December 22, 2023

[Recipe] Ginger Tea with Brown Sugar: A Soothing and Warming Brew

By Żaneta Hsu December 22, 2023 // No comments

Sip and savor the soothing warmth of the ginger tea with brown sugar. It's a comforting and invigorating beverage, perfect for cold days or as a pick-me-up.

Adjust the amount of brown sugar based on your taste preferences.

Feel free to experiment with additional ingredients such as lemon slices or a dash of honey for added flavor variations.

I was inspired by one of the popular Taiwanese chefs while watching a TV show and created my own version.

Ingredients:

250g Ginger

100-150g Brown Sugar

1L Hot Water

Instructions:

1. Sslice the ginger into thick pieces.

2. Use a kitchen tool or the back of a knife to smash the ginger slices. This helps release the flavors during brewing.

3. In a pan, lightly fry the ginger until fragrant. You can char it a bit.

4. Pour 1 liter of hot water into the pan with ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil.

5. Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. This simmering process ensures the ginger infuses its essence into the water.

6. After simmering, add brown sugar to the ginger tea. Start with 100g and adjust according to your sweetness preference. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.

7. Strain the ginger tea to remove the ginger pieces (it will get very spicy if you keep it in)

Hsinchu / Miaoli Christmas 2023

By Żaneta Hsu December 19, 2023 // No comments

The holiday season possesses a magical ability to transform cities and towns into enchanting wonderlands adorned with festive decorations and the warm glow of Christmas lights. Recently, we visited two charming cities in Taiwan - Hsinchu and Miaoli. In comparison to Taichung, Tainan, and, of course, Taipei, there were nearly no decorations here. But something is better than nothing, right?

Our first stop was Zhubei, a district within Hsinchu, where we stumbled upon a small Christmas Market selling local crafts and handmade goods. We waited a while for the Christmas tree to light up. Sadly, except for that one tree, there were no other decorations around. Later on, we drove to the Big City shopping mall. There are always Christmas trees and some decorations in front of the entrance, although each year they are fairly similar. The same goes for the SOGO shopping mall. Unlike five years ago, this year there were no decorations around the east gate and the river nearby.

Hsinchu County Hall, Zhubei

Another time, we drove to Miaoli City. The only decorations (that I know of) can be found at the Library and City Hall. I think those at City Hall were quite nice and more than in other places in Hsinchu and Miaoli we've visited previously. It was cold that day, as a cold front had just come. From 27 degrees Celsius, it dropped to 12, and it will be less than 10 by the end of the week. Also, the strong wind is pretty cold. Not a big deal, right? Taiwan doesn't have heating at home, as there aren't many cold days. So once it gets to 10 degrees outside, at home, the temperature quickly drops too. We also went to the night market and tried a few different foods there.

For more on our experiences, feel free to check out my YouTube video. Welcome to check it out!

Miaoli Library

Miaoli Travel: Exploring Mountains of Nanzhuang - Saisiyat Folklore Museum

By Żaneta Hsu December 13, 2023 // No comments

We were driving to Nanzhuang to visit Nanzhuang Old Street, and decided to explore further by heading to the Saisiyat Folklore Museum. Upon arrival, we found that not much was happening at that time, with only a few visitors around. Nevertheless, some food options were available. Aboriginal cuisine, known for its tastiness and delightful aroma, possibly enhanced by the addition of MaGao (Mountain Pepper).

We tried several snacks, including Millet mochi, Sausage, and MaGao tea eggs. The mochi had a unique taste, somewhat reminiscent of bread, possibly due to the millet. Having never tried millet on its own, I wasn't certain about its flavor. The mochi taste was distinct from the typical mochi found elsewhere.

Nearby the mochi stall, there was an aunt selling sausages that emitted a delightful fragrance. We later learned that they were seasoned with lemongrass and mountain pepper, resulting in a fantastic taste. Highly recommended!

Around the car parking area, vendors were selling mountain pepper-flavored tea eggs. We tried both, and while they tasted fairly similar, the stall on the left had a stronger flavor, possibly because they were cooked longer. By the way, the chef had worked in a restaurant in the USA several years ago.

I believe that in the summer, during the more rainy season, the lake must look beautiful. However, when we visited Xiangtian Lake, it was very shallow, and the fishes were swimming at the top, gasping for air. A trail circled the lake, providing a perfect opportunity for a walk in the sunny, warm weather.

Following the track, we found a stall with a note displaying the prices of vegetables and ginger, and a jar for placing money. Such setups might be a failure in Europe, as people might not pay and still take items away...

Saisiyat Folklore Museum (賽夏族民俗文物館)

The Saixia people are an ethnic minority among the aboriginal groups, with a population of around 5,000. They primarily reside in Wufeng Township in Hsinchu County, Nanzhuang Township, and Shitan Township in Miaoli County, as well as in Egongji Mountain and Hengpingbei Mountain, divided into Southern and Northern Saixia. Due to their small population, preserving their culture is challenging. To address this, the Miaoli County Government established the Saixia Ethnic Cultural Relics Museum on the bank of Xiangtian Lake to pass on the Saixia cultural heritage.

The museum houses various Saisiyat artifacts, including bamboo weavings, ramie fabrics, aboriginal creative arts, as well as fishing and farming equipment. It also explains the process of Saisiyat ceremonies. The museum serves not only as a place for outsiders to understand the Saixia way of life but also as a means of preserving the Saixia culture. In the future, the museum plans to hold exhibitions on Saisiyat photography, crafts, and food to enrich its content and establish itself internationally as a world-class cultural relics museum.

Dwarf Spirit Festival (矮靈祭)

In ancient times, black dwarves, who were less than one meter tall, imparted special skills to the Saisiyat people, teaching them how to farm and worship gods. Every year during the harvest, the Saisiyat people invited the Dwarf tribe to join in the celebrations. Over time, the Dwarf tribe began behaving inappropriately towards Saixia women. In response, the Saixia tribe devised a trap during a harvest festival, leading to the demise of the Dwarf tribe. To appease the spirits of the deceased Dwarves, the "Dwarf Spirit Festival" is now held in mid-October of the lunar calendar, occurring both annually and once every ten years.