My first exposure to kimchi happened in college. I used to work in a dining hall on campus. One time kimchi was being served. Let’s just say that this probably is never the best way to be introduced to something. Because when you’re working in some sort of food service situation, you will be faced with a vat of whatever the new food is.
I did not try the kimchi.
Recently, I read a book called Make the Bread, Buy the Butter, which made me want to make my own sauerkraut. Failure ensued. Then I heard about a friend’s kimchi-making adventures. Then I saw some fermented cabbage of some sort at Eastern Market in Detroit.
It seemed that a certain cruciferous vegetable was haunting me.
On a whim, I bought some kimchi at a grocery store. Then it sat in my fridge because I didn’t know what to do with it.
Then I made quesadillas.
Day after day. Meal after meal. Sometimes cilantro got in on it. My kimchi was interested in experimenting with cheeses. It didn’t find a cheese in my fridge that it didn’t like. I kept going back until the kimchi was gone.
And a food fear was vanquished.
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