The slightly cloying, plummy oyster-and-bacon pad thai elicited the opposite response, as did Filipino short ribs kare-kare, which, though well flavored with coconut, peanuts, and pickled chiles, were almost chalky in texture.
Hanjeongsik is a banquet of fish, meat, lettuce wraps, tofu soup and steamed egg, served with side dishes of kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage), acorn jelly, dried anchovies and boiled peanuts.
The Lees took to the streets -- and then a printed catalog and eventually set up a website, boiledpeanuts.com -- selling the peanuts and other regional staples such as sorghum molasses, pickled artichokes and watermelon rind and stone-ground grits to displaced Southerners all over the country.