Fermenting a Taste for Kimchi

The Korean government is trying to promote globally the taste for kimchi, a cabbage-based spicy side dish. Part of this promotion includes creating the International Kimchi Association, set to discuss the history, culture, and industry of kimchi as well as expediting distribution and sales of the food. Currently, close to 90 percent of exported kimchi goes to Japan. And although exports posted a 5 percent year over year volume increase in January and February, this growth is still down from the peak in 2005 before the industry was sidled with a health scare. While not mentioned in the article, this may be the first attempt by a government deliberately to globalize one part of its national cuisine – a national cuisine that came into being in consequence of a foreign invasion. In the sixteenth century, Japanese invaders introduced chili to Korea, a plant that was brought into Japan by the Portuguese from South America. But in an environment where exports are falling, a product that is still seeing growth could spice up the economy if not the palate. – YaleGlobal