你好朋友(Hello friends), and welcome back,
This week, you may have noticed that I changed up the usual introduction which included some characters from the Taiwanese language. This is because this week and next week’s blog are Taiwan related, and I will be discussing my travels to Taiwan. For this blog, I will be discussing something very interesting to all humans: FOOD!
Yes! This week will be all about the food of Taiwan. Spoiler alert: it is amazing. From land to sea to air, Taiwan has food that will overwhelm every single taste bud on the tongue. Ok, let’s talk about some food.
First, let’s talk about the world famous 鼎泰丰(Din Tai Fung). Din Tai Fung specializes in xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings). These types of dumplings are very different from the normal American dumpling because they are filled with hot soup that must be eaten very carefully. They are filled with pork or other types of meat or seafood. It is important to remember that you cannot eat these dumplings with traditional American silverware…
Special utensils are used to eat soup dumplings. One will need chopsticks and a spoon that is specifically designed to hold the dumpling. It was amazing for me to learn how to eat something new. I learned how to eat or use utensils as a kid, and I honestly don’t remember it. Thus, it was such a unique experience to learn these new skills. To start, I had to learn how to use chopsticks. When picking up the dumpling from the basket, I had to be very delicate because I would break the dumpling if I was not careful. After picking up the dumpling, you need to put it on the special spoon. However, the challenges are not over. After, you must make a small bite in the bottom of the dumpling where you can suck out the soup. Otherwise, if you eat the whole dumpling at once, you will burn your entire mouth, and everyone will laugh at you. Not, speaking from experience (haha). After all the soup is removed, you can proceed to eat the dumpling and enjoy the taste.
The dumplings at Din Tai Fung are the best dumplings that I have ever had in my life. They were juicy, soft, hot, and filled with spice and taste. This was no P.F. Changs’ dumpling. I left craving more, and I would end up going back.
I did not think that I could find anything better in Taiwan; however, I ended up finding more food that would blow my mind. The first was 火焰骰子牛(flaming beef cubes). Flaming beef cubes can only be found at the Night Markets of Taiwan. Here, a chef puts a slab of beef on a grill, and he cooks it for a few minutes. After, he uses a blow torch to char and further cook the meat while dicing the meat into cubes. The cubes melt in your mouth with spice and taste that left me dying for more. While at Night Market, I tried various other food such as pig’s blood, stinky tofu, and much more. My taste buds loved every spice and flavor in the various types of food at the Night Market.
Finally, at 淡水(Tamsui), my food experiences were wrapped up nicely. Tamsui is known as a waterfront location. As a result, many restaurants are filled with aquariums with fresh caught fish. At one local restaurant where I ate, I was able to pick the fish myself. After picking the fish, they took the fish out of the tank, killed it, then grilled it fresh in front of me. This was the definition of “freshly caught.” Simply, it was the best fish that I ever had.
After, we walked the local boardwalk where they have the famous 2-foot ice cream cone. From green tea to vanilla, they have all the great flavors. I chose vanilla because I’m boring. But, when the lady gave me the ice cream cone, I was flabbergasted. The ice cream was stacked two feet high, and it tasted delicious. It was the perfect way to end the day on the boardwalk.
Overall, the food in Taiwan was amazing. From learning how to eat in a new way to trying new food, it was an amazing culinary experience. After visiting Taiwan, I made some of the local dishes at home. I buy Taiwanese imported noodles from Wegmans and create the same spice and flavor. I couldn’t let distance stop me from obtaining these wonderful tastes.
谢谢台湾