My favorite souvenir from Korea has got to be the amazing gift from my friend Hai-Young's parents. It's called Yujacha and it's made from very finely sliced yuzu, a kind of citrus like a tangerine, that has been mixed with sugar to make a syrup. You use about a spoonful and just add boiling water for a very refreshing hot drink that has a lot of citrus perk and, in theory, helps with colds and recovering from winter sickness.The fruit is grown on Geoje Island and further south on Jeju Island which has an even milder climate perfect for citrus.
I've really enjoyed drinking this in addition to hot chocolate and my many varieties of tea that I've collected over the year. It's nice to have a glass of something hot before you step out in the cold, bitter, German winter. And I'm sure the Koreans enjoy it too because their winter is equally nasty.
Speaking of which, it's turning cold again and it is supposed to be snowing next week. This week was a nice break from sub-zero temperatures, but I think I'll be enjoying the hot drinks for a long time to come..
(ok, i wrote this a reeeally long time ago...)
