I was first introduced to this marvelous specimen of an eating utensil when I visited H-Mart in Johns Creek, GA. For those of you who don't know what H-mart is, it is in fact THE BEST FREAKING KOREAN SUPERMARKET IN THE U.S. OF A! It is also a great place to get fresh bulgogi and bimbinbop (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SPELL THAT WORD). It is also where us non-Koreans can go to watch Korean people. (Is that stalking? I don't know. I just like to watch Korean people and be around them. It's like I'm back in Korea, but not really. It's like taking a mini-vacation to Seoul). You know how in k-dramas they have all those free samples at the grocery store? Well, H-mart is no different and there are plenty of ahjummas and ahjussis yelling out for you to sample their cookery. It is heaven. Anyhow, back to the reason I am writing this...it's all about the spoons.... H-mart, incidentally, is where you can easily get your hands on these spoons! I never realized how valuable a narrow, long handled spoon was until I used it to scrape ice cream out of the container that was stuck in the bottom. (Hey, you know you eat out of containers too!) Or, when I eat cereal and need to reach that last sunken raisin that might have otherwise been lost under the pool of un-drunk milk. Today I found myself using it, on Christmas Eve no less, to spread ricotta cheese over my lasagna and to spread the tomato sauce around. Imagine that! A Korean spoon used to make an Italian dish! (insert update here 2023: did I predict the Katie Louise Saunders/Song Joong-ki matchup???) Who'd have thought it?
I bought the above pictured spoons in Namdaeun Market. The ahjussi selling them was asking w15000 for 10. I had become so accustomed to bargaining with these guys and learning their game after 2 hours of shopping, that I put the item down after frowning and said "no, w8000?". He laughed at me and shook his head. I told Teppy to hold on and not go anywhere. We stood there a bit longer while I fingered through his other goods. When he saw I was still there and not re-visiting them, he said "Ok, w8000". SCORE!!! I scored 10 spoons for 8 bucks! It was the steal of the century. These weren't the light aluminum ones I got at H-mart! These suckers are heavy and sculpted with designs. Clearly the fine handcraft of a tradesman (or a production line somewhere in China). Either way, I love them.
Everywhere we went in the market, people were selling these glorious spoon sets. Next time I go back, I'm going to buy a really nice one. Teppy got a beautiful set at the Dongdaemun Market. I am jealous. Then again, I got the hanbok and she didn't. Next time we go, she gets the hanbok and I get the spoons! It's a win win situation!