July has been a busy month for me... especially at work. This is the kind of month where I wish I can get some home cooking by Mama Chang, my mother.
Few weeks ago my mom cooked up a storm for my little brother Sean's return from college. Well, as the big brother and being a part of the family... Beth and I are of course invited to this fancy feast!
When we showed up Mama Chang was in the process of cooking her signature sticky rice... and it was delicious!
She also surprised us with my favorite, Drunken Chicken (cooked with a lot of rice wine, trust me)
We've got veggies, fish balls, tofu noodles, tofu and seaweed, fish, etc.
My dad prepared the beverages for us, including Taiwanese root beer and grass jelly.
NO! we don't eat dogs! Her name is Mickey and I love her.
Lin Family - Aunt Heidi and Uncle Lin gave us shelter throughout the whole trip! And food of course! Most of the time, Uncle Lin whips up his signature hot pot. I know we've had many different hot pots during our visit in Taiwan, but this one you can taste "love". We love our hot pot dinner with some "fried foods" and Taiwan beer while uncle sips on his "Johnny Walker"... Good times!
Taiwanese loves fried food... My wife is from Kentucky and she said, "Taiwanese must've been frying food long before Colonel Sanders!" Well, why? I think it's the Taiwanese popcorn chicken... maybe its the fried sweet potatoes!
To make a really good spicy hot pot soup base... you need pork intestines and duck blood!
More photos in this slideshow!
Yeh Family - Aunt Anita and Uncle Yeh love me! what can I say... I am a lovable person! Well, they knew that Beth and I are in town... so they invited us over for a home cooked lunch! Uncle Yeh is a great cook, he can cook seafood like no other. We ate so much we could barely walk...
The family of crabs :)
I can go for one of these now... mmmm sooo good! Uncle Yeh's seafood porridge has shrimp, crab meat, oysters, fish, and clams
More photos from Yeh Family in the slideshow below
Madwu, my second cousin, owns a vegetarian restaurant called 水雲居 "Floating Cloud Castle" located in 草屯 (Caotun) 南投縣南投市中興新村向上路249號. If you think vegetarian food is blend and boring... you are WRONG! Haven't you read my post on vegetarian sashimi? Here at 水雲居 you will only be served with organic ingredients and all are made fresh in the kitchen! Every time a dish is presented to our table, we couldn't help but gasp! Wow, this looks amazing!
House salad with mixed berry dressing
Deep fried oyster mushroom will make you forget that they don't serve chicken
Yes this is the best cheese dish we've had Taiwan! Baked vegetable pasta.
So far so good right? Well, guess what, Madwu is also currently involved in the coffee bean import/export business... He roasts his own beans and brews his own coffee in his restaurant! Next time when we visit his family again, we will definitely stay longer! hah besides he's got a deep passion in photography! I am so glad to reunite with him during this trip :)
Lotus leaf rice. I have to feature this... This is one of the best sticky rice dishes in Taiwan
A little note to Madwu: Thank you so much for your hospitality! When your family decided to visit Los Angeles, We will make sure you have the best time ever!!! Thanks Again!
