Taiwanese Ice Cream Truck

In the States when your parents (or grandparents) reminisce about their childhood they'll might tell you about things like running after the ice cream truck as it rounds the corner, its melodic ice cream song heralding the arrival of summertime bliss.

In Taiwan your parents might tell you a similar story about running after the agarose guy as the mechanical 'clack-clack-clack' of his agarose stand announces his presence well before his push-cart is anywhere to be seen.

Actually, this guy had his hooked up to a bicycle -- PROGRESS! Taiwan has it.

We came across this stand right outside an MRT station in Banciao (I can't remember which one...but it's right next to a highway...) and my mom was overcome with joyous waves of nostalgia. Of course we had to get some.

The metal bowls are filled with a slightly firm brown-sugar agar agar jelly.  These guys also tend to sell mochi (the white disks) topped with peanut powder.  Try to get it without sugar if you can manage -- these were very sweet!

The clack-clack-clack is made by this device, whose sole purpose is to let everyone within earshot know that agar treats are only a few steps away.

The wheel at back has two sticking-out-bits at different intervals.  The two steel rods at left have that metal disc in the middle that the sticking-out-bits can catch on.  When rotated the result is a rhythmic clacking as the sticks are raised and dropped on the metal stand below.

This vendor put figurines on top of the two clacking sticks, which are usually just bare steel.

Hello Kitty and Mimi endorse this vendor's delicious agar treats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've also spotted a stand on Xinsheng S. Rd. & Renai Rd. in Daan district, but only in summer :)

New Year Happy Time :D

No work 'til Friday!

Tai convinced me not to go in during the break, even though I could get SO MUCH WORK DONE WITH NOBODY THERE O___O But I guess it's good to spend some time at home with family ...and clean (although you're supposed to do all that before the new year, 'cause it'll 'sweep out the good luck' if you do it after. But you're always super-busy gettin everything done beforehand so that you can go on vacation for a week, so it really doesn't make much sense. I compromised and didn't start cleaning 'til today.)

In any case, check out this cute notebook Tai picked up for me!

I love the Engrish!

Visiting Family, Food, and Banciao Night Market

Last Sunday (the 4th) we went straight over to my mom's after the hotel gig. She made a SUPER GOURMET 5-COURSE LUNCH (8 or 9 courses if you count the rice and 3 kinds of fried seafood).

<sup>This is my favourite dish -- mushrooms with egg and basil.

Apparently it can also be made with salted egg for EVEN MORE DELICIOUSNESS</sup>

Fabric District

So I didn't actually get any pictures of fabric, but this bowl of soup we got was across the street from an enormous indoor fabric market. <- link to the approximate location :)

There was a guy selling maltose pops and sandwich crackers in front of the indoor fabric market. Tai got a kitty-cat pop and Gracie got a set of 3 sandwich crackers (not shown) in different flavours: peanut, milk, and seaweed. They were all very tasty!

Baking Supply Depot

大家發
食品原料DIY
板橋區三民路一段～99號

Da Jia Fa
Foodstuffs Raw Materials DIY
220 Taiwan New Taipei City Banciao District Section 1, SānMín Road ~No. 99

#99 is actually the FedEx next door; I forgot the number for the actual store itself ^^;

Googlemaps

This place has both professional and domestic cooking and baking supplies.

There are culinary classes upstairs. Also, a bowling alley.

It's across from a FamilyMart