photo of it, but Mother's kimchi jjigae had much less water than the kimchi jjigae I'm used to. I asked Mother why. She said it's best without much water.

I joked, "But in restaurants there is a lot of water. Maybe they want more money. A little kimchi a lot of water."

Father laughed, "Ahhh! Amanda is so good!"

잔치 국수

Finally, she showed me gooksoo, which is what she and Father had for lunch.

잔치 국수

"Amanda! You boil noodles, like this, yes, with a little 다시마 [dried seaweed] and anchovies [멸치]." While the noodles were cooking, she put the sauce together. "A little cooking soy sauce."

"국간장? 뭐예요?" What's that?

"Ahh, the soy sauce we brought to America is soup soy sauce. Different flavor."

I yelled at Good Man, "I told you that stuff wasn't supposed to go on rice!"

Mother shook her head, "No, rice you need 조선간장."

"Like Chosun Dynasty?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sauce. Soup soy sauce, green onions, a little sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. Mix, OK?"

Mother spooned the noodles and some broth into a bowl and added a tiny bit of sesame oil. Then she added some red pepper powder in the middle and the sauce around it.

"맛있어?"

"응, 냠냠이에요!"

Marriage, Again...

Yesterday, we went to register our marriage at the gov't office. Good Man wasn't sure that we had to do it, but I thought we should. In fact, before our legal wedding in America, I argued that I was sure there was something he needed to do at the Korean Embassy and he (and I!) searched the Korean Embassy website, as well as others, but couldn't find any information.

Well, it's a good thing we decided to register the marriage because it was supposed to be done within 90 days of marriage! Obviously we're way past that, so he has to pay a 50,000 won fine. If he pays it before the 14th, he gets a discount and it's only 40,000 won. Minor problem: we can't transfer funds because both of us left our bank cards at home. Oh well. His parents will pay it for us.

We filled out the Korean form, using the sample instructions they gave us. The sample instructions were intended for Koreans marrying foreigners in Korea, and in their sample, the groom was automatically the foreigner. An American, in fact. Good Man needed his father's birth address and he was supposed to be able to write the birth city of his father in Hanja. What? Is that like the Korean version of "Mother's maiden name?"

It took forever to get the marriage registered because he needed to translate the entire American wedding certificate. By hand. On A4 paper. Poor guy.

When we finally finished, the clerk was concerned that the wedding certificate wasn't valid because it said "copy." Yeah, it says copy from the court and has the county clerk's signature and a raised, embossed seal on it. I made that clear and luckily, the clerk's boss agreed.

They had a sign up that they do "Traditional Korean Wedding Photograping." (Yes.) The sign said they only did it on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was Wednesday, but I asked if we could do it, since I'd seen two foreigners have it done twenty minutes earlier.

Then we were told that it's only for marriages where both people are foreigners, because there are too many Korean-Non-Korean marriages.

I patted Good Man's chest and said, "하지만 제 남편의 마음 속에서 미국 사람이에요." But in my husband's heart, he is an American.

She laughed and said since it wasn't busy, she'd do it. So they took us over to a corner with a traditional Korean screen and put traditional Korean wedding hanbok costumes on us (one size fits all!) and took our picture.

I was thankful. A gov't official bending on two rules? Taking a photo of a Korean and American on a Wednesday? Thanks, lady!

So now we have legal wedding photos where I'm in a cotton dress and Good Man is in jeans, family wedding photos where we're wearing hanboks, and Korean registration photos where we're wearing traditional wedding costumes. All that's missing is a white dress and tux photo, which you can get done at photo studios in Korea. Maybe for our anniversary. ^^

Good Man asked if I would be put on his family registry. Nope. Because I'm foreign. So I'm not family.

Sigh.

Korea.

Master!

Good Man and I met Master's family last night. Of course, on all counts, it was great.

On the way to the studio I passed two of my studiomates. They walked by, not immediately recognizing me, and I turned. They turned their heads, too, and sort of slowed down. "Hey! Do you remember me?" I called out in Korean.

