are steamed on top of pine needles for about 20-30 minutes and then rinsed with cold water in order to maintain their chewy texture. The rice cakes are then blotted dry and typically finished by being brushed with sesame oil. Steaming the rice cakes on top of pine needles gives them a unique taste and scent, and also helps to prevent the rice cakes from sticking together while steaming. As pine trees also produce large amounts of phytoncide, this effectively kills germs, and helps avoid spoiling due to the presence of terpene. According to the Dongui Bogam (동의보감, 東醫寶鑑), the most well-known Joseon medical book, the pine needles are also said to have medicinal effects on the food. Regional Differences Although the cultural significance of songpyeon remains the same, differences in color, shape, ingredients, and even thickness can be found across Korea. Chungcheong Province As pumpkin is widely grown in this region, Chungcheong Province is known for its pumpkin songpyeon. The pumpkins are dried and ground into a powder which is then mixed with the rice flour to make the dough. The rice cakes are often shaped to look like small pumpkins. The result is a sweet rice cake that is bright in color. Gangwon Province With an abundance of potato crops and oak trees, Gangwon Province is known for its potato songpyeon and acorn songpyeon. These rice cakes are made with potato starch and acorn powder, respectively. The songpyeon in this region are typically flat with ridges from pressing down using fingers and in Gangneung, people leave their handprints on the rice cakes. Gyeongsang Province Songpyeon made in Gyeongsang Province are typically larger than the songpyeon found in other regions. A popular type of songpyeon found here is ramie songpyeon, which consists of boiled ramie leaves which are added to the rice cakes to make them healthier. Jeju Province A traditional filling for songpyeon made on Jeju Island is sweetened peas. The songpyeon are sometimes shaped with a concave center to resemble a volcanic crater and are often pan-fried after being steamed. Jeolla Province Songpyeon made in Jeolla Province sometimes contains arrowroot starch which is combined with rice flour to make the rice cake dough. Jeolla Province is also known for its flower songpyeon which are made with natural dyes and made to resemble flowers either by hand or by using a mold. Seoul Seoul is known for its