Café Ourselves

Sometimes when I sit down to write a blog post, I stall thinking that each entry has to somehow be epic. But really when you think about it, most of life is not epic. It is really the small things, even the mundane, that are the most profound.

Like coffee. Yep, your good ol’ cuppa joe. I had thought tea would have been the beverage of choice here in Korea – which it certainly is in a traditional context – but coffee culture here is like being in the Pacific Northwest. With some twists, that is.

Like the first: instant coffee. I have never had so much instant coffee, particularly when we were on the road with no kitchen and the French press was still packed. Our wake-up options were: 1) No coffee 2) $5 for an 8-oz American (drip’s not common here) or 3) Buck up and go with the instant.

Coffee selection at the local convenience store.

Considering that #1 was not viable and #2 not affordable as a daily routine for two, we went with #3, knowing it wouldn’t be forever. Most instant coffee comes in sticks, loaded with sugar and powdered milk. But luckily, while on our visa run in Japan, we found some relatively good stuff sans additives so we stocked up.

Despite the ubiquitous instant sticks, actual coffee shops abound and their names are alluring as their brews.

Just a handful of coffee shops in our neighborhood.

Many of the shops carry high quality roasts including single-origin, organic, fair trade, rain forest certified and/or all of the above. Winter weather notwithstanding, iced coffee seems to be the local favorite. Then come the lattes of Asian variety, including green tea, sweet potato, and red bean. Apparently those ones don’t actually include coffee, just milk and said plant.

Now that we’re in our Seoul pad and back to home-cooked meals, our instant days are over. We found a good, dark espresso roast (organic, too!) for a decent price at the local Lotte department store, and to our absolute delight, we received our first care package from Zak’s mom complete with two bags of Kona beans from their recent trip to Hawaii.

So, as cold weather encroaches – and we’re out the door at 6 a.m. every morning – we give daily gratitude for a simple morning gift: coffee.

Tangent in Osaka

The slow moving time from the last entry has sprung back to a fast-paced clip, as both Zak and I are employed individuals once again. Working abroad, we’ve found, takes some paperwork. First, waiting for visa approval, then leaving the country on a “visa run” to obtain our proper work visa for Korea. Considering that we can’t go to our closest neighbors up north, our schools sent us to Osaka, Japan. What was supposed to be three days turned out to be nearly a week while we waited for the Korean consulate to process our documents. What we discovered, was a whole new “favorite” on our list of Asian cities. Here’s why:

Bike Culture:

To say that Korean bike culture has thus far been underwhelming is a bit of an understatement. We haven’t seen many bikes in Seoul and you would have to be pretty daring to ride through the city. Osaka, on the other hand, was hipster central. Stilettos, business suits, rain, luggage – there really isn’t an excuse to not transit by bike. Don’t have a bike? Hop on the back of your friend’s bike. Zak was impressed with the range of commuter rigs, from small wheel foldables to full-on cruisers and everything in between.

Street Food:

So far, one of Asia’s consistent plusses is delicious, tasty street food. In Osaka, the motto is kuidaore, eat till you drop. We obliged. Specialties included the expected and fabulous gyoza, potstickers  teppanyaki, or grilled skewers, and exceptional street noodles with a flavor-rich broth that could be a meal of its own.

One of the most popular street foods, we learned, is takoyaki. For my Danish family, think of a huge aebleskiver pan and change the recipe to a savory octopus ball. Yes, it’s batter with green onions, sometimes cheese, and bits of octopus. It is then topped off with sauces and bonito flakes, a kind of fish, also used in dashi, the umami rich Japanese broth. The taste is actually quite good, though I wouldn’t want the chewy gooey texture on a regular basis.

My favorite part about the foods we tried was the unexpected presence of cardamom. We found it in Japanese-style curries served over rice, and as a spice to sprinkle over edamame, along with chili and sea salt. Try it!

Shopping Central

Alas, shopping seems a favorite pastime everywhere, filled with eager buyers that bump your arm as they pass by (oddly, not necessarily rude here). Though neither Zak nor I are much into shopping, the crowd watching was pretty entertaining!

Osaka Wines

Finally, I must mention fabulous local wines of Osaka. A great way to complement a stroll along the river.