A Trip to the Grocery Store

Date: 11/4/2010
At Youn Yum Mart

I was talking to my mom over Skype and was telling her about my journey to the grocery store--and I realized that going to the grocery store, or little shopping mart, in Korea is really a journey!  It is not like going to Marsh or Kroger back in the States, grabbing a few things and leaving.  Or making a list, getting your weekly food needs, paying and loading everything into the back of your car to take home.  It is an adventure to go shopping.  So, the next time I went to the grocery store I took along my camera and took a couple pictures/movies so that you can see what it is like to go grocery shopping.

This is not Lotte Mart - which is the big department store, but Youn Yum Mart.  It is like a mini-grocery store: A BiLo or Marsh or Kroger.  It has aisleways full of food, a produce department, a small bakery, some cold items like milk, OJ, and butter, and a "meat" department.  You'll see what I mean by "meat" department.

So, without further ado: Youn Yum Mart!

The produce section--which is just on the right when you enter.

Left to Right: Mandarine Oranges, apples, and pears. 

 The pears in Korea are not like American pears.  First, they are not "pear-shaped." Which makes things quiet interestiing because you can't say "pear-shaped." It doesn't mean anything. They are round, just like an apple.  They also taste closer to an apple--the crunch is the same.  But they are good.  Koreans usually eat these three as a desert--not during their meal.

A shelf full of fruit.  I recognize most of these things: grape tomatoes, oranges, some grapes (you have to remove the seeds and skin of grapes in Korea), and some squash

Zucchini are quiet popular in Korea.  Also displayed here are some green peppers and in the plastic are some lettus leaves.  The is not like head lettus, but usually used as a "wrap."  I still bought some and tore it up for a salad. 

Next, we head into the "meat" section--which is the back of the store.

The guy behind the counter was pretty cool.  Say hello everyone!

Unlike America, where they have a lot of pork, chicken, and beef on display, this is all the beef.  The rest is seafood.  This is the beef--one unprepared, the other in a broth ready to be cooked.  

These are chicken and pork selections.  The chicken is basically a chicken cleaned out and then with some heavy cuts in it.  It still has all the bones.  I bought one of these--and it's pretty hard to use.  You have to be careful of all the bones.  The pork is in thin slices.  And it's pork belly.  Not too bad--I've had some at school.  

Next are the seafood selections.  Remember: Gunsan is on the harbor so seafood is very popular.  I just can't really get over the squid and fish selections--it still looks like the animals.  I like my food to be prettily wrapped in celophane and look nothing like it's original state.  Doesn't work that way here in Korea.

Probably the easiest to look at: Some body of fish (without tail and head).

The squid and octopus selection.  Yes...whole

Um...I think this picture envokes the say, "Worth a thousand words"

They sell a variety of whole fish.  I'm not really sure how you prepare them--whole or if you cut them up yourself.  And, honestly, I don't really want to find out.  I'm a bit of a wuss like that.

Now: a walk down the noodle aisle.

Then a selection of the cereal offered.  This is actually most of the cereals I've seen in Gunsan.  I really like the Almond Cranberry Granola Cereal.  It quiet good!

I also have some movies of the meat section and produce. Just for your viewing pleasure!

So, now you've been to Youn Yum Market....see anything you want to purchase?  

Can you tell what I mean by it being a trip?  It's hard because everything is foreign. There are some aisles where I can guess what things are: for example: the milk and orange juice aisle.  But--is the milk pastuarized?  Or is it skim or whole (there is no 2%)?  Then finding the price can be confusing...So usually takes five minutes just to pick one thing out.  And forget about looking at nutrition labels--they're are in Korean.  I'm sure I'll eventually ask Ms Kim what the labels are but right now I just got with the flow.

And keep in mind, I can only carry so much stuff.  I don't have a car so whatever I purchase I have to carry home.  This usually means I can only buy a few things.  Luckily this store is only 7 minutes away from home.  

Last time I was at Youn Yum Market this is what I bought:

-french bread

-chicken (bones-in)

-butter (a huge block of butter, but it should last me all year)

-milk

-a bunch of lettus (for a salad)

-a bunch of oranges

-one pear

-Clorox

-a hot chocolate drink mix (15 servings)

This actually has lasted me 1 week.  I will have to go shopping again - so another adventure awaits me in the grocery store!