Taiwan, an island full of fresh, abundant and diverse ingredients, allows people to feel the change of seasons by eating locally. Known for its convenience and accessibility to foods, Taiwan has all types of restaurants and food vendors. With different dining options out there, people nowadays don’t need to cook often as compared to before. However, buying and cooking with local ingredients is a great way to experience the culture and not to mention, a healthier option.
Where to Buy
There’s no better place to go than traditional markets to maximize your local grocery shopping experience. Take Taipei for example, the number of traditional markets managed by the government alone are around 80, which means almost every neighborhood has several markets to choose from. Nanmen Market is one of the biggest traditional markets that sells fresh vegetables, meats, seafood as well as frozen and cooked foods. It’s a joy to walk around even though grocery shopping isn’t your main goal. Another grand traditional one is Binjiang Market, a fruit and vegetable wholesale market with competitive prices and great variety. For example, you can find different kinds of fresh herbs, for both Chinese and western cuisine. This market is surrounded by other smaller vendors selling groceries and snacks, just like the Taiwanese version of farmers’ market.
Besides traditional markets, customers now can also shop local, fresh produce in supermarkets. 全聯福利中心 (PX Mart) has become more and more popular in recent years. The quality and prices of the goods are competitive, featuring fresh local produce and seafood. There are good numbers of PX Marts in Taipei, so accessibility is not a problem. If you are looking for more exotic or international products, 家樂福 (Carrefour) and Jasons Market Place could be good choices. For organic products, Green&Safe and 有機緣地 are the places to go.
Key Seasonings
Taiwanese cuisine is complex, diverse and keeps evolving because of history and people that moved it. It incorporates tastes from different parts of Asia and at the same time, develops its own balance. To make dishes that taste “Taiwanese”, there are certain seasonings that will definitely help achieve- soy sauce, white pepper powder and sugar.
Speaking from a narrow point of view, Taiwanese food tastes mostly on a sweeter side compared to other East Asia countries. Local people enjoy the right balance between sweet and umami. To create such flavor, soy sauce and sugar play important roles. There are tons of soy sauce products or related products in the market, and each has different levels of saltiness. To be more specific, nearly every Taiwanese household has soy sauce paste, different from soy sauce, to prepare home cooked meals. Soy sauce paste has a slight sweetness which sometimes saves people from adding more sugar. White pepper powder, on the other hand, gives a nice kick on top of the smooth and umami-flavored food. People like to add it to soups or pan-fried dishes. The “Salt and Pepper” is salt and “white pepper powder” in Taiwan.
Recipe Ideas
When the weather is getting hot and humid, people like to eat their vegetables in salads or simply just boil them. As mentioned previously, to make Taiwanese-favlored dishes, using soy sauce products is a powerful way. Drizzling some soy sauce paste onto boiled sweet potato leaves or iceberg lettuce- a delicious, local style veggie dish is done. As for the staple, rice is still common in every household. With more and more people finding themselves gluten-sensitive, it’s nice to have such a diet as an option. Leftover rice can be turned into fried rice or congee, a great way to enjoy the rice diet and minimize the food waste. When it comes to home cooking, local people often pan-fry, boil and braise to prepare food. Kolette provides essential kitchenware to allow our guests to fully utilize the kitchen and have an immersive experience by cooking with local food products and ingredients. All housing options are close to either a traditional market or supermarkets. Start your buy&cook journey with Kolette!