168. Taiwan Day 3: Traditional British Food at Amy's Brit Shake / Amy姐的英國奶奶 (New Taipei: Tamsui / 新北市: 淡水區)

My family and I watch a television program called WTO Sisterhoods (WTO 姐妹會), a very entertaining talk show that features expats and spouses of Taiwanese nationals that share, very candidly at time, their experiences living in Taiwan as recent immigrants.  The guests range from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, from nearby Asian neighbors to a surprising number of Latin American and African countries.  One of the guests on the show is Amy Rattigan, a British national who fell in love with a Taiwanese man while on a backpacking trip in China and eventually moved to Taiwan after their marriage.  Because she missed the food from home, Amy opened Brit Shake (英國奶奶) with her husband where she happily serves traditional British fare and milkshakes.

We ordered the obligatory fish 'n chips made with a Boddingtons beer batter and served with mushy green peas and tartar sauce.  The batter on the fish was so crisp, and the fish itself was ridiculously tender.  After squeezing the wedge of lime over the golden brown exterior actually made my mouth water.  The chips were served golden brown as well, but importantly, they were seasoned well and served piping hot.  Steam escaped out of the soft, fluffy potato when I broke it in two.  The portion sizes are made for the local Taiwanese, which is a bit disappointing for my American born appetite.  I wished there was more.

Fortunately, my aunt and I also ordered the cottage pie.  It also arrives in a portion size that I am not quite used to, but what the cottage pie lacks in quantity it makes up for in flavor.  I loved the strong cheddar cheese flavor and smell... it isn't something that the locals usually opt for, but that just affirms the authenticity of the ingredients at Brit Shake.  I noticed that the shelled peas really do taste different from the typical frozen green vegetable.  These peas are actually good.  As with the fish 'n chips, I only wished there was more to chow down on.

My aunt and I did not try any of the milkshakes on this occasion, but we saw many high school and college students walking out of the shop with the icy dairy beverage.  Perhaps on my next trip here.  It was so great to meet Amy (she is actually cooking in the back), and I wish her and Brit Shake all the best.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Brit Shake (英國奶奶)
新北市淡水區英專路65-1號
No. 65-1, Yinzhuang Rd., Tamsui District, New Taipei City

ML - 20130702

Post 89: London Olympics Opening Ceremony Royal Potluck

To celebrate the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games, I originally thought it would be fun to celebrate at a local pub and drink gallons of beer.  Somehow my thoughts of sitting on a bar stool and chasing Jameson with New Castle evolved into a British themed potluck with friends at my apartment.  This is the e-mail I sent out to my guests.  In case my poor attempt at Shakespearean English cannot be understood, colloquial English is provided in green.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!  Listen up bitches.

From thine host to thee, the sirs and madams of Camelot, Arcadiashire and the Thames, might I trouble you to save the fifth day of thine work week for the royal potluck in celebration of the Queen's crowning athletes and the knights of the roundtable?  The awesome potluck to celebrate the Olympics will be on Friday.

Please grace us with your knighted presence and thine bountiful British booty at six hours past the time of the highest sun.  The jubilant stroll of our friends and foes begins at seven and two quarter hours past the time of the highest sun... sharp.  Please arrive around 6.  The Parade of Nations starts at 7:30 sharp.  Don't be late.

Details for the festive feasting will be distributed by the Royal Palace via electronic post by the hour of the Royal Prince's return from his laborious work in automotive data analysis with the peasants of Yorkorange County.  I will e-mail more details after I get home from work.

The invited guests have been knighted with the following names: Allison of San Diego Abbey, Catherine of Cerritobridge, Christina of Taipei Castle, Elizabeth of the Royal Family, Erin of the Southern Riverbend, Grace of Arcadiashire, Ken of the San Marino Cathedral, Ronbernie of the Land of Lettuce and Leprechauns, and Stephanie of the local district.  No peasants allowed.  These are the guests.  No assholes allowed.

The Royal Prince of Cambridge  Michael

And these are the dishes that the royal guests brought to the royal potluck.

Tea sandwiches by Erin of the Southern Riverbend,

a variety of finger foods (pinky up) with turkey and bacon, curry chicken, and sun-dried tomato... a dainty way to start off the night.

Sausage rolls by Catherine of Cerritobridge,

baked up plump American style as pigs in a blanket... maybe to show some national pride (USA! USA! USA!) before she weds Mr. Mulholland and becomes a Scottish man's woman?

Cottage pie by Christina of Taipei Castle,
a traditional British dish made of ground beef and minced onions topped with buttery, fluffy, mashed potato.  The lady of Taipei Castle used shallots as well as onions, grated carrots instead of chopped carrots, and zucchini to sub for peas (the lady of the castle hates peas).  And it was all simmered with a cup of Merlot.  'Twas bloody good comfort food.

Bangers and mash by yours truly, the Royal Prince of Cambridge,
using a fusion approach to the traditional English pub grub.  Rather than Cumberland sausage, I subbed in some spicy Italian sausage, and I simmered the onions using not only pinot noir and worcestershire but some soy sauce with a heavy dose of course ground black pepper as well.

English trifle by Allison of San Diego Abbey,
in individual cups with layers of pound cake, strawberries, bananas soaked in orange juice, and custard... homemade whipped cream and fresh blueberries adorned the top.  The clear cups made it easy to see all the colorful layers of trifle.  And it made it even easier to see all the ground beef and cottage pie stashed beneath the custard in my cup.  Christina of the Castle is quite the sneaky one...

Of course Ron of the Land of Lettuce and Leprechauns arrived with a little Olde English (well played, Sir), and Stephanie of the local district doused the potluck with a Jameson tea party.  The Newcastle and Guiness were good choices too.  Ah, and we closed the ceremony with some tea and cookies from Jessica of Arcadiashire.  We've eaten quite a bit of potatoes now, haven't we?

Although this is long overdue, we wish all of the olympic athletes well.  We will be cheering for the home team... USA! USA! USA! Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120727