Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hindsight]

It's not too late to make plans to attend the Bowers 15th Annual Chile Pepper Festival.

http://www.pepperfestival.com/chile_2010/Page_1.html

This is your chance to see and taste an broad variety of hot peppers, prepared in an amazing variety of ways.

http://www.pepperfestival.com/chile_2010/Photos.html

As you can see from the photos, you also will see these peppers grown in nearby farms, along with an amazing array of heirloom tomatoes.

http://www.pepperfestival.com/chile_2010/Field_Excursion.html

And, of course, with more than 70 vendors there will be more different types of locally made hot sauce at the Bowers Chili Pepper Festival than you can carry home. And lots of salsa, including free tastes and a salsa contest.

We're talking hot, but we're also talking flavor and creativity. Ever have home made raspberry - chile pepper ice cream? It's an experience you will never forget. Very, very delicious!!!!!

There's even a local winery that makes jalapeno wine: Cardinal Hollow Winery.

For those intrepid Koreans, you may want to enter the Bowers chile pepper eating contest. Hey, maybe you can get funding from the government to represent Korean pride.

http://www.pepperfestival.com/chile_2010/Jalapeno_eating.html

Don't worry, they're only jalapenos, not habaneros (but they're not paprika, either, which in America means MILD pepper).

Jalapenos are only about 5,000 Scoville units, compared to habaneros, which can be 100,000 to 580,000 Scoville units.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

And as to the Korean government, with their federally funded effort to expand the consumption of kimchi to all of the world, this is your chance to open a booth and help familiarize Americans with the wonderful world of Korean kimchi. I'm not kidding here; I really think they would welcome Koreans visiting and participating. Pennsylvanians are very mellow people.

No excuses now; it's not too late to buy a plane ticket. And surely with all the Koreans living in the New York City, New Jersey area, they could make the 90 mile drive to the festival.

The Bowers Chile Festival is this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and 11, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the William Delong Memorial Park in Bowers, Pennsylvania.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chile-Pepper-Festival/362417797866?ref=ts

Sadly, I will not be able to attend this year. However, any readers who do go, please post some pictures! Any for you prospective teachers, this is the perfect opportunity to buy presents for you future principal, assistant principal, co-teachers and landlord -- ultra habanero hot sauce! They will love it!!!!

For those of you who don't know where Bowers is, it's just west of Topton, and east of Lyons; if you get to Fleetwood (of Cadillac fame), turn around. Never heard of 'em? OK, how about between Allentown and Reading? It's maybe six miles to Kutztown.

While there, make sure you try some of the local strawberry rhubarb pie, available at most any Mennonite farm stand.

Some comments from folks planning a visit:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pepper/msg1219165732465.html

Have a good time!


(ps: I don't know why Bowers uses chile instead of chili. Maybe it's a Pennsylvania thing. There are regional variations in spelling of this in the U.S. Either way, they're HOT!

And for those of you wondering, What do hot peppers have to do with Pennsylvania, may I remind you that hot peppers are native to the Americas, and were brought to Asia by Europeans. Hot peppers are a true American food, as are chocolate, vanilla, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, pineapple and peanuts. It's nice to see how much Koreans enjoy American food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_peppers ).

[aussieb]

Habaneros are no longer the King of chillis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_Jolokia_pepper

[interestedinhanguk]