Spicy celebration: Nov. 22 marks Kimchi Day in Maryland
BALTIMORE -- Tuesday marks the first Kimchi Day in Maryland history.
Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday proclaimed November 22 as Kimchi Day in Maryland to recognize the importance of the dish and "further celebrate Korean culture in Maryland."
The spicy, salty and sour fermented cabbage is a traditional Korean side dish that has gained international popularity.
The South Korean government first designated Nov. 22 as Kimchi Day in 2019. November marks the typical time for Gimjang, the process of making batches of kimchi before winter, according to the Korean Herald.
Gimjang kimchi traditionally involves outdoor storage in large earthenware jars, but nowadays, special kimchi fridges are used for storage.
Maryland's governor's house is known as the first and only governor's mansion in the nation with a kimchi refrigerator, according to the governor's office.
First Lady Yumi Hogan, who is Korean, promoted kimchi in her "Yumi Cooks" series.
"Proclaiming the first Kimchi Day in state history is another way to celebrate our incredible Korean-American community and its many contributions," Governor Hogan said in a statement. "Our administration is proud of the special bond we have with Korea, and all we have been able to do to make those cultural and economic ties even stronger."
California, Virginia, New York and Washington D.C. have also designated Nov. 22 as Kimchi Day.