Tomundaejak
Tomundaejak is a book of food criticism written in 1611 by Hŏ Kyun and included in the Seongseobubugo collection. It describes foods of the Joseon period, from rice cakes to fish, fruit and vegetables from different regions of Korea.
History
Hŏ Kyun wrote the book during his exile in Hamyel, now Iksan, a coastal district in North Jeolla Province. Eating plain food there, he began to recall from memory the dishes he had enjoyed before.
The title combines domun, meaning a butcher's door, and daejak, meaning chewing loudly. It evokes licking one's lips by the butcher's door while thinking of meat one can no longer eat. The book covers 117 foods, including 11 kinds of tteok, 30 fruits, 5 meats, 40 seafoods, 25 vegetables and 5 other items, noting their origin, season and method of preparation.
Culture
The work is arranged around fruit, fish and grains, and reflects the variety of Korea's eight provinces. It lists six kinds of Jeju mandarin and fish tied to specific places, such as those from Gangneung or Samcheok.