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of Eumcheongryu
Definition
Drinks mean all kinds of palatable drinks other than liquor.
Korean traditional drinks have real variety in terms of
kinds, type and how to make. From early times in our country,
drinks have been classified into Cha (tea), Tang (boiling
water), Hwachae (honeyed juice mixed with fruits), Milsu
(honeyed water), Sikhye (sweet drink made from fermented
rice), Sujeonggwa (fruit punch made of dried persimmons),
Jangsu (fermented grain juice with sour taste), Galsu (thirst
water), Suksu (scorched rice tea), Jeup (fruit juice) and
milk. Drinks have positioned themselves as native Korean
foods which took roots deeply into our dietary life such
as ordinary meals, seasonal foods, sacrificial rites and
big and small festive events. As dietary life was structured
entering into the Three States age, foods are categorized
into main dish, subsidiary dishes and dessert, and drinks
are developed as the kinds of dessert. With the development
as dissert, traditional drinks were positioned as important
palatable foods together with cakes. In the cooking related
books of old days, we can see that a variety of ingredients
were used to make traditional drinks and the drinks were
closely related to people’s life as foods used for
ordinary meal, special food, special meal and banquet meals.
Our ancestors demonstrated their wisdom by appropriately
utilizing various kinds of medicinal ingredients produced
from mountains, fields and even rivers and sea and putting
the ingredients into the traditional drinks so that the
drinks helps the promotion of physical and mental health.
Such medicinal health drinks have outstanding taste and
nutrition based on pure natural foods. Our traditional drinks
are the expression of the changes in the tastes of the four
seasons in our country by using natural products of the
seasons, and as such Korean traditional drinks are the generic
Korean food in which romance, elegance and sincerity of
our ancestors who knew how to enjoy natural taste and style
are kept.