A family feast -Taiwan style!

 

Farm to Table.

There is nothing quite like a family feast! Especially after 2+ years of lockdown. My Dad's little brother, Taka, and his wife Huixun,  pulled out all the stops and took us to Zhang Jia Chicken Farm and Kitchenette, just on the outskirts of Taoyuan. 

Inside this humble exterior is unmatched wonderful cooking, old school Taiwan style.

This might be a family chicken farm converted to a restaurant, but there were Lexuses and Mercedes parked outside. The word is clearly out on this place...

And what a table!

Broiled chicken with soy, sesame, chile, and garlic dipping sauce. 

Crispy chicken rolls, these are good in the dipping sauce too.

No Taiwanese meal is complete without an array of vegetables, like this cabbage and a seasonal squash dish. They were swimming in a light, savory sauce.

This soup had beef bits, sweet red dates, and thick chunks of shan yao (山藥), a variety of sweet potato that grows wild in the mountains of Asia. This unassuming root is beloved in soups for its delicate sweetness and melt in your mouth texture. The Japanese shan yao, which grows wild, is considered best.

The crowning glory of the meal: a large rock cod or grouper, called shi ban yu (石斑魚). This amazing fish is steamed with garlic, ginger, and topped with fresh crunchy scallions. It is a great favorite of Chinese and Taiwanese everywhere!

Auntie Huixun, Uncle Taka, Dad, and Clint, vibin' Asia eats! 

Full - and grateful.

In bygone times people would greet each other with "chi fan le ma?" (你吃飯了嗎)? Have you eaten? When people have known real hunger, as my Dad's generation has, a gathering like this is truly special!