Songpyeon on My Pillow

Don’t be surprised to find songpyeon instead of complimentary chocolates on the pillow if you’re staying in a Korean hotel this weekend. After all, it’s Chuseok and what better way for Korean hotels to involve their foreign guests in the harvest celebrations?

I was touched by this thoughtful gesture, courtesy of Core Riveria Hotel, when I was in Jeonju a few years ago. The pretty rice cakes were sitting on a thin bed of pine leaves in a basket. Can’t recall what the filling was – was it chestnut or were red, green or mung beans used? Anyway, the charming picture the songpyeon presented gave me even more pleasure than the taste itself.

Unlike the Chinese who observe the Mid-Autumn Festival with cakes that resemble the full moon, Koreans like their songpyeon shaped like half moons. A full moon can only mean it’s waning while the half moon promises fullness and greater brightness to come. Honestly though, the songpyeon look more like tiny conch shells than half moons to me. Apparently, shapes and sizes vary from region to region – those in the south make smaller cakes while the Gangwon-do variety resemble clams.

Lee Ho -jeong writes:

Donggukseshigi, a Joseon Dynasty publication from 1849 that documented the seasonal customs of the period, states that songpyeon "uses the rice grain taken from rice straw that has been kept since the fifteenth day of the first month of the year. Some as large as the size of a hand or as small as an egg, the songpyeon are made in the shape of a half circle of jade" .The Donggukseshigi also says that songpyeon was dispensed to servants according to their age.The gifts of songpyeon were designed to increase the servant’s morale as the harvest began.

There are stories that have passed from generation to generation about the making of songpyeon.
For the unmarried, they can find a beautiful wife or a handsome husband when the songpyeon they make has a beautiful shape. An unattractive or mishapen songpyeon will result in a life spent with an ugly husband or wife. Another legend says that a pregnant woman who hoped to learn the gender of her unborn child should steam the songpyeon while placing a pine leaf or pine needle in a horizontal position within the songpyeon. If the sharp end of the needle or the pine leaf appears when the woman takes a bite from the songpyeon the child within her is a boy. If the smooth flat area appears the unborn child is a girl. "

Those who are really into making desserts and traditional cakes, check out the Rice Cake and Kitchen Utensils Museum (open Mon –Sat, 10 am – 5 pm; tel: 02 – 741 5411/4). There’s a café nearby selling a wide range of such delicacies as well. Or if you happen to be in Insadong, ask around for the rice cake stores in Nagwon-dong, Jongno-gu.

For more information and a recipe, click here.

The photo above shows Hyundae employees making songpyeon for the elderly  in a home as part of their community service. It would be interesting to know if many Korean families still follow the tradition of making songpyeon together or if they prefer to buy them ready-made at the convenience store.

For more on tteok ( rice cakes ) in general, read this.

Sources:
http://english.seoul.go.kr/gtk/news/reports_view.php?idx=1071&cPage=45 http://www.korea.net/News/news/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20061004038&part=111&SearchDaykorea.encyclopedia.co
http://www.sulyapinoy.org/feature-stories-f12/what-is-the-meaning-of-chuseok-http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=10234
http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20080609001&part=106&SearchDay=
http://www.joonsfamily.com/lofiversion/index.php/t8572-200.html