KOREAN FOOD TOP 10-Eumchungryu

 

 Definition

 

Drinks mean all kinds of palatable drinks other than liquor. Korean traditional drinks have real variety in terms of kinds, type and how to make. From early times in our country, drinks have been classified into Cha (tea), Tang (boiling water), Hwachae (honeyed juice mixed with fruits), Milsu (honeyed water), Sikhye (sweet drink made from fermented rice), Sujeonggwa (fruit punch made of dried persimmons),

Jangsu (fermented grain juice with sour taste), Galsu (thirst water), Suksu (scorched rice tea), Jeup (fruit juice) and milk. Drinks have positioned themselves as native Korean foods which took roots deeply into our dietary life such as ordinary meals, seasonal foods, sacrificial rites and big and small festive events. As dietary life was structured entering into the Three States age, foods are categorized into main dish, subsidiary dishes and dessert, and drinks are developed as the kinds of dessert. With the development as dissert, traditional drinks were positioned as important palatable foods together with cakes. In the cooking related books of old days, we can see that a variety of ingredients were used to make traditional drinks and the drinks were closely related to people’s life as foods used for ordinary meal, special food, special meal and banquet meals. Our ancestors demonstrated their wisdom by appropriately utilizing various kinds of medicinal ingredients produced from mountains, fields and even rivers and sea and putting the ingredients into the traditional drinks so that the drinks helps the promotion of physical and mental health. Such medicinal health drinks have outstanding taste and nutrition based on pure natural foods. Our traditional drinks are the expression of the changes in the tastes of the four seasons in our country by using natural products of the seasons, and as such Korean traditional drinks are the generic Korean food in which romance, elegance and sincerity of our ancestors who knew how to enjoy natural taste and style are kept.