Tainan
Showing posts with label Tainan. Show all posts

台南甜點秘境散策



每次來到台南時，都有種莫名的溫暖。 

 總覺得台南人，有種不屈不擾的真誠，是其他地方所看不到的。 他們溫柔，慢條斯理的把每件事做好。
運將不會為了賺錢而繞路，店家更不會犧牲家庭生活而每天開張。 

 台北人來到台南，除了享受愜意的慢遊，轉角間總是有著出戶意料的驚喜。 

純薏仁之紅豆白玉薏仁 

濃郁的薏仁香，配上帶點甘苦的抹茶白玉，綜合了紅豆的甜味，是一道清爽的夏日甜品。 比起軟綿綿的口感, 更喜歡這種粒粒分明又扎實的薏仁口感。 使用的食器都是以木材為主 （應該是衫木？），很喜歡這種溫暖的手感。





深藍咖啡廳之千層蛋糕 (Mille Crepe) 

吃過Lady M 的千層蛋糕，但真的覺得很.....普通。唯一的特點應該是他在每層的薄餅都有點焦糖香，不然其實台灣有很多間的千層蛋糕的口味都很相似。 深藍的千層蛋糕最推薦的是栗子跟芝麻口味，跟清爽的奶香很匹配。 




懿品乳酪菓子手造所之夏威夷塔與鳳梨酥

只能說這間應該是我在台南吃到最好吃的甜點了！！！ 
酥而不膩的塔皮，烤的酥脆，有著焦糖香的夏威夷果豆。雖然他們家主打是乳酪系列的產品，但是我覺得他們其他的副產品都很好吃。 



江水號之八寶冰 

江水號雖然沒有起眼的外觀，但卻有著莫名的親切感。剉冰機是小時候懷念的墨綠手動刨冰機台，加上淳樸的綠豆，薏仁，芋頭就是個懷舊的滋味。  







Tainan: A City of Gastronomy (Rice Pudding)

Rice Pudding （碗粿）

Let’s talk about the most important ingredient, rice. Initially Taiwan, like all other south east Asia countries, cultivate “indica” and “javanica” rice, these are longer, non-sticky type of rice that are often found in India, Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Africa etc.

 However, during the Japanese colonization, a time where war was frequent, the main goal of Taiwan was to become an agricultural hub to support mainland Japan. They wanted to grow “japonica” rice instead, also dubbed as “short rice”.

 Therefore, they sent two agricultural experts Iso Eikichi and Suenaga Megumu to:
1)    Adapt the japonica rice to grow in Taiwan’s climate
2)    Cross pollinate indica and japonica rice

 For the rice puddings, it is important to use aged “indica” rice (been left for at least a year to dry up). Then it must be soaked and churned. The amount of water used to produce a certain consistency is crucial in making the rice potage evenly soft across all areas.

Tainan rice pudding (Wa guan)
鎮傳四神湯  

Braised pork, dried prawns and dried radishes are placed at the base of the bowl, with the potage poured over it to be steamed.

 This is then drizzled with some sesame sauce and garlic or chili sauce. Decadent when it is eaten with Four herb soup (四神湯). 




Tainan: A City of Gastronomy (Beef Soup)

Tainan is not a city of Michelin stars, but it is by definition, a city that is worth a special visit.

 I’ve been to too many famous cafes that leverage on its previous glories (a writer, a politician, an artist who frequents there), and you get served with rolled-eye waiters and lifeless food.

 “Sorry but we have a minimum order.”

 “Meme, I don’t have all day for you.”

 In Tainan, you will only experience a rustic sincerity, honesty and a love for fresh ingredients.
Paul Bocuse championed farm to table concept? Please, Tainan has been doing that at least for four hundred years!

 If you come to Tainan, then here are some of the dishes that you must try. 

Beef Soup  

When we arrived this late afternoon, the storeowner, a chubby chef greeted us with a big smile under his black framed glasses. He could have been mistaken as a student I would say. “We have the freshest beef today, I’d like to give you guys a big bowl!” He said. 

 “Thank you for your kindness! I am afraid this is our 8th street food store we’ve been to, and we couldn’t possibly eat more”.

 Most Tainan locals drink beef soup for breakfast, something warm to awaken the tummy for a full day work.
Tainan beef soup
盛 牛肉湯 

 The interesting thing is that since Taiwan was largely an agricultural island, farmers saw cattle as their partner and family and hence do not eat them. It was during the Meiji Restoration, when the Japanese started selling high-end beef in West market（西市場） in 1920-30s, did the Taiwanese start to consider beef as an option. 

 Every morning the butchery will get a taxi to deliver the freshest beef to individual stores, so the meat is often always slaughtered within 24 hours, if not just in a few hours. Each store has their own soup recipe that varies from boiling T-bones, old chicken, carrots, pineapple, bitter melon to yam leaves for at least 8 hours. Some stores would even add soya bean remains to the soup to absorb the oil and impurities. This reminds me of how , Oldřich Sahajdák a 2 star Michelin chef told me how they cook their soup. They would add vegetables as well as yeast to prepare perfectly clear broth.   
Tainan beef soup

 The beef chuck would be thinly sliced, about 20-30mm thick like sashimi, and boiling hot soup will be poured over it. It is usually medium rare when served. 

Next: Rice Pudding





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