台東。Taitung.
And then Taitung for the summer.
A long way from Taipei’s bustle, 2 months gave me just enough time to explore the region.
Facing the Pacific on Taiwan’s east coast, mountains and rift valleys meet the ocean, creating a barrier that sheltered the region for centuries, preserving local indigenous traditions and a stunningly varied natural landscape.
Taking things slow, food was at the core of my experience - through the people I met along the way.
Old Taitung Station. Located in central Taitung, it's now a centre for art installations and local products.
Taitung Forest Park. Beaches in Taiwan are eerily deserted.
The Heat
Heat + More Heat. Roasting pork over coals in Taitung forest park.
Crackers in the Park. Park in the Crackers.
Sun Goes Down
Stalls Come Out
Chicken Ass. What else? Favourite stall at the night market.
Scallions rolled in slices of lean marinated pork, then grilled. A night market staple in Taiwan.
Japanese Heritage
Green Mango
Red Mango
Crack.
'Round the Corner
A thin, crispy crust wrapped around a hefty amount of minced pork and chives. 豬肉餡餅
燒肉蛋餅, Dan Bing, the Taiwanese breakfast crêpe.
Shave ice with roselle (hibiscus) syrup and tangyuan, glutinous rice balls
Oceanside berries
Zongzi. First of many.
Stewed pork with preserved mustard greens. Soft and silky. 梅香颿庥飯
Low clouds
Typhoon clean-up
Post-typhoon sunburn
Donghe bridge
The Little White House
Foraging and barking deer handles
Abai (阿拜) - Taiwanese millet dumplings. An indigenous staple. Edible apple-of-peru leaves wrapped around soaked millet and chunks of pork. Steamed for hours until soft and sticky. Encased in shell ginger leaves for structure.
Blood sausage (達魚琚克巾腸), heritage of hunting times at the Taromak (達魯瑪克) tribe in Taitung.
Went back for seconds
Sweet and chewy
Chenggong fish auction drama
Marlin sashimi. THICK. The specialty of 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) thanks to the experienced owner, a third-generation fish trader at Chenggong (成功) harbour.
Sailfish tail, bone-in, in a brown sugar molasses sauce. An unexpected discovery at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) in Chenggong (成功).
鬼頭刀海菜魚丸湯. Fish balls in a clear, delicate broth with seaweed at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin), overlooking the harbour in Chenggong (成功).
Egg rolls with fish floss (魚鬆蛋捲) at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) in Chenggong. Sweet with a hint of savoury. Crisp and crumbly.
Squid laid out in the sun, mid-drying
Old Japanese decour
Back in time
Mountain Longan (山龍眼), dragonfruit flower blossom (火龍果花) and chili sauce.
All into the plate. Dragonfruit blossoms with clams. The blossoms wee a first for me. Soft and chewy, reminiscent of asparagus with a flowery aroma. The stems retain their crunch and exude viscous mucilage.
Re-purposing car seats
Lily at her restaurant, Dawana
Whether used ceremonially as an offering together with rice wine or chewed for hours by the elders for their psychoactive effect, betel nuts are a common sight in Taiwan, with family-run stores selling them on the street, often open during typhoons too to cater for their devoted customers. In this instance, the nut was wrapped in the betel leaf, a dainty little green parcel. Gnaw off the top. Spit and buzz.
The aiyu fig (感玉) is native to Taiwan and parts of southeast Asia. The fresh fruit gets dried and the seeds rehydrated to get a refreshing jelly. The seeds are soaked in mineral-rich water and rubbed to release the pectin that sets into a bouncy. yellow jelly. Usually served chilled with syrup and citrus juice.
An open fire, stones that get heated and dropped in soup to warm up stocks and earth ovens to cook roasts and vegetables in layers over multiple hours. Cooking methods linking most Austronesian cultures.
Homemade oven to smoke meats. Wakam, the at of smoking meats, the knowledge of your wood types and timings passed down though generations.
