Autumn Seasonal Foods in Korea

There are just certain foods that taste so much better at particular times of the year. Here are some of the foods Koreans prefer to eat in the months of Autumn.

Best Things to Eat in September

via Flickr Shihmei Barger

Koreans, like many cultures, enjoy eating foods that are more “earthy” in flavor in the autumnal months. Among these earth foods are things like chestnut danja, or rice cakes with chestnuts in them. September is also a good season for citrons and pears, from which Koreans will typically make a tea. Lastly, because there’s no such thing as a bad season for alcohol, is chrysanthemum wine.

Best Things to Eat in October

via Naver Blog byungkwan02

October is all about rice cakes. Specifically, rice cakes with different types of seasonal beans or vegetables in them. Koreans like to add things like chrysanthemums, radish, and red beans to their rice cakes in October to give them a more seasonal flavor and to symbolize the end of the harvest season.

Best Things to Eat in November

via Naver.com

Patjuk, or red bean porridge, is a must-eat in November. It’s served nice and warm and the sweet and savory red beans will warm you right up! The must-drink beverage is, hands down, sujeonggwa. It’s a fruit punch made from steeping dried persimmons, cinnamon, ginger. Most of the time it will be served with jujubes or pine nuts to give it that extra-fally appearance.

Seasonal Produce

Fall means three things to Korean carnivores: blue crab, jumbo shrimp, and gizzard shad. Fall is the high season for these three seafood items and Korea is simply bursting with them.

Male blue crabs have a much more delicious meat in the autumn and are excellent in a hot and spicy soup.

It’s much easier to enjoy jumbo shrimp in the fall, as their shells harden and they are easier to transport. Simply boiled and then dipped in red chili paste is easily the best way to enjoy them.

Gizzard Shad begin to prepare themselves for winter during the fall by stocking up on nutrients, making their meat both better tasting and better for you! The larger the fish, the better the meat, so try to choose the biggest one you can find. Shad can be enjoyed either raw or, even better, grilled!

via Flickr tuaussi

So much to enjoy, so little time! Get your butts in gear and start enjoying Fall the Seoul way!