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Food in Taiwan
Taiwan has some amazing mouthwatering cuisine. It is also home to some of the strangest foods I have seen and I have traveled a fair bit... Hundred years eggs and stinky tofu are two names that jump to mind but beyond that there is snake blood soup and some other strange dishes that aren't for the faint of stomach.
You don't have to have no sense of smell or the courage of a paratrooper to eat in Taiwan. In fact, they pretty much have everything and the food is REALLY good.
A Taiwanese person wrote, "Taiwan is in sole possession of the local food, are all the rage the whole world, once after your experience the taste, will certainly the eternal life to be unforgettable."... Remember, you are going there to teach English. I had to include that quote. Although it says nothing intelligible about the food, you can tell that the person is quite passionate about what they are saying... maybe it means more in another language...
In short, food in Taiwan is great. You don't have to eat the strange things and there are lots of yummy easily identified food readily available.
Eating in Taiwan is a bit of a regional affair. Each county has its own specialty and eating out is the standard. It's actually often cheaper to eat out than to prepare something on your own.
Quick Guide to Eating Out Prices in Taiwan
- night market - NT$50 to NT$90
- noodle stalls - NT$20 to NT$80
- KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut - NT$110 to NT180
- moderate and fine dining - $NT250 to $NT1,000
Taiwan is renowned for its delicious food. In addition to the island's own unique cuisine -- a myriad of fine foods and dining experiences -- most the world's favourite foodstuffs and beverages are available here. Not just American hamburgers, but juicy prime rib steaks, Italian pizza and pasta, sea-fresh Japanese sashimi, German pig knuckles and sauerkraut, spicy Korean kimchi, Swiss fondue, chocolate, cheese and more are all handy at various restaurants and markets, making Taiwan a virtual gourmand's paradise. And for those who like a drink, there are many cosy bars, outdoor beer gardens, plus traditional British and Irish pubs to quench a thirst after a busy day. |
Fruit in Taiwan
When it comes to fruit, Taiwan is second to none in terms of variety and deliciousness and they know it. Fruit exports are among the greatest revenue sources in Taiwan. Taiwan offers a superb climate, geography and growing season for a great many fruits. From tropical heat in the south to sub-tropic temperatures in the low-lying areas to temperate-zones in the mountains, they have it all here.
Those of you who are looking for organic fruit and produce will be pleased to note that annually the availability of organic products is doubling.
Taiwan has a famous fruit-filled biscuit called a "pineapple cake, easily recognizable by its distinctive cube form. Try them. They are GREAT. They are also made with blueberries, strawberries, honeydew melon and other fruits.
Some samples of the fruit available pretty much year round at very reasonable prices are:
| Longyan |
Jujube |
Mandarin Oranges |
Oranges |
| Lemons |
Kumquats |
Apples |
Asian Pears |
| Watermelon |
Honeydew Melon |
Papaya |
Mango |
| Pineapple |
Guava |
Banana |
Star Fruit |
| Custard Apple |
Loquats |
Pomelo |
Coconuts |
| Grapes |
Passionfruit |
Strawberries |
Strawberry Pears (Pitaya) |
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Juice in Taiwan
As one can imagine, when you have a countries literally ripe with fruit, the resulting fruit juices are going to be pretty choice. Taiwan has a great supply of wonderful fruit juices. A couple of my personal favorites are the sugar cane juice, plum juice, star fruit juice, and sherb juice.
For those of you who usually wake up to a coffee for your breakfast, surprise your taste buds and your senses and have a glass of fruit juice while you're waiting for the coffee to perk.
If your morning starts like mine, on the run, duck into a fresh juice shop and get a drink made for you on the spot. Cheap, delicious and healthy! I have a ritual now and the juice and a ready smile is waiting for me at the juicer around the corner from me. |
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Personal Food Favorites from Taiwan
- Dumplings or Dim Sum or Wontons
Whatever you want to call them, these little things are wrapped with YUMMY goodness. I love the dumpling/dim sum restaurants that bring trays of these by, I never know what I am getting but seldom am I unimpressed. When i take one I give the waiter a look like, "Is this good?", she usually nods and when I bite in I express my feeling to her, to which she usually smiles like she has achieved something. By the end of most meals the waiters and waitresses are bringing special dishes to the table nodding and saying "Try, you like."
- Mochi
this is a traditional sweet snack made with glutinous rice and is either dipped in peanut powder or filled witha variety of pastes incliding sesame, taro, green tea, brown sugar and/or red beans.
- Steamed Buns
These are a breakfast tradition for me and there are local specialties in every county in Taiwan. You can get bacon and egg in them or sausage or ham and spicy vegetables or fruit or pork filled yumminess. Try them. You'll love them. It doesn't necesarily just have to be for breaky... this is a perfect snack food any time.
- Bubble Tea
Bubble Tea is the catch-all name for endless unusual names of this drink such as: tapioca pearl drink, tapioca ball drink, pearl shake, pearl tea, black pearl tea, big pearl, boba tea, boba ice tea, boba nai cha, milk tea, bubble drink, zhen zhu nai cha, momi, momi milk tea, QQ, BBT, PT, and possibly many other names. Like the names, there is a myriad of flavours, colors, tastes etc that you can get in and for your bubble tea. A definite to try. Don't just stop at one though. There are a huge array.
- Shaved Ice
For those of you with a sweet tooth this is the perfect dessert. A snowl-like mound of finely ground or shaved ice with intense flavouring poured over it. This is likely the pre-decessor of ice-cream and sorbet or sherbet. Only concern here is where the frozen water has come from... despite this risk, I never turned down a serve of shaved ice.
- Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is another trademark of Taiwan. The history behind this explains perhaps why beef jerky is so special in Taiwan. Not noted as a producer of beef and not really establishing itself with power and development until recently, the only way to actually keep meat was to smoke it and then to only eat it on very special ocassions. It is now an art form and definitely something to try while you are in Taiwan.
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Winter Foods - Eating for Survival?
When winter arrives in Taiwan people get serious about eating. As another cold front sweeps down across the island. Thousands of motorists and shoppers bundle up in heavy jackets, gloves, and ski-caps. Not too sure why... it really isn't that cold.
The soup restaurants are packed with customers. The empty night markets leave stall owners no choice but to close early. The temperatures on the island are still well above freezing, but Taiwan's moist air and lack of central heating make the weather seem deceptively colder. It is on days like this that many Chinese turn to steaming broths and stews specially prepared with Chinese herbs to warm the body and fend off colds. |
Chinese Food in Taiwan
Chinese food in Taiwan is great! The best of China has been imported here, some of it came over back in the 15th Century and age old tradition has led to fusion and savory dishes that you won't be able to get back home.
Chinese dishes range from Northern Chinese favorites of roast duck, smoked chicken, quick-boiled lamb, smooth fish fillet, dried scallop radish ball to Souther Chinese favorites of camphor tree tea duck, salty chicken, syrup ham, exploding fried fresh shelled shrimp, dried & fried eggplant, mapo tofu(spicy)... ... Hungry yet??? |
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