Mussels...Kiwi Style

I arrived in New Zealand two weeks before I started work so I could do some sight seeing. I chose to couch surf so I could meet some locals and see the real New Zealand...kiwi style. I've done it before and met some truly amazing people and made some life long friends. I love it and it's a great way to travel! One of my first stops was in Kerikeri, which is known for its beautiful inlet and fantastic fishing. I stayed with Richard Seleck, a lovely man who owns a charter fishing boat and was an amazing tour guide. If you're in the area, look him up, he's the best!

Kerikeri's Oyster Bay

Oyster bed

Richard tried to shuck an oyster but neither of us knew how and we got pretty cut up trying so we moved on to the mussels...much easier J

Richard teaching me how to spot and harvest mussels 

Harvesting my first mussel...you can't see my face but trust me, I'm all smiles J

Success!

Our freshly harvested, cleaned and cooked mussels. Richard later told me that mussels are extremely cheap in New Zealand [29 cents/kg] and that it would have been easier to just buy them but what fun would that have been?!

Richard cooked us a fabulous dinner...fresh salad from his garden, fresh bread and of course our fresh mussels. Top notch!

Mussels are succulent, salty and a bit sweet and this none traditional blend paired perfectly.  Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are typically blended together in lower quality wines but the two varietals create a beautifully aromatic wine with body while still retaining acidity and freshness. A great food wine and lovely pairing with mussels.

Doesn't Get Any Fresher Than This!

South Korea's fish markets are a must see. If you're a seafood lover this is the place you want to be and if not it's still an amazing sight to see. It's stall after stall of freshly caught seafood...and the best part, you can bargain with the vendors. Prices will vary from vendor to vendor and we were fortunate to be with a local who translated and bargained on our behalf.

The Deal: 3 fresh fish and 5 fresh scallops for only $50 US dollars. You can take it home to cook it yourself or if you would like to dine in their upstairs restaurant and have them prepare sashimi for you it's only an addition $5 sitting fee per person. Great deal if you ask me! They do it all right in front of you and prepare your sashimi immediately. It was a bit difficult to watch but it's how the do it here and it doesn't get any fresher than this!

She was trying to entice us with LIVE octopus, which is a traditional Korean delicacy but with it flapping around in her hands kept me walking right passed. Maybe next time, I had fresh sashimi on the brain J

The beautiful spread of the freshest fish in South Korea. The $5 dollar sitting fee includes unlimited sides of kimchi, korean pancakes, chilies, garlic, rice, wasabi and lettuce [it is common practice to make lettuce wraps out of most anything]...this was more than enough to feed 5 people.

O-gook, our amazing tour guide, translator and cultural ambassador, showing us how to make his special dipping sauce. It would have been a completely different dining experience without him...we are so grateful for his help!

The crew

South Korea's Drink of Choice

Let me introduce you to makgeolli, pronounced ma-co-lee. It is an alcohol beverage native to Korea made from fermented rice with a low alcohol content of about 6-8%. It is sometimes called 'rice beer' or 'rice wine' and originated from the farmers, which is why the beverage is also known as nongju, meaning farmer in Korean.

 

It is traditionally served from a large ceramic bowl and ladled out for drinking into smaller cups or bowls. 

Makgeolli is unfiltered, hence its milky, opaque appearance and should be shaken well before serving.

Makgeolli has a mild and slightly tangy flavor that makes it a perfect pairing for strong flavors of Korean foods. There are many makgeolli bars throughout South Korea that offer many different types of makgeolli served with traditional Korean pancakes like this bindaetteok...please excuse the pretzels, they're not traditional cuisine J

Makgeolli's taste primarily depends on its main ingredient, rice. Despite an identical recipe, the flavor depends on where the rice is produced. Some provinces are known for sweetness while others produce a bold character. Above is a tasting flight from different provinces and it is surprising the difference you can actually taste. I found some to have more sweetness or fruit notes like apple or pear and some even tasted sour compared to the others.

Makgeolli can even be infused with many different types of fruit; the above is infused with tomato. 

Our smiling faces after a great makgeolli night!