Adrian's first time making Aiyu Jelly

 

Still staying home, not only because of the virus but also due to plenty of rainy days. I'm starting to feel a little tired always needing to entertain our son, Adrian. He likes to play in the kitchen with me, although our space is really small, and it's inconvenient for me if he wants to cook together. Especially lately, he watched some videos with me where a little girl was helping her parents cook (or rather make a mess).

While doing some cleanup in the kitchen, I found many aiyu shells waiting in the cupboard to be used. Actually, I tried to make my first aiyu jelly two years ago, but it was a fail. After that, the remaining seeds were left unused. I was lazy to do anything with them, but now that I have a lot of free time, I have no excuses. This time, at least, it really condensed and made jelly, not just gelatinous water. Yay! Adrian was really excited to eat it.

We started by scrubbing the seeds from the aiyu plant and placing them in a bag. We bought the bag at a grocery store, specifically made for washing aiyu. After gently rubbing the seeds in water, they soon became more gelatinous and turned yellowish in color. I added some sugar melted in warm water, and then we cooled it down in the fridge. After about half an hour, it was ready to eat!

If you want to know what's aiyu, check my another post HERE.

Read More

Opening surprise gift from Poland!

Bad news, the lockdown has been extended until the middle of July. The good news is that I received a surprise package from Poland! Some time ago, one of my aunts sent me a parcel, and it finally arrived. Due to the pandemic, it could only be delivered by flight, so it took three weeks. In the past, I have even waited for four months, even when I paid for faster delivery.

A few weeks ago (June 3rd) marked four years since I came to Taiwan. My mood was a little down (and still is to some extent), so I shared my thoughts on my personal Facebook. Sometimes, I feel lonely and depressed. Living in a small apartment, especially now when it's better to stay home than go out, worsens my mood. Since we rent here, it's impossible for us to have pets. With the high housing prices in Taiwan, it doesn't seem possible for us to buy a house anytime soon. The prices are really crazy, even in our small town, which is close to Tainan Science Park. Apartment prices have skyrocketed to 10-16 million NT, and buildings cost over 20 million, and that's still outside the town!

It has been one and a half years since I last visited Poland, and during the pandemic, a lot has happened in my family as well. The lockdown in Poland lasted for a year, and some of my family members went through breakups during that time. I was particularly close to one aunt, so it was really sad to hear about her divorce. Some family members also contracted Covid-19. I worry that maybe after I finally go back, I won't be able to see some of them anymore.

One of my aunts, whom I don't even remember, messaged me after reading my post. She felt sad and said she understood my situation because both of her daughters also moved abroad, and she can't meet them either. She divorced my uncle when I was a kid, so I haven't seen or had any contact with her for many years. I don't even remember my cousins, but I do come across their Facebook profiles once in a while. After chatting with my aunt for a while, she insisted on sending me a gift. I felt uncomfortable since I don't even remember her and haven't had any contact with her in so many years. Nonetheless, she didn't let me refuse and insisted on sending me something from Poland.

Until today, I wasn't sure what was in the package. It's nice to receive something that reminds me of Poland, especially during this time when I have no idea when I'll be able to go back. I received a painting that was done by my aunt, handmade decorations for Easter and Christmas, a book, clothing, and a candle. Unfortunately, I don't currently have any shelves to display the decorations, so they will have to wait in the box until we move to a different place.

Read More

Yunlin Travel: Historical Buildings of Tuku

Tuku Town Office Dormitory  (土庫鎮公所舊宿舍)

The old dormitory of the Tuku Town Office was originally a public dormitory built in 1936. It consists of Japanese-style double-piece buildings with a total of four households. After the war, it served as the staff dormitory of the Tuku Town Office. In 2009, it was registered as a historical building in Yunlin County by private initiative and was later restored to become the Tuku Story House.

During the 1990s, the staff dormitory of the Tuku Town Office was idle. From 2006 to 2009, beautification activities were organized to maintain the surrounding environment. Following the local people's proposal to preserve the building, it was registered as a historical building in 2009. The restoration of the building began in February 2012, and the "Tuku Story House" was inaugurated in August 2015, making it the third story house in Yunlin County.

See also: Tuku Cocoa Farm & Sesame Museum

Former Tuku Yard (土庫庄役場)

The original Tuku Yard served as the administrative office center of Tuku Street. It was constructed in 1934 during the Japanese occupation. In 2013, it was registered as a historical building in Yunlin County and underwent restoration in 2015.

The Tuku area was initially part of the Tuku Branch of the Chiayi Department. After the administrative division was changed to the State Department in 1920, it became Tuku Township and was later upgraded to Tuku Street in 1943. The Tuku Yard was completed in 1934 and served as the Tuku Street Yard. After the war, it was used as the Tuku Town Office until a new building was constructed in 2002, leaving the old yard unused. It was registered as a historic building in Yunlin County in 2013. The restoration project commenced at the end of the same year and was completed in 2015. The building features a Japanese-Western eclectic style with a brick structure. The main entrances and exits are located on the west and northwest angles, creating an asymmetrical ㄇ-shaped floor plan. The west side, facing Zhongshan Road, is longer and has a higher roof.

