What turkey is to American Thanksgiving, songpyeon is to
Chuseok. Also called Hangawi, with the literal meaning of "great
middle," since it falls on Aug. 15 by the lunar calendar and is
one of the three most important traditional holidays, Chuseok
celebrates the end of the farming season. Koreans might say
there is no Chuseok without songpyeon. A special rice cake, it
is prepared not unlike a dumpling. Songpyeon is filled with
healthy ingredients like adzuki beans, black beans, mung beans,
cinnamon, pine nut, walnut, chestnut, jujube, and honey.
Depending on one's taste, all or some ingredients can be used.
This stuffing is then enveloped in kneaded rice skin. What makes
the dish extra special is pine needles. For one thing, the name
itself may be derived from the practice of layering pine needles
when steaming it as "song" in songpyeon means "pine tree." The
pine needles naturally form a pattern on the skin of songpyeon,
thereby contributing not only to the sweet aroma that stimulates
the taste buds but also