They looked surprised and starting hitting each other. I said, "It's Amanda!" They nodded quickly, bowed deeply and said hello and we chatted for a few minutes. It was cute. They're in middle school now.

We brought some small gifts for Master and his wife and some for the kids. I decided to put them in three separate gift bags. We gave the kids their gifts (a pajama set and top for each). In Korean culture it's rude to open gifts in front of the giver so they ran into their bedroom, opened them, and brought them back out.

Master's Son in His New PJs

Master's Daughter in Her New PJs

He gave me a gift and asked me to open it. I did and it was another gorgeous box made out of hanji (traditional Korean paper). His mother made it. Inside? Korean socks!

We went out for samgyupsal and had soju (of course). Master hasn't had soju in ten days because he's been so busy. He told me that and I said, "I don't believe it!" (I really didn't believe it because I misheard him and thought it was ten months!)

Then we went out for patbingsoo (Korean shaved ice) and had coffee at his house.

His son didn't remember me (of course, I wasn't expecting him to) but apparently his daughter checks out my Cyworld all the time, so she remembered me (which was a nice suprise). At first they were both sort of shy, but they warmed up really quickly.

In fact, his daughter was hilarious. When we were eating patbingsoo, she wanted the exact same spoon I had. She looked at my spoons, looked at the rest of the spoons, and chose the one with the same handle decoration. Then she took both spoons and compared them very carefully to make sure they matched.

When I ordered a chocolate banana patbingoo, she whispered, "Amanda, we will share, OK?" (Of course...it's Korean culture!) She wanted to sit next to me (and made me switch seats with her since she's left handed and I'm right handed), she wanted to hold my hand, she wanted to chat and chat. She learned (sort of) how to use my camera and wanted us to take photos of each other taking photos of each other.

It was wonderful. It was like nothing had changed and I'd never been gone.

Nothing except Son and Daughter are so tall! And Daughter can write in Korean! (She wrote me a little Christmas card telling me she loves me.)

We spoke a ton of Korean (and a little English) and reminisced about different things. I was finally able to tell him how much I hated the octopus (squid?) I ate really early on in Korea after mountain climbing. He laughed and asked why I ate it. I said I didn't want to be rude. He said he and his brother kept giving me the biggest pieces because they didn't want to be rude. We all got a good laugh out of it.

He told me that my Korean was really good and he could tell I'd been studying in America. When random Koreans tell me my Korean is good, I know they're just being polite. But I trust it coming from him. And in traditional form, the more soju we drank, the less Korean I spoke and the more English he spoke! I really enjoy speaking Korean with Master and his family. It's so easy with them.

We also talked about my studio in America and I told him why I'd been refusing to test. (Too expensive, owner makes up tests to make money, not in any hurry to get another belt, etc.) He said as long as I plan on testing in Korea again one day, I can put it off. I sort of needed to hear that. Despite being at my new studio for a year and a half, still feel, in my heart, that Master is my instructor and Tongil is my home. I don't want to disappoint him, so getting permission to put off testing was nice.

I found out some bad news. A new studio moved into the neighborhood—right at the end of the block. That's why he hasn't been drinking. He's been spending his time renovating the front of the studio to compete.

We spent about four hours together and it just reaffirmed that I will always be friends with Master and his family, no matter where we all live and how long it is before we meet again.

Good Man and I bought a Zojirushi Electric Griddle today. We lucked out in that it happened to be on sale.

We bought it specifically so I could better make 닭갈비 and damn if it didn't work beautifully!

Dalk Galbi

After we'd eaten a good amount, I scooped out portions of rice and galbi for tomorrow's lunch and dinner. Then I mixed the left-over rice with the left-over galbi and some left-over mozzarella cheese that was hanging out in our fridge. I turned the griddle off and let the rice form a nice crust. So delicious.

치즈 닭 갈비

"I think I am turning Korean," I said. "Elephant rice cooker, griddle, grill for making samgyupsal... buying five bunches of pa [green onions] at a time..."

Good Man shook his head. "Well now I can tell you. You have more gadgets than my mother. True or false?"

"I don't kn—"

Good Man answered himself. "Daaaaaaamn true!"

***

Sleeping Good Man