7th Seoul International Tteok (Rice Cake) Fair, May 8-9
Mmm, pretty rice cakes. Photograph from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food.
When I was little, the term rice cake meant fat, round, mostly flavorless disks of puffed rice that I thought people only ate if they were on a diet. At some point this image left my mental food dictionary, and now rice cakes can only mean the soft, squidgy Asian variety made of pounded glutinous rice transformed into sweet and savory dishes.
Growing up in a Chinese family with an affinity for Japanese cuisine, I've tried a variety of Chinese and Japanese rice cakes, but Korean rice cakes—in particular the sweet varieties—have been off my radar until now. In Korea, different kinds of rice cakes, or tteok in Korean, are traditionally eaten through the year on holidays and at festivals—lots of different kinds, if this glossary from Life in Korea is any indication.
If you're as clueless about tteok as I am, or if you're a lover of these pounded rice cakes, attend the 7th Annual Tteok Fair next weekend on May 8 and 9 in Seoul, South Korea, at the aT Center. Don't live in Seoul? I'll be attending the fair to report on all the tteok goodness that occurs. More information after the jump.
The fair is hosted by the Institute of Traditional Korean Food and will feature seminars, exhibitions, and activities for all ages. Fifty international trading companies and business-consulting services will also be attending for those interested in the rice cake business.
For the first time, the fair is featuring an international rice cake competition in which residents from outside of South Korea are welcome to compete for the grand prize of 2 million won ($1,800). Korean-American chef Rachel Yang of Seattle's award-winning Joule is the special guest of the competition. Yang, a French-trained chef who has worked with Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, will be giving cooking demonstrations on both days. The competition takes place on May 8 at 3 p.m.
Events at the fair include demonstrations on making rice flour and rice cakes, and tasting sessions for different rice wines and rice cakes. Spots may be reserved for the free rice-cake-making classes (conducted in English) by calling 02-741-5477 or emailing Soo-hyun at soochoi@paran.com.
Doors open at 10 a.m. each day. If you'll be there, let me know!
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
12 Comments:
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL things! Is it possible to have them shipped? Is there a source out there that might?! I'd so love to procure a few of these for a little love feast with my husband...
BobbieAnne at 10:37AM on 05/01/09
Those are definitely not the rice cakes I know!
Amy
Baking and Mistaking
cool2bars at 11:02AM on 05/01/09
Those are gorgeous!!
VerySmallAnna at 11:52AM on 05/01/09
Those look really good. Unfortunately, I have a visceral reaction to Korean rice cakes. One of my Korean neighbors gave me a plate of them when he celebrated his daughter's first birthday. I tried each of the half-dozen varieties, and they tasted all right. Three hours later, I was re-introduced to the rice cakes when they made a surprise return from my stomach. I puked for hours.
...just thought I'd share.
unpocojmoney at 12:13PM on 05/01/09
Did I read this correctly? You will be going to Seoul?!
marieinla at 12:58PM on 05/01/09
My favorite is the rainbow colored slices of duk and plucking the pine nuts off the little jewels of duk.
Also, make sure you eat lots of duk buk ki off the street side stands. So spicy and so good.
:) I miss Korea!
kwonton at 1:52PM on 05/01/09
I grew up on Japanese rice cakes and I think that the Vietnamese version is much better. They're less sweet, the fillings taste better (not the same old azuki bean) and they're cheaper!
Fatfudge at 2:48PM on 05/01/09
@BobbieAnne: I have no idea! :( I'd wanna find a local source..not that I know where to get em.
@marieinla: YUP! Jetlag, here I come!
roboppy at 3:07PM on 05/01/09
I'll be at the Tteok Fair too! Maybe I'll see you there!
janough at 6:01PM on 05/01/09
@janough: SWEET! I'll probably look like this. ;)
roboppy at 11:58PM on 05/01/09
How exciting, can't wait to read about it!
foodhoe at 9:49AM on 05/07/09
I might be at the fair... unfortunately, delicate things like the ones pictured would probably dry out by the time they got shipped wherever you were. You'd need a ddeok shop in your town to get them fresh.
I might show up at the fair. Will stay in touch.
roboseyo at 11:48AM on 05/07/09