I love to learn about North Korea and I'm a food nut, but this article was very frustrating to me. It's written in a very sensationalist tone, like the dude survived extreme danger to bring us morsels of information about life in North Korea. The reality is so much more boring... He took an expensive and very safe state-sponsored tour out of Beijing (probably Koryo Tours) and ate tour food.

Now, if you've ever been on a tour anywhere, you'll understand how little this has to do with real food or even food attitudes. For instance, the food being more bland than in South Korea just means they know most American tourists choke on the merest hint of a chili. (And may I add... South Korean food really isn't as spicy as the dude makes it out to be.)

Furthermore, of course the tour is state-sponsored and represents the DPRK's efforts to put up a positive face. But to call it "propaganda food" is just crass sensationalism.