Sokcho market bakery: makgeolli bread shelf life, Sokcho Sulppang

Makgeolli bread: the must-buy snack at Sokcho Jungang Market

Sokcho Sulppang (속초술빵) is a place where you can enjoy two famous Sokcho Jungang Market treats in one spot: makgeolli sulppang (rice-wine steamed bread) and honeycomb ice cream. By my count, the 5 things you have to buy at Sokcho Jungang Market are dakgangjeong (sweet crunchy fried chicken), makgeolli bread, fried snacks, squid sundae (stuffed squid), and the fruit sherbet at Café Baekchon. Today's story is about the piping-hot makgeolli bread you should eat right away, along with that dakgangjeong.

• It's one of the foods you have to buy when you go to Sokcho Jungang Market. Eat Sokcho Sulppang warm at the market, and it also works well as breakfast the next morning. The fluffy, moist makgeolli bread has a gentle sweetness and soft texture, so kids and adults can enjoy it together.
• Sokcho Sulppang steams the bread to order, so it's warm and the portions are big. It's a Sokcho trip snack that fills you and your kid up.
• If you buy 3 or more makgeolli breads at Sokcho Sulppang inside Sokcho Jungang Market, you get a honeycomb ice cream for free :)
• For parking, you get a 30-minute parking ticket when you spend ₩15,000. The Sokcho Jungang Market public lot costs ₩500 per 30 minutes.

Sokcho Sulppang location, hours and prices

Sokcho Sulppang is at 10 Jungangsijang-ro 6-gil, Unit 2, 1st floor, Building 1, Sokcho, and it's the same shop as the honeycomb ice cream. It's open Monday to Sunday, but closes on Wednesdays along with the Sokcho Jungang Market holiday. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Makgeolli bread is ₩5,000 each and honey ice cream is ₩4,000 each.

When I go, I always buy 3 breads. The reason, haha, is so I can get 1 honey ice cream! I buy 3 breads and usually hand the ice cream to my kid.

How to store makgeolli bread: how long in the fridge or freezer?

They said Sokcho Sulppang's makgeolli bread is fine at room temperature for about 1 day, and once cooled it keeps 5–7 days in the fridge or about 3 weeks in the freezer. Every time I bought it I wondered about storage, so this time I finally got the answer at Sokcho Jungang Market. They said you can also just eat it right away.

Portion the bread out and refrigerate or freeze it, then steam it or microwave it briefly and you get tasty, moist bread again! :) Since it's summer, I think it's safest to put it in the freezer after a day. Personally, I find rice cakes and bread don't taste good from the fridge.

Sokcho Jungang Market: an indoor rainy-day spot in Sokcho with kids

A good place to go with kids on a rainy day in Sokcho is the indoor Sokcho Jungang Market. You don't need an umbrella, and it's a paradise of food and snacks, so if you're in Sokcho on a rainy day, I recommend stopping by as an indoor stop! One tip: go in the morning when there are fewer people, or avoid lunch and dinner hours, and the market will be a bit calmer.

Is makgeolli bread safe for kids to eat?

Makgeolli bread is a signature of Sokcho Jungang Market, and when I looked up the ingredients and process, the key turned out to be live, unpasteurized makgeolli with active yeast. It's made by seasoning the makgeolli with warm milk, sugar and salt, then mixing in flour into a thick batter. The alcohol evaporates, so it's fine for kids as a snack.

Sokcho Sulppang honeycomb ice cream, cut fresh from the comb

The key to Sokcho Sulppang's honeycomb ice cream is that they cut the honeycomb fresh and serve it right away!

Three makgeolli breads: portion size and taste

Buy 3 makgeolli breads and they're so many your wrist hurts, haha. Bread this good value, can you believe it?

Eaten warm, the kids finish one Sokcho Sulppang bread each as a snack. Eating it warm is the key!

There's also the fun of picking at the beans on top. It's also a good snack after swimming.

Sokcho Sulppang is perfect as a place to go with kids in Sokcho, especially on a rainy day, since you can enjoy snacks indoors in the market. It's easy to drop by whatever the weather and a nice place to rest while browsing the market, so I'd recommend it for your Sokcho trip.