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 :)

Moon Day Barbeque - The New Chinese Tradition

When we arrived in Taiwan during 中元節 (Ghost Month) I was delighted to find that all sorts of barbeque and grilling implements were on sale, especially since Tai was quite keen on getting one for the apartment. We picked up a nice charcoal grill with a cover for NT$168 (~US$5.68) and were quite satisfied. Later (after the jet-lag haze wore off), I figured out the sales were in preparation for Moon Day (中秋節 more commonly known at Mid-Autumn Festival in English; I call it Moon Day 'cause it sounds more festive ：D And once, when I was throwing a party, it occurred on a Monday, and was a convenient mnemonic for the attendees.)

This janky grill, made up of a metal grate suspended by broken bricks over two cinder blocks atop which the charcoal was placed, was set up at the Moon Day party I went to the day before Moon Day :) We were the only people who owned a grill, and with 20-odd people we needed more grilling power.