Preservation of food - KIMCHI

Ask any Korean which dish he or she cannot live without, and they will answer "kimchi". This tasty preparation makes full use of cabbage and other seasonal vegetables, which are preserved by blending them with seasonings and sauces and storing them in large earthenware jars to keep cool and ferment over the long witer months.

Kimchi jars were generally stored outside in the courtyard, or buried in the ground: these days refrigerators are a better option, but you will still see rows of kimchi jars on top of the flat roofs of apartment buildings in the big cities.

Kimchi pots vary in size and shape, and contain anything from one to 40 gallons of this delicious preserve. An earthenware lid sits on top and the sealed pots preserve the strong flavours for months. When the jars are opened, the contents will have absorbed all the delicious fiery flavours - a perfect contrast to the chill of the wintry weather.

Koreans will literally eat Kimchi on every day of the year and traditionally prepare a large amount during kimjang season, which occurs around the time of the autumn harvest. This is an important social event, when kimchi ingredients are blended together in copious quantities. Help is often drafted above left and right: Traditional woven dishes and platters are a practical and attractive method for serving up dry and fried foods.