A traditional steamer. One single hole at the bottom for long preparations. Wrapping starches in leaves, filling up bamboo tubes with rice.
Ocean view from Duoliang (多良)
Simple frames.
Siraw (席烙). Salted, raw pork belly. Simple as that. Traditional amis dish for events. important guests and celebrations. Sharp saltiness with a sweet edge.
Broken mirrors in the mountains
Just a lil' gig, getting ready for Taitung's Slow Food Festival in October 2023. Careful selection of local producers, chefs and restauranteurs working with local ingredients to highlight the best Taitung has to offer.
Pork and roselle meatball by Grace Kitchen @gracekitchentw for Taitung Slow Food Festival in October 2023.
Pigeon pea mooncakes (樹豆椪) by 柴源製菓 (@chaiyuan_bakery) for Taitung Slow Food Festival in October 2023.
Cocoa in Taiwan. Great nibs.
The millet at the bunun-owned 蓋亞那工作坊(Kaiana workshop) is cooked with chicken fat, turning it into a sticky porridge with a deep umami flavour. Reminiscent of the Italian corn polenta in alpine valleys, it was a great ice-breaker when discussing where I was from.
Qavay, paiwan millet dumplings made with fermented millet. Similar to abai (阿拜).. The paiwan tribe soaks their millet and lets it ferment for a day or two before pounding into a smooth. sticky dough that's then filled and wrapped in apple-of-peru leaves for aroma and shell ginger leaves for structure.
Dry the longans on the car, won't you?
Tragic scene
We love a frame.
Nighttime fishing by the ocean.
Dinner by the ocean. Traditional Amish recipes after the typhoon.
A beautifully rough blade and pork sprinkles on rice balls (Siraw - 席烙).
Behind the scenes. Amateurs taking pictures of photographers.
Lobster tails went directly from the soup to the grate to get grilled over a fierce fire.
Duality of Taitung Life. Dinner started with the sun, ended with umbrellas being left behind, little help against the brisk gusts.
Little "candies" made of fish. Surprisingly mild, a pleasant interlude but definitely not a great substitute for a mint.
No. I always try everything I came across while on the road, but I draw the line at asparagus juice. Ubiquitous in 7 elevens in Taiwan, I've never seen anyone buy it, but it apparently has an aging core of enthusiasts, supposedly more into its health benefits than the bland, boiled asparagus water taste.
Rusty cars and pet chickens
Water-vending machines dot the streets giving Taitung a certain Route 66 charm. Very easy to miss and overlooked by the locals.
The old sugar refinery in Dulan has been redeveloped and it turned into a hub for local artists to showcase their paintings or sell their creations.
Aiyu jelly is eaten cold, with syrup and lemon. Getting to the final product requires massaging the seeds in mineral-rich water until the pectin is released and letting it set into a jiggly gel. When professional-looking cheesecloths aren't available as vessels for the seeds, anything works. Even stockings straight out of a package.
And no one told me that wood-ear mushroom nectar is appreciated for the health benefits rather than its taste and texture. I took my time and sipped it like one would do with a gloopy glass of whiskey with suspicious-looking speckles in it - turns out most people chug it and are done with it within seconds. I understand why.
And then the end. Pit stop in Tainan on the way up to Taipei.
Tainan's known for its incredibly solid food scene. This stir fried mutton at Lao Tseng Mutton (老曾羊肉) was surprisingly delicate - tender, savoury enough to season the greens and to infuse the rice with umami flavour. A very efficient dinner touch-and-go. I see why it got a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand.
There's so much of my experience in Taitung in Clarissa Wei's Made in Taiwan. Knowing I ate my way through all the dishes mentioned in the book in less than 2 months spent in Taitung, seeing Aeles (Lily) in it and recognising myself in the struggle to figure out the labels for starches in stores. And meeting Wei and Ryan, the couple behind the food photography and food styling for the whole book during my last week in Taiwan by pure chance. I’m glad I’ll have the book going forward. It’ll be a bit like my Taiwanese diary.
