While visiting Kwang's parents I got to prove that I'm just a country girl at heart who loves anything to do with the gathering or preparing of fruits and vegetables. We were headed back in the car from visiting Kwang's grandmother's grave when we stopped along the side of the road near some gingko trees. Some of the tall trees had fruit hanging off of them high above. So what did we do, but shake and kick the trees until the precious fruit fell to the ground. The fruit is about two inches long, is a yellow/orange color and is sort of wrinkly tender on the outside. Oh and it smells awkwardly like feces. But that was the least of our problems. Inside the fruit is a hard nut where when ground gives way to a precious oil that is good for your health. I am finding out everything in Korea is good for your health. It's just the way it is here.
Our method of shucking the nut out of the fruit was by first stepping on the fruit. This made them more tender and helped break the nut free a little from the meat. Kwang's mother used a knife to get the nut free, but I used my finger nails as I am going through a long finger nail stage (a rarity). There were so many nuts to free. I squatted for awhile, but then my unpracticed legs gave out so his aunt brought me a mini stool to sit on. They were so impressed that I was able to help and was efficient too! It was only two days later when we all found out that the ginkgo fruit is actually quite abrasive and caused thin layers of skin to peel off our hands.
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