KLB - Shocking Revelation


In case you haven't read my book, my mother and grandfather live together. My grandfather is quite the chef and takes a lot of pride in his "American style" cooking - usually some form of meat and potatoes. When I went home the last time (over a year and a half ago) he got a little offensive and possibly hurt when I talked about how much I love Korean food, and especially when I cooked it. My mother, however, openly enjoyed it - except for a few things.

Anyway, my mother casually mentioned that they came back "again" from the Korean store yesterday (there are two in downtown Syracuse, NY) with several bags of groceries. Apparently, they've been sneaking down there on a regular basis. This is the first time my mom told me but she's been eating Kimchi mandu (dumplings) a few times a week since I make them for her and that my grandfather regularly uses rice wine, vinegar-oyster sauce and sesame seed oil which he buys there.

As my Mom was telling me this over Yahoo messenger, I couldn't stop laughing. This is just part of what she said:

"I love the sauces. Some of them are completely in Korean. Not even sure what they are really...it's all gobbly-gook and what they tell you in the store - by the way, they are a friendy bunch there and know us by name now."

My grandfather then came on and tried to cover up saying my mother's been making him go there because SHE loves all that food. But then my mom came back on and said my grandfather loves going there and really chats it up with the Korean ajumma that runs the place - and that he eats all the food too. I'm still laughing here.