A Farewell to Guacamole

I think this may be a guacamole-less year, and I’m coping well with this prospect so far.  I’ve been told they don’t do Mexican here (though I did have a tasty little shrimp quesadilla at a taco shop this week.)

This is post dedicated to the foods I left behind in the US.  They will be sorely missed.

One of the first things I found out when I got here is that…fruit is very expensive.  It broke my heart a little bit.  One outrageous example is the cost of a medium watermelon.  Dad, if you’re reading this, hold on to your seat.  They can be up to $20!  From what I can tell, vegetables aren’t that cheap either.  Of all things, fresh fruits and veggies are something that I won’t compromise on.  Apples and bananas should be doable.

Also expensive is oatmeal.  Almost $15 for a pound of Quaker oats.  Might be able to get it a little cheaper in bulk, but still outrageous.  It seems that it is also only available in Itaewon, the international district.  Hoping to figure out how to make some brown rice porridge to endure the cold winter mornings here.  There is a special spice combination that Grandpa Malis really enjoyed, so waiting to get my hands on that magical recipe.

I can’t find whole wheat bread anywhere, even though I’ve seen whole wheat flour.  Ovens aren't common, so if I actually knew how to make bread, I probably couldn't, though I've heard some pretty crafty stories about rice cookers.  Bread in general is just not common, but it is around, like at the Paris Baguette chain. Interestingly, sliced bread is sold by partial loaves, about 6 slices.  The darkest bread I’ve seen is Walnut & Rye, but I can’t understand Korean to actually know if it is whole grain.

Soy or skim milk will also be challenging to come by, though I did see some 1% if I care to pay extra.  Cheese is ridiculously expensive…and along with that is expensive wine.  But this is a post on food, I’ll fill you in on alcohol soon enough.

Trader Joe’s, I miss you already. But, I’m in for the ride here and leaving behind the old favorites might just open the door to something even better.

There's an $18 watermelon for you