Sometimes, the vendors are cooking the food right in front of you. Those stalls always smell the best! My favorite bao stall cooks the buns at the street market so they are super fresh when you buy one. Sweet Potato Balls are also cooked in front of you. The vendors make big batches in a giant round pot of very hot oil. For the Peanut Roll Ice Creams, the vendors have big tubs of ice cream and a large block of peanut brittle that they bring to the market in a cart. Then when you order one, they build the roll while you watch! First, they lay the pancake flat and then they shave the peanut brittle and spread it over top. Then they add cilantro if you want it and two scoops of ice cream. Last, they roll up the little burrito, put it in a bag, and give it to you to enjoy!
The food in Taiwan is very much rooted in tradition. Many of these traditions are based on what has been available to them. For example, tea is very popular in Taiwanese culture and that is because they can grow amazing tea in the climate of Taiwan. They also eat a lot of very different vegetables than I was used to in the United States because their climate is different.
One thing that is far more popular in Taiwan than it is in the USA is rice. Rice is very often grown in Taiwan and other countries in this part of the world because it is humid and wet.
In Taiwan, we eat very different vegetables than I am used to normally eating in the United States. I love vegetables so I enjoy getting to try new ones! A few common vegetables here are bok choy, cabbage, and water spinach.
