Across the Wider Pond: Adventures in Taiwanese Food

There's a humorous old missionary saying: "Where you lead me I will follow... what you feed me I will swallow." Even as a young child I enjoyed hearing the comical stories missionaries would share of the very unusual things they had been forced to eat and pretend to enjoy.

Fast forward a few years, and I am now on the mission field myself, encountering all the interesting food Taiwan has to offer. And... it's pretty amazing. No roasted tarantulas, fermented horse milk, or rotten fish here, but I've had pig spinal cord, bird's nest soup, and stinky tofu, and enjoyed it all. Either God has graciously changed my taste buds or I was born with a Chinese stomach, but I've encountered very few things I honestly don't like here, and lots of food I really enjoy. Much ministry and relationship-building here happens over a good meal and afterwards, much like what we read in the New Testament.

First, some words about the food situation in Taiwan:

1. It's Cheap - American dine-in chain restaurants here (T.G.I Friday's is fairly popular, for example) are typically about the same price they'd be in America, just translated over into Taiwan dollars. That makes them comparatively pricey, so I basically only eat at that kind of restaurant when specifically invited to eat there by friends, which happens maybe once a month.
But for local food, although there's been significant inflation in recent years, it's still roughly half to two-thirds the price you'd pay for a similar portion and "level" of food in the States (where there's also been inflation). So for $5 you can eat an enjoyable meal, and if you just want to get full you can do it for $3.

This is nice because I'm aware that I'm currently living on the support of other believers, and I believe that a lot of responsibility goes along with that in how I spend money, including where I eat. Happily, I also get treated to meals a lot. (-A Taiwanese courtesy to guests, which it's also polite to attempt to avoid if it happens too much, although people are sneaky and will say they're going to use the bathroom or take a phone call and pay while they're gone. I'm getting better at treating people myself occasionally, or getting around them paying for me one way or another.)

2. It's Healthy(er) - Although you can easily find sugary, salty, processed snacks if you want, for a random meal in Taiwan you probably can tell what everything was before it was cooked; processed foods make up a much smaller part of the diet. There is less sugar in baked desserts, vegetables are actually tasty and not an obligation, lots of fresh fruit and fruit juice available, and generally the calorie density is much lower than in American food, which means many people can eat the same amount of food they'd normally eat, and still lose weight, especially if you go heavy on the meat and vegetables and light on the rice.

3. It's Delicious - Taiwan culture is, among other things, a food culture. This means that the preparation, consumption, and enjoyment of food is a significant consideration in daily life. (Some people may perceive this as gluttony. Certainly gluttony exists here, as anywhere, but I think one needs to understand what gluttony looks like within a specific cultural context rather than making assumptions based on your own cultural habits.) Because of this food culture, food is held to a higher standard in general, with a dizzying variety of options and flavors and combinations. Traditionally, presentation, fragrance, and taste are all necessary in a well-prepared Chinese dish.

And now, here's a very random selection of food I've been enjoying for the past two months. (Over half my meals are eaten with my coworker's family, as I'm spending the first few months here in an add-on rooftop apartment they own right above their apartment)
So, in no particular order:

At my coworker's place, Chinese curry and sides

At the 101 Building Food Court. Hainan Chicken & Rice (A personal favorite)

Christmas Day - Treated to a nice dinner by a friend's father, a new believer.
Papaya spears topped with sort of a French seafood bisque. This would be an example of Taiwan "fusion food"

Coffee deserves a mention in here somewhere. Although not originally a "coffee culture,"
Taiwan is now full of interesting cafes. This is at my friend's cafe near Keelung.

Sababa's. Really good Israeli/Mediterranean food, but it's gotten more expensive
since I last lived in Taipei, so I won't be going there often now.

One of our VBS lunches. Should have opened the containers for this pic, it's fried dumplings and fish ball soup.

A very simple vegetable lunch on Chinese New Year's Eve, because...

...this was coming later. Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, a really great meal
cooked by my coworker's wife, daughter, and some friends.

More obligatory Chinese New Year's feasting with my coworker's family. That's 'Peking' (Beijing) Duck on the left.

Squid on a stick! So good...

Streetside Soup Dumplings (Xiao long bao), with ginger garnish.

A winter evening's snack - peanuts and oranges. Taiwanese in-home meals are often followed by fruit and snacks.

Black-boned Chicken. As you can see, pretty much the whole chicken is black.
Tastes pretty much like normal chicken, but it's thought to be extra-healthy
and served in a Chinese traditional medicine broth.