I realize I’m dating myself right here and now: I was a member of Goucher’s last all-women’s class. If I could have, I would have preferred to have attended an all-women’s law school. Talk about culture shock! No offense guys, but you probably have noticed that when women are alone or nearly so, they have different priorities, ways of appearing and ways of acting. When I was first getting settled in Baltimore, there were so many restaurants and stores that were woman-exclusive or woman-friendly. They seemed to have all been victims of either the economy, “the man” or their own success: they changed their focus so as to appeal to everyone and no one.
Pleasant and comforting memories came flooding back to me this week at Taichung, Taiwan’s Shoal Enrichment Path. It’s a bookstore-cafe’ that was started by two women journalism students as a way to be more involved in the community. That’s a vertical involvement: not only do they seek to provide a great place for women (both students and moms) to hang out, but also, they’re closely connected to local farmers. I was very happy to be hosted to experience it!
The tables are low, plexiglass creations with dollhouses and tchotkes embedded in them. So cute! I started out with a selection of fresh juices. The restaurant wants to be as natural as possible and flavorful in an artificial (read: soda pop) world. I tried local sweet pineapple juice, a 4-year in-house pickled plum juice with basil and Kompot Ottoman Cassata apple juice with cinnamon. It’s a traditional drink from Turkey (oh, yes, remember the Ottoman Empire?), a recipe the chef learned while working in a Western hotel. It tastes like apple pie juice!
Next, I tried a champion award-winning fresh rice with chicken and a hint of ginger. Now, like everyone these days except for marathon runners, I’m keeping a wary eye these days on carbs. I’m telling you, I would throw it all to the wind today if I could eat this rice at all meals! The rice is tender, not gluey. It’s the best! So sadly, this marvelous natural creation is in danger of disappearing altogether: the place where the micro-climate allows it to grow is threatened to be taken by the government through eminent domain for a government facility. Shoal Enrichment Path is hoping that by displaying the deliciousness of the rice and creating high demand for it, the land grab will cease.
They serve the highest quality shrimp, very fresh. The restaurant encourages you to eat it plain first, then try it with a special black vinegar sauce.
Also on the menu is an artisan breaded tofu with roasted shrimp eggs, soy and pork. It’s like a frittata. The artisan qualities come from the many steps and time involved in preparing the tofu, breading it and seasoning it. It’s an old-timey comfort dish.
I also tried a vegetable I never had: “Dragon beard”/”trumpet vine”/seasonal morning glory and stems, with ginger. It’s like a crisp, tasty broccoli rabe. If you like broccoli rabe, you’d definitely like this.
The next dish was duck that had been salted for 4 days. It was the owner’s mom’s recipe, made during a season when a certain local flower was in bloom: it makes for fattier, sweeter duck. It’s a cold dish, with roasted salt on the duck. It’s steamed, then frozen for a firmer texture.
The next dish was chicken cooked on low heat, using only chopsticks to stir it. It came from an ancient Confucius family recipe, with the adage that the chicken must be fragrant before you eat it.
The dessert was a cake made with cane sugar, combining French chiffon making techniques with Taiwanese ingredients. It was light and spongy, delicate. It’s not as sweet as American cakes. It was flavored with maltose and flowers.
Luxe & Down-Home Cuisine/Culture/Travel/Style 