Taitung Blogs.
Taitung Travel Stories.
Old Taitung Station. Located in central Taitung, it's now a centre for art installations and local products.
Taitung Forest Park. Beaches in Taiwan are eerily deserted.
The Heat
Heat + More Heat. Roasting pork over coals in Taitung forest park.
Crackers in the Park. Park in the Crackers.
Sun Goes Down
Stalls Come Out
Chicken Ass. What else? Favourite stall at the night market.
Scallions rolled in slices of lean marinated pork, then grilled. A night market staple in Taiwan.
Japanese Heritage
Green Mango
Red Mango
Crack.
'Round the Corner
A thin, crispy crust wrapped around a hefty amount of minced pork and chives. 豬肉餡餅
燒肉蛋餅, Dan Bing, the Taiwanese breakfast crêpe.
Shave ice with roselle (hibiscus) syrup and tangyuan, glutinous rice balls
Oceanside berries
Zongzi. First of many.
Stewed pork with preserved mustard greens. Soft and silky. 梅香颿庥飯
Low clouds
Typhoon clean-up
Post-typhoon sunburn
Donghe bridge
The Little White House
Foraging and barking deer handles
Abai (阿拜) - Taiwaneese millet dumplings. An indigenous staple. Edible apple-of-peru leaves wrapped around soaked millet and chunks of pork. Steamed for hours until soft and sticky. Encased in shell ginger leaves for structure.
Blood sausage (達魚琚克巾腸), heritage of hunting times at the Taromak (達魯瑪克) tribe in Taitung.
Went back for seconds
Sweet and chewy
Chenggong fish auction drama
Marlin sashimi. THICK. The specialty of 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) thanks to the experienced owner, a third-generation fish trader at Chenggong (成功) harbour.
Sailfish tail, bone-in, in a brown sugar molasses sauce. An unexpected discovery at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) in Chenggong (成功).
鬼頭刀海菜魚丸湯. Fish balls in a clear, delicate broth with seaweed at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin), overlooking the harbour in Chenggong (成功).
Egg rolls with fish floss (魚鬆蛋捲) at 旗遇海味 (Meet Marlin) in Chenggong. Sweet with a hint of savoury. Crisp and crumbly.
Squid laid out in the sun, mid-drying
Old Japanese decour
Back in time
Mountain Longan (山龍眼), dragonfruit flower blossom (火龍果花) and chili sauce.
All into the plate. Dragonfruit blossoms with clams. The blossoms wee a first for me. Soft and chewy, reminiscent of asparagus with a flowery aroma. The stems retain their crunch and exude viscous mucilage.
Re-purposing car seats
Lily at her restaurant, Dawana
Whether used ceremonially as an offering together with rice wine or chewed for hours by the elders for their psychoactive effect, betel nuts are a common sight in Taiwan, with family-run stores selling them on the street, often open during typhoons too to cater for their devoted customers. In this instance, the nut was wrapped in the betel leaf, a dainty little green parcel. Gnaw off the top. Spit and buzz.
The aiyu fig (感玉) is native to Taiwan and parts of southeast Asia. The fresh fruit gets dried and the seeds rehydrated to get a refreshing jelly. The seeds are soaked in mineral-rich water and rubbed to release the pectin that sets into a bouncy. yellow jelly. Usually served chilled with syrup and citrus juice.
An open fire, stones that get heated and dropped in soup to warm up stocks and earth ovens to cook roasts and vegetables in layers over multiple hours. Cooking methods linking most Austronesian cultures.
Homemade oven to smoke meats. Wakam, the at of smoking meats, the knowledge of your wood types and timings passed down though generations.
A traditional steamer. One single hole at the bottom for long preparations. Wrapping starches in leaves, filling up bamboo tubes with rice.
Ocean view from Duoliang (多良)
Simple frames.
Siraw (席烙). Salted, raw pork belly. Simple as that. Traditional amis dish for events. important guests and celebrations. Sharp saltiness with a sweet edge.
