Y’all, I gotta sit down and share this wild moment that happened today because I still can’t stop thinking about it. So, picture this — I’m sitting down with Darius, doing our usual mukbang. We’re enjoying a good spread, and of course, we’ve got some kimchi on the table. Now, you know I love me some kimchi. It’s tangy, spicy, crunchy — just everything! So I grab a bite and casually say, “Kimchi is actually really healthy, right? Because it’s fermented. That’s good for your gut!”
Darius nods, and I’m feeling proud of myself for dropping a little health knowledge… but then something pops into my mind.
I suddenly remembered something I heard YEARS ago — don’t ask me where from — but it was this idea that kimchi gets buried in cow poop to ferment. Yep. You read that right. Cow. Poop.
So I turn to Darius mid-bite and say, “You know they bury this stuff in cow dung to make it ferment, right?”
Darius’s face, y’all. Pure shock. Like he’d just witnessed a crime. He looked at me and went, “MOM. WHO told you that?! You’re lying! That’s not true. People don’t do that. I’ve seen how kimchi’s made — they do not use cow poop!”
I laughed, but I stood my ground. “Then how do they ferment it, huh?” I asked. “If not with poop, then what?”
Darius, bless his heart, tried so hard to educate me. “Mom,” he said, patient as ever, “kimchi is fermented just like pickles. They put it in airtight containers, seal them up, and leave them in a cool place — sometimes even in the fridge. That’s it. No manure involved.”
But I still wasn’t convinced! I said, “Mmm… I don’t know. I think I’m gonna ask ChatGPT.” And y’all, let me just say — I don’t just call it ChatGPT. Nope. I call it Shakisha. That’s the name I gave my AI bestie. 😂
Well, when I told Darius I was gonna ask Shakisha, he busted out laughing. Like, tears-in-his-eyes kind of laughing. “You named your AI Shakisha?! MOM!!” he said between fits of giggles.
But you know me — I like to be thorough. So now I’m curious for real. I mean… was what I heard some old myth? A cultural misunderstanding? Or maybe there’s some special, old-school version of kimchi that used to be fermented underground — and somebody out there did use cow poop at some point? Who knows!
order:
- 7.5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/4dcUqms
- Lodge Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet: https://amzn.to/3TyyMSA
- Bamboo Seasonings Box with Mini Spoon: https://amzn.to/4dfHzA6
And then Darius hit me with something that really made me stop and think. He goes, “Mom, you probably eat all kinds of stuff that’s been around cow poop. It’s a great fertilizer. Most vegetables are grown using it!”
And you know what? He’s not wrong. I eat a ton of greens, and if those veggies grew in soil fertilized with cow manure… well, I’ve probably already had a side of cow poop with my salad and didn’t even know it. Ain’t nothing new!
So I turned to Darius and said, “Well, if I can eat it, anybody can eat it.” My taste buds are changing, y’all. I'm leveling up!
But now I need some clarity. Seriously — my Korean friends, I need y’all to help a sister out. Is there any truth to the idea that kimchi used to be buried in cow dung? Or is this something I completely made up in my head?
Was I mixing it up with something else? A different type of fermented food, maybe? Or did I just overhear a wild rumor and run with it?
Either way, fermented or not, poop or no poop, I’m still gonna eat my kimchi. It’s tasty, it’s good for your gut, and it goes with everything. And honestly… if there’s even a trace of cow poop in there — y’all, let’s be real — we all probably eating it already in our veggies, right? It’s just nature doing its thing!
So go ahead, drop a comment and let me know:
Was I onto something, or did Darius win this debate fair and square? 😂
P.S. Darius still can’t stop laughing at me for calling ChatGPT Shakisha. And honestly? I’m not changing the name. Shakisha knows everything!
