Page 28 - Blog 2015 - Korea in Canada

KoREa In Canada
KoREa-Canada Blog 2015

am going to introduce to you a Korean dish called dolsot-Bibimbap(돌솥비빔밥) with
istories of my two non-Korean friends, Julie and Mayte, about their first experience trying
dolsot-Bibimbap..

I enjoy introducing Korean culture to my friends, and I have come to learn that food is
a great way to show the vibrant colors of the culture. In my first year in Canada, my mom
with her excellent cooking skill, certified by several cook licenses including one in Korean
cuisine, often invited our neighbors over to try Korean food. Her professionalism shone
through the presentation of the food. For most of our neighbors, it was their first time trying
Korean food, and they liked Bibimbap(비빔밥) especially for its colorful toppings and how
they are neatly put on the steaming white rice. Since then, Bibimbap has been my top choice
of recommendation for friends trying Korean food for the
first time.

Bibimbap, pronounced as “bi-bim-bap”, is a rice dish
mixed with vegetables and beef. “Bibim(비빔)” means mixed
and “Bap(밥)” means rice. It can be served in a normal bowl
or a sizzling stone pot called “dolsot(돌솥)”. From now on,
I will refer to it simply as Bibimbap without the romanization.

In my first year of university, I met Julie who has just
moved to Canada from Japan. She has been my best friend
since, and I can’t count how many times I had Bibimbap
with her. We have indeed tried a variety of cuisines, but
whenever I let Julie choose the menu for us, she says
Bibimbap with certainty. She likes how there is just enough
amount of meat and vegetables in Bibimbap. ABOVE: These are some of the
photos she took of Bibimbap.
Julie was as excited as I was when I proposed that we BELOW: She even made one by
introduce Korean food to our friend, Mayte. We have been herself.
working together on the executive team for the UnICEF
chapter at our campus. It has been a bit less than two years
since Julie and I first met Mayte, and we have eaten out
together several times, so it came to my surprise that I never
introduced her to Korean food until our most recent U of T
UnICEF social. The executive team has tried different

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