Broken mirrors in the mountains
Just a lil' gig, getting ready for Taitung's Slow Food Festival in October 2023. Careful selection of local producers, chefs and restauranteurs working with local ingredients to highlight the best Taitung has to offer.
Pork and roselle meatball by Grace Kitchen @gracekitchentw for Taitung Slow Food Festival in October 2023
Pigeon pea mooncakes (樹豆椪) by 柴源製菓 (@chaiyuan_bakery) for Taitung Slow Food Festival in October 2023
Cocoa in Taiwan. Great nibs.
The millet at the bunun-owned 蓋亞那工作坊(Kaiana workshop) is cooked with chicken fat, turning it into a sticky porridge with a deep umami flavour. Reminiscent of the Italian corn polenta in alpine valleys, it was a great ice-breaker when discussing where I was from.
Qavay, paiwan millet dumplings made with fermented millet. Similar to abai (阿拜).. The paiwan tribe soaks their millet and lets it ferment for a day or two before pounding into a smooth. sticky dough that's then filled and wrapped in apple-of-peru leaves for aroma and shell ginger leaves for structure.
Dry the longans on the car, won't you?
Tragic scene
We love a frame.
Nighttime fishing by the ocean.
Dinner by the ocean. Traditional Amish recipes after the typhoon.
A beautifully rough blade and pork sprinkles on rice balls (Siraw - 席烙).
Behind the scenes. Amateurs taking pictures of photographers.
Lobster tails went directly from the soup to the grate to get grilled over a fierce fire.
Duality of Taitung Life. Dinner started with the sun, ended with umbrellas being left behind, little help against the brisk gusts.
Little "candies" made of fish. Surprisingly mild, a pleasant interlude but definitely not a great substitute for a mint.
No. I always try everything I came across while on the road, but I draw the line at asparagus juice. Ubiquitous in 7 elevens in Taiwan, I've never seen anyone buy it, but it apparently has an aging core of enthusiasts, supposedly more into its health benefits than the bland, boiled asparagus water taste.
Familiar brands from the Nordics. Unexpected supermarket finds.
Rusty cars and pet chickens
Water-vending machines dot the streets giving Taitung a certain Route 66 charm. Very easy to miss and overlooked by the locals.
The old sugar refinery in Dulan has been redeveloped and it turned into a hub for local artists to showcase their paintings or sell their creations.
Aiyu jelly is eaten cold, with syrup and lemon. Getting to the final product requires massaging the seeds in mineral-rich water until the pectin is released and letting it set into a jiggly gel. When professional-looking cheesecloths aren't available as vessels for the seeds, anything works. Even stockings straight out of a package.
And no one told me that wood-ear mushroom nectar is appreciated for the health benefits rather than its taste and texture. I took my time and sipped it like one would do with a gloopy glass of whiskey with suspicious-looking speckles in it - turns out most people chug it and are done with it within seconds. I understand why.
And then the end. Pit stop in Tainan on the way up to Taipei.
Tainan's known for its incredibly solid food scene. This stir fried mutton at Lao Tseng Mutton (老曾羊肉) was surprisingly delicate - tender, savoury enough to season the greens and to infuse the rice with umami flavour. A very efficient dinner touch-and-go. I see why it got a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand.
There's so much of my experience in Taitung in Clarissa Wei's Made in Taiwan. Knowing I ate my way through all the dishes mentioned in the book in less than 2 months spent in Taitung, seeing Aeles (Lily) in it and recognising myself in the struggle to figure out the labels for starches in stores. And meeting Wei and Ryan, the couple behind the food photography and food styling for the whole book during my last week in Taiwan by pure chance. I’m glad I’ll have the book going forward. It’ll be a bit like my Taiwanese diary.
Exploring Taitung has never been easier. Discover the rich traditions of the region, its history and the gastronomic events to showcase local products. Build your itinerary and choose to travel slow to appreciate all that Taitung has to offer.