Here's how it happened: We're having guests over for dinner this evening, so I thought I'd hit the West Frederick Farmer's Market this morning to pick up some heirloom tomatoes & squash blossoms dinner. I work almost every Saturday, so actually getting to the market is a real treat for me.
I parked illegally in the movie theater parking lot (hey -- maybe they could let folks park there until 10:30, before the first showing??), and tried to zip around quick like a bunny before they decided to start towing. I grabbed my tomatoes, picked up a small, lovely bunch of late summer flowers, then zipped over for some bread and goat cheese.
I saw my friend Rochelle, of Myers Food (and an excellent instructor at TKS) standing by a Korean BBQ food truck, Gogo Gogi. Now usually, Korean BBQ is not the first thing I'm thinking of at 10:15 on a Saturday morning. But seeing Rochelle there, I knew something was up, not just because she's the ultimate Frederick Food Snob (and I mean that in the very, very nicest way possible), but she's a writer for the News Post too. Pen and pad in hand, Rochelle stood by the truck, talking to the owner John, scratching out her notes of fabulousness. Hmmmmmmmm...I should say hello, shouldn't I?
I strolled over, said my hellos, and, oh, look...samples! Now I do love some meat and carbs, being from PA and all, so I wasn't the least bit daunted by the beef (or chicken, or pork) over rice, not a vegetable in sight. In fact, it was rather enticing to be veg free on a Saturday morning. Yes indeedy, though I'd never be opposed to a soft, sweet onion pretty much anywhere.
Wanting to support the local guy, I decided to spring for the Beef BBQ, Bulgogi, served over rice. Again, this is at 10:15 in the morning. There's nothing breakfast-like about this proposition. Asked if I wanted the hot sauce, I figured, what's a cuppa water when you're drowning...right? So I said sure, I'd love a little bit, scooped up my bag and darted back to my car, no tow truck in sight. Whew!
Please don't think less of me as I describe the carnage.
The windows in the car were up (it's hot out there), so the fragrance of the beef was immediately noticeable. Hmmmm...perhaps a small taste...oh...my.
OH. MY.
Holy mother of all that is good and is right...OH FREAKIN' MY!
The beef is tender and rich and flavorful. The rice is sticky and the perfect foil to the beef. But the sauce.
Good heavens...THE SAUCE!
It's spicy, but sweet. Sweet heat, and it makes the dish sing. I thought it would be crazy spicy, and I have never been, nor will ever be a member of the "sear your lips off club", but it's not. It's perfectly balanced.
So I sit at the light at Baughman's Lane & Rt. 40, slurping up beef and sauce and rice with chopsticks, praying that just this once the light will last forever. I'm wiping my face with my hand, sauce and beef flying as I try to disguise my gluttony from other drivers, doing my best to make no eye contact.
Curses! The light changes at what seems to be record speed, I set my bowl down and drive, with some haste, to The Kitchen Studio to pick up a few things. I pull into my parking space, grab the bowl, eating all the while, and go in to do a little fridge shopping for things I need tonight.
In a minute it's gone. 6 bucks (just 6 bucks!!!) of perfectly seasoned deliciousness, vanished. Darn. I didn't even spill any on my shirt that I could scrape off any enjoy. Shoot.
I'll be back to the West Frederick Farmer's Market next week to grab another bowl. Or I may even pop in to the Middletown Farmer's Market on Thursday if I just can't wait 'til then.
They don't have a web site yet, but if you've got a Twitter account, you can follow them (and find out where they're going to be) at @gogo_gogi. I'll see you there. :)
1 comment:
Love Go Gogi! So glad you found them. John and Julie are really nice too.
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