Shun Tian Temple (土庫順天宮)

Tuku Shuntian Temple is mainly dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of the sea. It was established in the mid-17th century. According to interviews with elderly people, there was a small temple in the early days of the Han Chinese settlement. In 1834, believers donated the temple site to build an apse, which was completed six years later for the worship of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. The front hall was rebuilt in 1852, and a left compartment was added. In 1876, the right chamber was supplemented. The temple was rebuilt in 1936.

In 1940, Taiwan implemented the emperor's civilization movement, resulting in the demolition of many temples across the country. However, the villagers of Tuku feared that the newly rebuilt ancient temple would be destroyed. This coincided with Japan's "Ancient Taiwan Education Plan," and as a result, the Tuku Shuntian Palace became the 34th temple involved in the case. A statue of Guanyin was invited from Japan and enshrined in the main hall, while the other deities were moved to the apse. In the post-war era of Taiwan in 1945, the Tuku Shuntian Palace restored the Virgin to the main hall and continued to receive worship from believers.

In 2012, the Yunlin County Government declared the Tuku Shuntian Temple as a county-level historic site. It was also selected as one of the 100 highlights of the Agricultural Expo during the 2013 Yunlin Agricultural Expo.

Address:

1. Tuku Story House: 633雲林縣土庫鎮成功路59號土庫故事屋
2. Tuku Former Yard: 633雲林縣土庫鎮中山路252號歷史建築 原土庫庄役場
3. Shuntian Temple: 63341雲林縣土庫鎮中正路109號土庫順天宮

Read More

Yunlin Travel: Tuku - Cococa Farm and Sesame Museum

Tuku Cocoa Farm (土庫驛可可莊園)

The cocoa farm in Tuku is not fully finished yet, but you can still visit it. When we visited in April 2021, it was still free of charge. Currently, there is a small farm and shop where you can buy chocolate, cocoa nibs, and other cocoa products. If you know Chinese, you can learn more about the chocolate-making process. We also had a taste test of some of their chocolates. They were really yummy, although the price is quite high compared to products from abroad. Some of the cocoa has a more special flavor, a little sour instead of bitter.

See also: Historical Buildings of Tuku

Yuan Shun Sesame Tourist Oil Factory (源順芝麻觀光油廠)

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Wu's ancestors used the name Yuanshun to run a business in the local area, mainly for flour milling and noodle making. The word "Yuanshun" was used as the signboard and passed down from generation to generation. It has a history of 100 years. In 1942, the father of the founder, Mr. Wu Wuxiong, was recruited by the Japanese government to serve as a Taiwanese soldier on the Japanese-occupied Hainan Island.

In 1967, he took over the business from his grandfather and established Yuanshun Oil Plant, which specializes in manufacturing edible oil. In 1978, he applied for registration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and formally established Zhuhui Industrial Co., Ltd. The company has four marketing branches in Taipei, Taichung, Yunlin, and Kaohsiung, developing customers and selling products province-wide.

In 1979, the company moved into the industrial zone, becoming the first manufacturer in Tuku Town to be located in the industrial planning zone. At that time, there were no other manufacturers on the outer ring road, and there was no complete water and electricity infrastructure. It was surrounded by agricultural land. Everything was developed by themselves.

Yuanshun Oil always adheres to the belief of "only manufacturing products that are good for human health." The quality of Yuanshun Oil has been confirmed by the state on multiple occasions. In 1982, during a random inspection of peanut oil on the market, Yuanshun was the only manufacturer that met national standards and passed the inspection.

In 1984, during a re-examination of commercial flax oil by the Consumer Culture and Education Foundation, Yuanshun flax oil once again met the national standard, reaffirming the quality of Yuanshun oil.

In 2003, the Yuanshun team successfully developed cold-pressed sesame oil. They extracted oil from germinated sesame seeds, extending their product range to include Taiwan's first "pre-germinated cold-pressed sesame oil." This oil not only tastes better, but it's also refreshing and smooth, with enhanced nutritional value compared to previous cold-pressed sesame oil due to the germination process.

The company has specially designed the Sesame Cultural Life Hall, showcasing historical photos and displaying ancient oil-making equipment.

Opening hours: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm daily

Groups are welcome to visit. For groups with more than 20 people, the company will provide a special guide to explain the healthy use of edible oil and conduct on-site testing.

Address:

1. Cocoa Farm: 633雲林縣土庫鎮大同路1之2號土庫驛可可莊園
2. Yuan Shun Sesame Tourist Oil Factory: 633雲林縣土庫鎮成功路1-62號1-62號源順芝麻觀光油廠

Read More