There's no shortage of interesting stuff on the Internet. For instance, I just found that in a 2004 survey of Korean homemakers, such a thing as a "kimchi refrigerator" was ranked #1 for most wanted household appliance.

For the unfamiliar, kimchi is a traditional Korean dish of salted and fermented vegetables, usually napa cabbage. It tends to be a bit spicy depending on how much Korean chili powder is used and what kind.

As for the refrigerator, I never knew such a thing existed until today, two decades after it was declared the most popular culinary desire ... for a decent swath of humanity.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found out that it has been a "thing" for nearly 40 years and commercially available for the last 3 decades. By 2007, big dog Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG—along with more than 10 other firms—were making these things…and of course selling them.

A refrigerator that is colder, has a more consistent temperature, more humidity, and less moving air than your typical fridge provides the ideal environment for kimchi fermentation. Who knew?

I love kimchi. Acquired taste, for sure.

I don't know if I would go as far as to get a specific refrigerator to make it, either, but I dig the ingenuity.

Matter of fact, if I purchased a kimchi fridge, I would almost certainly become homeless … immediately. Let's just say that the "making of" video documenting my take on Korean cuisine will never air.

Nothing—at all—about said experiment went over well with the rest of the family. Everyone said it stunk.

I'm now banned from making the stuff.

My technique was to use giant mason jars for my "recipe." There were a few situations where the kimchi “off-gassing” tried escaping through a lid that ultimately proved too tight. The gas won.

Thus, a curious smell.

The dish was good, but I was the only one who ate it. Understandably, the "good" rating has an inherent bias. Everyone else was petrified to try the kimchi.

One vote for good. The rest abstained. Good wins.

Perhaps the whole chapter is another reason to go full-carnivore? ‘Tis another consideration.

Either way, instead of spending hundreds (or thousands?) on a special refrigerator for something everyone in my family hates (besides myself), I decided instead to use my turn as a failed Korean chef to my advantage.

To be fair, I don't know if what I was making was indeed "kimchi." I'm guessing that any Korean would have derided me with some combination of either shame, disgust, or laughter.

How was it to my advantage?

I consulted the old proverb, "when life hands you lemons... salt them and jar them, and then you'll have preserved lemons."

They're kinda like kimchi. Better smell.

Now, if you've been with us for a while, you might recall that one of my projects, O'Leary and Company, provides consulting and coaching services to entrepreneurs, both 1-on-1 and in group settings.

We're still building out the group offering, but one of the lessons I teach is called:

Let your imagination run wild right now, but there is an ultimate moral to the story. And it does not end with preserved lemons.

In the meantime, and for a limited-time, we are offering a free one-time consultation. Chat about podcasts, email, business, or perhaps you’d like to spend your time with us deciding if pepperoni deserves to be the most-popular pizza topping.

As always,

Brian