Food Encyclopedia of Joseon Era
Meeting with <Yimwongyengjeji 林園經濟志-Jeongjoji 鼎俎志>

Written by Seo Yoo-gu, a civil official and Silhak scholar during late Joseon era, the "Yimwongyengjeji", as the author stated in the preface, is an "encyclopedia of knowledge and skills and handicrafts and hobby necessary for a scholar who lives in the countryside." The vast volume of 113 books is divided into 16 parts, and, among them, the Jeongjoji, the eighth part, is a book that contains eateries that can be cooked with the ingredients suitable with Joseon.

On June 26th (Fri), a Korean book concert was held at the Korean Cuisine Culture Center to discuss the Jeongjoji. At this event, Dr. Jeong, Jeong-Gi of the Yimwon Economy Research Institute - who made a sincere effort to translate Jeongjoji, by copying the original of the Yimwongyengjeji in Japan and cross-reviewing it with the remaining editions in Korea - participated in the event.

Jeongjoji's food set here and now

Jeongjoji covers all the ingredients of traditional food and various recipes, liquor, and seasonal food during the Joseon era. Seo, Yoo-gu is known to have completed a cookbook that enriches the Korean diet by focusing on recipes that contain easy-to-obtain ingredients and easy-to-make recipes on the Korean Peninsula by referring to many pieces of literature.

Gyepijang, Cinnamon drink with honey and cinnamon in boiling water, aging for a week
Buuiju(Dongdongju), which is fragrant having fresh taste brewed with glutinous rice
Tongsinbyung, which is made of slightly sliced ginger and green onions slightly sliced to be dressed in flour and fried.

Those are strange to us, but they are our old food written in Jeongjoji. At this book concert, we had time to share these foods together. With this opportunity, we have a lot of opportunities to relive the forgotten old foods containing the wisdom of our ancestors. We expect this concert to be the opportunity to enjoy the food culture abundant for us who are leading the life in modern society.

Editorial Dept.