During the Choson period, ceremonies were an important part of every family household and as a consequence, special goods for those ceremonies were developed. In particular, on the occasions of marriage and Hwan-gap, a special table-setting was arranged, which featured a variety of foods stacked to about 30-50 centimeters high in a shape of a big cylinder. It was a matter of course that long years of experience was needed to stack to products successfully. Of the many ceremonial dishes, rice cakes and confectionaries were popular.
Rice cakes, or ttok, are made of rice, and beans or other grains. In ancient times, rice cakes were eaten both during ordinary meal times and during ceremonies of rituals. It was only later, after the Three Kingdoms period, that rice cakes became primarily associated with ceremonial foods. Thus, rice cakes boast of a long tradition in the Korean history. Being indigenous and widely favored, there are many varieties. Rice cakes fall into three categories by cooking methods; steamed, and hen pounded, and fried. Most of them are made of rice, but other ingredients such as bean, red bean, chestnut, flowers, and herbs are also added to make variations of marvelous flavors, scents and colors. The records of Choson show as many as about 250 different types of rice cakes.
Traditional confectionaries are mostly made of wheat flour, honey and oil. Since these ingredients were rare in Korea, the confectionaries were prepared only for parties and ceremonies. Some popular traditional Korea confectioneries include yakkwa, kangjong, tashik, chon-gwa, yot-kangjong, and kwapyon.
Yakkwa is made of wheat flour kneaded with oil, honey and alcohol. The batter is fried and then dipped into honey. Yakkwa comes in different sizes and shapes. It was often made in the shape of flowers or fish, and during the Choson period, some yakkwa were prepared as large as 7 centimeters wide and long and 3 centimeters thick. They were displayed in stacked form.
Kangjong is made of glutinous rice flour mixed with alcohol. The batter is kneaded, divided, and then dried. The dried batter is fried and coated with honey.
Tashik (Powdered grains and pollen) is kneaded with honey and shaped into decorative molds. Beans, pine pollen, sesame, and rice usually used.
Chon-gwa is made of ginsen, Chinese quince, ginger, lotus root, steamed rice, and jujube, which are boiled in honey.
Yot-kangjong are roasted beans or sesame mixed with grain-glucose and then hardened.
Kwapyon is made from the flesh of strawberries, wide berries or cherries smashed up and hardened in honey.
