My first year in Korea, I lived in the southern city of Gyeong Ju. Here I had my first introduction to Korean food. Here I found out how Korean ice cream is the best way to fight the Korean summer. I also learned I shouldn't run without a shirt (unless I want to get yelled at by angry grannies and grandpas). They other great thing I learned here was about the two amazing red bean breads that are a specialty of the region.

The most famous bakery in Gyeong Ju is Hwangnam Bakery and they specialize in a red bean cake that looks like a miniature tire with chrome rims. The inside of this is filled with sweet red bean that is almost like a thick custard. These cakes are like gold and people come from all over the country and the world to get these breads. The large shop is a spectacle. It looks like an open warehouse lined with 6 large ovens in the back. The kitchen has 6 chefs working steadfastly by the red bean paste that stands high like mountains. It is the only time that I have seen red bean paste stand high like that. I had always assumed it was more like a soup. The red bean paste here is smooth and fine like fondant. It's quite amazing and, again, I am shocked it stands up straight. The chefs stand all day filling dough with the velvety red bean and adding the bike spoke shape with a fork. After the bread is filled and the shape is made an egg wash is applied.

After the chef fills a tray the bread goes into the oven until they are cooked until they are golden. These breads are best straight out of the oven but you have to be careful for the steaming red bean could burn your tongue.

Everyday the breads are made and sold to travelers coming into Gyeongju. The place is so popular that there is sometimes an one-hour wait for a single box. This is why customers will usually buy more than one or they will buy many and get them delivered to the house. Most people are willing to wait though. They feel that one-hour is worth a taste of perfection.

These red bean cakes have inspired another baker to make barley bread. These are two barley pancakes with a light smear of red bean paste in the center. They are plush and delicious and another great snack to buy for friends and family.