25. October Treat

In 1960’s, Korea was an under-developed poor country and we were short of almost everything. Japan who lost the war, on the other hand, took the advantage of Korean War and recovered quickly. Unites States used Japan as the staging base for Korean War and Japanese economy greatly benefited from it. They rebuilt the destroyed industries quickly.

 

United States provided relief and surplus supplies to Korea. Schools gave kids corn breads and milk made from the powders supplied by the Americans. They sent food, clothes, and toys to the orphanages. Most of these American goods flowed into the black market and went to the hands of the riches. 

 

Until early 70’s, shops in Nam Dae Mun sold these goods and some fake ones. There were female bundle peddlers carrying large bundles of American goods on their heads and went from house to house. Most of these goods came from the Koreans who worked at the American military bases or wives and girlfriends of GI’s. After we moved to Gu Pa Bal, one of these peddler women used to come to our house. 

 

Mother bought candies, gums, pineapple cans, peanut butter, Tang, ham, sausage, cheese, and etc. from her. Shoes and clothes were common holiday gifts for the kids. Clothes came from America were good gifts.

 

Grandpa used to buy Charms candies and chocolate with peanuts. In evenings, he put one of these candies in my mouth and grandma’s. He saved chocolate candy bars with peanuts in his drawer. In summer, small insets with wings showed up. They were coming from the candy box. 

 

I would throw away the whole box now. But then, candy was very precious. Grandma opened the wrappers and put them in the bamboo basket and hung it. In few days, most of the insects flew away. We broke the candies in half, dusted it off, and ate them.

 

October in lunar calendar is the month for ‘Gosa,’ traditional Korean ritual with shamanic roots. Even some church goers partipated. You put large sliced potato and radish to cover the holes at the bottom of Shiru, large pottery for cooking, alternated the layer of rice powder and whole red beans to the top, and steam it to make Korean rick cake. Some family put dried pumpkin pieces or raisins. 

 

For the house move or opening of the new business, this ritual would include fruits and boiled pig head. Some families offered dried cod. 

 

During the whole month of October, various neighbors would bring these rice cakes. We could not eat them all at once. Grandma spread them in a bamboo basket and hung them to dry. For next month or so, she steamed and served them as nightly snack.

 

In long winter nights, you can hear mochi and buckwheat jelly vendors passing thru the alleys. People opend the windows and bought them. Night time curfew was enforced. Night watchmen patrolled the neighborhood clapping the wood sticks. They were trying to warn and shoo away the bad guys. 

 

Floor of the room was heated by charcoals. Near the furnace opening was hot and the wallpaper covering the floor often got burned. Nevertheless, the other side of the floor did not get enough heat. Paper covered sliding doors had gaps and cold wind would slip in. Inside the cotton beddings was warm, but the air in the room was cold. 

 

In the winter, grandma used to let the faucet in the outside sink continue to drip to prevent it from freezinig. In the morning, she heated up a large pot of water for us to wash.