By Tiffany Tu

When I think of Taiwan, the first thought that pops into my mind is how delicious the food is. As I eat the lightly steamed zhong zhi, the rice is soft and fragrant, just the way I like it. This is just one of the types of food in Taiwan that I love. Some of my other favorite foods are ro yuan, dumplings, dim sum, kao ya, pig feet and many others.

Besides the main course meals, I also love the fruits that are grown in Taiwan. My personal favorite is dragon fruit, which is red on the outside but white in the inside, with little black seeds. The star fruit is another fruit that has a distinct taste and appearance: its color is yellowish-green, with five "hands" that extend like the arms of a star, and the slices fall apart into star-shaped pieces when you cut it down the middle. Other fruits include pomello, lychee, guava, len yu, and many more.

In addition to fruit, I also love desserts. One of my favorites is boba drinks; there are many different flavors of boba drinks, including almond tea, taro, strawberry, black tea, and nearly anything else you can think of. My favorite type of boba drink is almond tea. Other desserts include almond pudding, ai yu, xian tsao, yen wo, tapioca, mango pudding and many others. This is one of the many reasons why I love Taiwan.

Many Asian families who have come to the United States also love and miss these tastes of Taiwan. Sometimes they long for ro yuan and pig feet for dinner, a few fresh lychees as dessert, and perhaps a bowl of shaved ice afterward filled with fruit, taro, red beans, ai yu jelly, or any other combination of toppings. Sometimes a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger just doesn’t cut it—they want something familiar and traditional. Over the years, Asian people who are hungry for the food of their homeland open Chinese grocery stores, restaurants, snack shops, bakeries, and boba stands to satisfy their craving for Chinese food. The rest of the Chinese population flocks happily to these Asian eat spots for a Taiwanese-style roast duck, a plate of dumplings, or a bowl of noodles—it really doesn’t matter what they have, because the important thing is the comfort and ethnicity in these dishes. It is a lasting and delicious way of preserving Chinese culture here in the United States, and their children have a chance to eat the foods that graced their tables when they were growing up. The taste of Taiwan has been transplanted in the United States and provides a definite, enduring link with the homeland.

Taiwan is too far away to visit for every meal, but when I want some Taiwanese food, I know that the next closest place to go is a Chinese grocery store, like 99 Ranch Market, or a Chinese market plaza, with restaurants and snack stands at every corner. By enjoying the food that I love, I will always be reminded of my roots and keep in touch with the Chinese culture.