Dig in! Old Taichung: A Historical Novelist's Culinary Street Exploration

「History has flavor, food is unforgettable!」
Winner of the 45th Golden Tripod Awards, the most anticipated young and middle-aged Chinese novelist
A culinary journey through Taichung for every gourmand
Delving into the origins of twenty street snacks,
Leaving a taste imprint of this era on your palate.
An emerging city artificially planned during the Japanese colonial period, Taichung brought together immigrants from various regions. Its food culture became a blend of north and south, making Taichung residents more receptive to new things. This forged the city's resources and daring creativity, leading to the development of snacks that combine traditional food with modern civilization:
║ A-dou-bo Frozen Taro: The satisfying bite of frozen taro, a crystallization of cold storage and chilling techniques from half a century ago
║ Song Ge La Zai Mian: Urban magnetism and alleyway improvements created the authentic Taichung "fried" noodles
║ Guo Bing: A dazzling array of Taiwanese shaved ice, embodying the Taiwanese spirit of innovation and inclusiveness
║ Hezuo Street Big Noodles Soup: A local snack that emerged after the war, containing the wisdom of ordinary people's lives
║ Taikong Black Tea Ice: A fashionable naming convention reflecting people's yearning for the moon landing era
║ Li Hai Braised Pork Rice: Eating a steaming bowl of minced pork rice, experiencing the classic northern and southern fusion cuisine with your mouth
║ Chen Family Milk King: Using margarine and a large amount of sugar to capture the spirit of the era within the food culture
║ Arirang Mini Hot Pot: The unique feature of stone hot pot is the "xiang fang" that grafts Korean stone pot utensils with Taiwanese ingredients and techniques
A century of culinary excellence, constructing the contemporary Taichung's gastronomic universe;
On the journey of discovery, quietly savoring the subtle historical interest within.
This book aims to "read food, eat history." Centered around Taichung Train Station, extending as far east as Hanxi and as far west as Mayuantou Creek, spanning roughly equal distances north and south, it lists authentic old shops and snack delicacies with historical traces that have been passed down through generations. As a food lover deeply researching Taichung's history, a.k.a. an eater dedicated to exploring street food, the author meticulously uncovers the sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty flavors that intertwine in old Taichung's century-old culinary tapestry.
Here, we sincerely invite every new friend or local to — bring this little book and eat their way through the streets of Taichung!
Features of this book
˙Aims to "read food, eat history," re-savoring the snacks of old Taichung's downtown area.
˙Traces the food culture of old Taichung within the historical context since the Japanese colonial period.
˙Twenty exquisite Japanese-style hand-drawn snack illustrations.
˙Includes a map of downtown Taichung's snacks, so you won't get lost while eating and drinking in Taichung.
Heartfelt Recommendations
Mao Qi | Writer
Fan Qiao-xin | Author of "Taiwanese Flavors in Alleys"
Glück | Founder of Taichung Cultural History Revival Association
Chen Zhi-hao | Owner of Moqi Coffee
Cai Cheng-yun | Co-founder of Houyi Bookstore
Guzi | Cartoonist
Liu Ke-xiang | Writer
──Let's eat! (Listed by stroke count of surnames)
Critical Acclaim
A rare food book where I've eaten almost everything. ──Food writer Mao Qi
This book is not a travel guide, but rather takes you to experience the authentic life of an old Taichung local.
A large scoop of Dongquan hot sauce, a big mouthful of Da Mian Geng; a sip of Chen Family Milk King, a taste of Banshen Nagasaki Cake.
The straightforward and generous, yet refined and easygoing nature of Taichung people – under Shuangzi's brush, I had a wonderful taste of old Taichung. The words are delicious and indescribable, truly making me understand what "deep love for reading" means. ──Fan Qiao-xin, Author of "Taiwanese Flavors in Alleys"
This list is quite old-school.
Having lived in this land for fifty years, excluding two years of military service, it's not an exaggeration to say I'm an old Taichung local.
What's interesting is that the street food selected by the young Shuangzi to write about has almost no generational gap with me, an old Taichung local. I think besides the tacit understanding between old souls, it's also the history unearthed through flavors that resonates so well, isn't it?
What you eat is not just the local culture, but also the stories.
Next time someone asks me, "Boss, what local delicacies do you recommend?" I think I can just pull out this book. ──Chen Zhi-hao, Owner of Moqi Coffee
What food inherits are the traces left by different groups living here. The situations and rituals are gone, but we retain habits, and Taichung's food is the best proof of this. ──Glück, Founder of Taichung Cultural History Revival Association
Small shops are the entry points to a city, the heart of everyday life, and the kind of streetscape we hope to see. In cities where large-scale and chain-operated catering brands are prevalent, there is a real need for reasons to make us eager to visit small shops, and this is also the beginning of small shops becoming old shops. ──Cai Cheng-yun, Co-founder of Houyi Bookstore

出版日期/Publication Date：December 7, 2021
出版社/Publisher：玉山社
出品方/Imprint:
页数/Page: 192