Taiwanese spend a great deal of their time eating and since my arrival in the country I’ve had my share of foods both fantastic and foul.
- Duck Blood Soup– When I first arrived in the country, I couldn’t speak any Chinese and had no idea what to eat. My new Taiwanese friend took me out for some noodles and when the bowl arrived, I dove right in. Too late I discovered the source behind the gelatinous cubes floating in coppery broth. Out of politeness, I had no choice but to force down the meal. Not one of my favorite experiences. Unfortunately, these congealed blood cubes (blood tofu) are wildly popular here, derived from many animal forms.
- Chicken Testicles– At a Taiwanese co-worker’s wedding reception, I happily noted the plate of “small golden potatoes” on our table and helped myself. My other two co-workers watched with interest and statements of “Let us know how they are,” as I sampled the first golden ball. Again, as I was at a wedding with a group of locals watching my every move, I had no choice but to swallow the chewy liquid-y mush which was most certainly not a golden potato.
- Red Bean Bread– In Taiwan, it’s rare to find a bread roll that is not stuffed with something–whether it’s meat, corn, fruit, or beans. Yes, beans (and this is one of the more normal fillings). It’s actually very tasty.
- Juice with Jelly/Flavored Jelly– Jellies of all kinds are adored in the country and one of the more popular things to do is toss jelly cubes into juice. This is not limited to one specific juice however, the cubes of gelatin are everywhere! When I first arrived in Taiwan this bothered me but now I actually like it. I even enjoy eating yogurt with jelly cubes mixed in. Also popular in desert form are large cubes of tea or plum flavored jelly.
- Bubble Tea–One of my absolute favorite things in Taiwan ( I loved this in the US as well, ever since I first sampled it at Chicago’s China town) is bubble tea. Even more exciting is the fact that bubble tea was invented in Taiwan! Bubble tea contains black tapioca balls and is a joy to behold, large colorful straw and all. The drink comes in a variety of flavors though I prefer my bubbles with green tea.
- Night Market Snacks– Even if at times these have made me weary, it’s a lot of fun to visit night markets and try random street food. Though I tend to steer clear of most animal parts on skewers (ranging from heads to beaks to ovaries, rear ends, and intestines) one of my favorite things to do is to pick out an assortment of vegetables, tofu, and noodles and have them cooked right in front of my eyes. They’re then seasoned with spices and tossed into a bag. Other fun night market treats include fried chicken, fries, fried vegetables, fried tofu, stinky tofu, candied fruit on skewers, and a variety of fruit smoothies including mango and papaya.
- Thousand Year Egg–After seeing the thousand year egg on a TV show before coming to Taiwan, I was a little apprehensive. However, I once tried the egg on top of a slab of raw tofu in a night market and I have to say, it wasn’t so bad. While not on the list of my top favorites in Taiwan, it definitely is not one of the worst.
This is a short list of some of the interesting foods I’ve sampled in Taiwan, I’ll be sure to share more in the future!