KIMCHI

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is often describe as “spicy” or “sour”. In traditional preparation kimchi is often allowed to ferment   underground in jars for months at a time. Consisting of fermented chilli peppers and vegetables with   hundreds of varieties made from napa cabbage, radish, scallion or cucumber as a main ingredient. 

Kimchi also has many different kinds depends on the main ingredients. Different types of kimchi were traditionally made at different times of the year, based on when various vegetables were in season and also to take advantage of hot and cold seasons before the era of refrigeration.

Although the advent of modern refrigeration including kimchi refrigerators specifically designed with precise controls to keep different varieties of kimchi at optimal temperatures at various stages of fermentation has made this seasonality unnecessary, Koreans continue to consume kimchi according to traditional seasonal preferences.

The best testing kimchi is stored in room temperature for an average of six months to reach its full flavour.  It is a popular side dish but is also often used as an ingredient in cooking other popular Korean dish, including kimchi chigae (kimchi soup) and kimchi bokumbop (kimchi fried rice).

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KOREAN WEEDING CEREMONIES

In ancient times, weddings (Honrye) were held in the bride's yard or house. The groom travelled by horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a palanquin (sedan chair) to his parents’ house to live. The bride and groom wore formal court costumes for the wedding ceremony. Ordinary people were permitted to wear the luxurious clothes only on their wedding day. Hand lanterns are used for lighting the way from the groom's home to the bride's home on the night before the weeding.

Traditionally, the groom's family would carry a weeding chest filled with gifts for the bride's family. Weeding geese area a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Cranes are a symbol of long life and may be represented on the woman's sash. Pair of wooden Mandarin duck carvings called weeding ducks are often used in traditional weeding ceremonies because they are represent peace, fidelity and plentiful offspring.

Weeding Attire

Korean traditional costume is Hanbok, which is made by white cotton, silk or scratchy coarse fabric called hemp. The bride would wear a short jacket with long sleeves with two long ribbons attached, and to be tied in the front and a full length, high-waist wrap around skirt. Boat shaped shoes made of silk are worn with white cotton socks. The bride’s attire might include a white sash with significant symbols or flowers. A headpiece or crown may also be worn. For the groom, a traditional jacket, trousers, and an overcoat are worn. 

Weeding Feast

The size of the wedding feast differs from one to the other. These days, a big feast would present a buffet with variety of food and desserts, and a rather small feast would serve thick-beef soup with rice and kimchi.