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Choco Pies, a Korean favorite snack food. For folks back home, think Moon Pie. Chocolate Moon Pie.



So tell me readers, which is more pathetic.... (a) that one of the local networks produced a 30 minute program devoted to the history and development of the Choco Pie? or (b) that The Stumbler actually WATCHED a 30 minute program devoted to the history and development of the Choco Pie?

Speaking of Choco Pies, I found this interesting (but 3 years old) article on the Arirang website while searching (unsuccessfully) for a link to the above-mentioned show:

Korean Confectionary Firm Produces a Choco-Pie Index to Gauge Consumer Prices

You may have heard the terms like "the Big Mac index" and the Starbuck's Tall Latte index. By tracking the prices of those popular foods around the world industry watchers compare exchange rates and prices in different countries.

Well most recently Korea's confectionary manufacturer Orion came up with an index of its own based on the prices of its all-time favorite product Choco-Pie a chocolate-covered snack. The company says as with the Big Mac the Choco-Pie is a standardized product selling well around the world. The regular box of 12 pies costs 1 U.S. dollar and 99 cents in Korea. New Zealand had the highest Choco-Pie index of 3-point-34 dollars. China, Vietnam and Russia were the three countries where the product was the cheapest costing as little as a dollar 39 cents for a box.

MAY 04, 2005

I had no luck finding a chart of the Choco Pie index behavior over the past three years, but then again, I am not familiar with financial data websites.

At the office, I have repeatedly forgotten to bring my key. If CH was out at a meeting, I would have to go back home and get it. This week our colleague WT decided on his own to install an electronic door lock (CH and I were out all day at the factory). It's great! It is the same style that I've had on the apartments here.





A few years ago, Mrs. Stumbler bought a similar electronic lock for the front door. She installed it on her own, but I remember helping at some point aligning the lock's bolt with the hole in the door frame. What I like about this lock that WT bought is that it looks much easier to install. Since it's bolted to the outside of the door, I think the latch and bolt would be much easier to align than were it mounted inside the door. So, unless one of us forgets and locks the door the old style with the key, I don't need to worry about forgetting my office key in the future.

The Stumbling Mom reported that she had found a Korean "pure corn silk" tea, which was said to be delicious. I was suspicious, and asked my Korean teacher about this. After a few problems trying to translate "corn silk", it turns out that indeed there is such a tea. In fact, I've seen it advertised often, and just didn't know it. It is popular as a bottled drink, though they might sell tea bags. In the grocery store, I see all kinds of various teas. I only know how to find the brand of green tea that I like, and of course I can find regular english tea (they call it "black tea").

Here is a photo of a bottle of corn silk tea I bought to give The Stumbling Mom...

UPDATE: The procedure went very well yesterday. Everything was very familiar to me - that is, the Korean dentist's tools and techniques seemed the same to me as my dentist back home. Only one difference - they have cable TV at this place. During a couple of short breaks while the technician was working on the temporary crown, I was allowed to watch the Discovery Channel! Of course, the part I was most afraid of, pulling the old tooth's root, was not done until the very end of the appointment, thus building up my anticipation (and fear). It didn't really hurt at all, but it was a real strange feeling. Especially the sound - I guess because all this is connected to my jaw bones, it seemed that I could hear even the smallest sound as the tooth was being pulled. With the tooth out, he put in a couple stitches and then the technician cemented in the temporary crown. I'm supposed to go back in this morning for a few minutes - for what, I'm not sure. But it isn't a problem - this dentist is located in my office building, so it's very close. Let me conclude by saying this procedure went much better than I was anticipating. They did a good job and I was far more comfortable than I imagined. If anyone want's a dentist recommendation here in Seoul, let me know.



I was out for dinner and some light drinking with JI on Tuesday night, and ended up breaking off one of teeth almost completely! I wish I could report an exciting story, say, I was in a big street fight defending the reputation of American beef. Or at least I tripped on my own feet (don't laugh, it's happened even when no drinking was inolved) and stumbled down two flights of stairs. Alas, the truth is so dull. I was simply eating from a small bowl of peanuts, when one particular peanut happened to snap off the tooth! Fortunately, the tooth didn't hurt, although I've had a strong, dull headache since then.

In hindsight, the tooth had been repaired a long time back, I think it was in the 1980's with a root canal. It was already weakened, and the peanut just happened to press on it the wrong way. After visiting the dentist, and confering with my USA dentist, I'm going to have a crown installed. I had a mold made yesterday, and today they will extract the remaining root and install a temporary crown. After two months, they will install a permanent crown. Even though I don't normally enjoy dental work, surprisingly I'm able to tolerate most procedures pretty well. But I remember having my wisdom teeth pulled many years ago, and it wan't too pleasant. Hopefully this will be better.

On my recent trip to the USA, I was re-directed at Incheon Airport from the Business Class lounge to the First Class lounge. Apparently the Business Class lounge was overcrowded. I was relaxing in the lounge, when I decided to go visit the toilet. Well, both toilet stall doors were locked, but one fellow was unsuccessfully either trying to lock or unlock his door - there was a lot of rattling of the latch. I just waited for a minute, in case he was on his way out. Suddenly, the door opened up and there I was face-to-face with Andre Kim.



Actually, Andre Kim is a famous Korean (fashion designer) that I had heard of long before I ever came to Korea. His style / appearance is, um, unique and unmistakeable. At first I thought I was looking at an astronaut! Anyway, later in the lounge I saw him departing, and noticed that he doesn't carry his own luggage, either. He has an assistant carry it for him. But then again, if I live to be 73 years old, maybe I'll NEED an assistant to carry my bags.

Now I can claim that I've used the same toilet bowl as a world-reknown fashion designer...

(photo shamelessly stolen from YeinJee's Asian Journal)

A new restaurant "stall" opened up in the food court downstairs in our office building. It sells Chinese-style food. They had an item on display in the glass case where you choose your meal, identified as "Hammer Food". Actually, instead of the word "Food", they used the Korean word Tang-soo-yook, which is basically sweet and sour pork with vegetables. I was curious why it was called Hammer food, and CH couldn't understand, either.



Now, being from the USA, I can use a knife, fork and spoon. Having travelled around Asia and having lived in Seoul, I can also use wooden, plastic and stainless steel chopsticks. I have even tried eating Indian food with my hands in Singapore. But I have NEVER eaten with a hammer!

Turns out there was a fried tortilla "cone" covering the dish, and you are supposed to crack it open with the wooden hammer. Interesting gimmick. But it was delicious. And now I can add hammer to my eating utensil repetoire.

I have now accumulated 26 different countries in my Hello Kitty "country national flowers" collection. According to Wikipedia, there can be up to 193 different countries in the world, depending on your definition of "country". But should I get all those magnets, I'll need a few more refrigerators!

My count of 26 doesn't include the 35 or so duplicates. When I buy my diet cokes in the morning, the man at the store has taken to giving me a big fat handful of the magnets at one time. Today I hit the jackpot, getting 5 new countries and only 1 duplicate!