Taiwan Day 10: Monstrosities of Shaved Ice from Ice Monster / 冰館雪花冰天天甜 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

On a hot and humid summer day in Taiwan, there is nothing better than a big bowl of shaved ice.  Whether it is topped with tropical fruits, mochi, flan, red bean, or ice cream, shaved ice can be made with a plethora of ingredients suited to anyone's taste.  Ice Monster originally made its name by making a massive mound of mango shaved ice for a relatively sky high price in a small, open air corner shop along the very touristy alleyway of Yong Kang Street.  It has since moved over to a much larger space on the bustling Zhongxiao East Road where the seating is much more comfortable and the menu has expanded.  Since its popularity has grown significantly, the wait time has also increased dramatically... but some things are worth waiting for.

The most popular item on the menu is the fresh mango shaved ice (新鮮芒果綿花甜) by far.  The mango itself has been injected into the ice, and chunks of the fresh fruit are packed into the sides of the icy mango mountain.  If that isn't enough mango for you, there is even a big scoop of mango ice cream that has been added to the base of the glowing yellow pyramid.  Honestly, it is way too sweet for me.  I believe that the creamy and buttery Taiwanese mango does not need sugar or syrup to enhance its sweetness.  Just the mango itself and perhaps a drizzle of condensed milk over the ice would have been sufficient for a magnificent shaved ice.  The panna cotta that comes with the shaved ice is the only thing that balances out the sweet snow.

The pearl milk tea shaved snow (珍珠奶茶綿花甜) is surprisingly not as sweet as the mango ice.  It is also a lot more whimsical and fun to eat.  Not only are the layers of frozen milk tea more apparent, the caramel syrup that runs down the side of the fluffy ice creates this glimmer of seduction that beckons your spoon over for a big shovel of the ice.  The tapioca pearls and a side of panna cotta top off the dessert.  I really like the addition of the chewy boba balls especially because of its textural contrast to the cottony soft ice.

Of all of the shaved ice and shaved snow that I've had at Ice Monster over the years, the jasmine tea shaved snow is my absolute favorite.  The jasmine tea is found throughout the ice, and the fragrance of which makes for a truly refreshing dessert.  In the truly hot summer months in the subtropical heat of Taiwan, I always prefer something that is cold but not laden with sugar, syrup or super sweetness.  There is a mini scoop of passion fruit sorbet, citrus jello and kiwi jam off on the side just for others who may need a touch more sugar, but the jasmine tea flavored ice by itself is the perfect choice for me.  Unfortunately, this item is off the menu, but I really hope that it is back in stores by the next summer season.

There are plenty of other desserts offered at the store... from coffee, peanut, pineapple, strawberry and lime shaved ice to dessert soups made with sweet potato, black sesame, and taro.  There is even a beer flavored shaved ice, which I am coming back for in the future.  But until then, keep cool, and get S.O.F.A.T.

Ice Monster
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段297號
No. 297, Zhongxiao East Rd., Section 4, Da An District, Taipei City

ML - 20130709

Taiwan Day 10: Snow King's Unique Ice Cream Flavors / 雪王冰淇淋有非常特別的口味 (Taipei: Jhong Jheng District / 台北市: 中正區)

Just prior to my arrival in Taipei, The Wall Street Journal published an article highlighting eight countries in Asia known for their regional variations on shaved ice and where to try it.  Halo-halo was named for the Philippines, and patbingsu was named for Korea.  Strangely enough the article did not recognize any of the wildly popular local cold treats in Taiwan such as eight treasures or mango shaved ice (刨冰 / Mandarin: bào bing).  Instead, the article shined the spotlight on the modernized, sweetened, and more milky version of shaved snow (雪花冰 / Mandarin: xuě hua bing).  It also featured the ice cream from Snow King (雪王) in Ximen Ding (西門町).  I took the physical article with me straight to the Snow King shop to do some recon.  With unique flavors such as sesame oil chicken, stewed pig's feet, and wasabi on top of the refreshing watermelon and basil flavors, it was easy to see why this place stood out from the rest.  (See the colorful highlights from the WSJ article here.)

The first seemingly bizarre flavor that Grace and I wanted to try was pork floss (肉鬆 / Mandarin: ròu song).  This supposed floss is pork that has been shredded and dried until crunchy.  It is often used as a topping for steamed rice or porridge and usually added to rice rolls or sandwiches for texture contrast.  It almost looks like scruffy facial hair.  Oh, and yes, it was in the ice cream.  If you think it is bizarre, you are right... it is extremely weird to have bits of pork whiskers lodged within the creamy texture of milky ice cream.  It is, however, very edible.  If you can get past thinking about the meat in your dairy dessert, then the texture would be no different than cotton candy.  You may have to chew it, but not for long.  Just like the carnival treat, the rou song quickly melts on your tongue.  It just happens to do so with a savory, pork jerky taste.  This flavor, by the way, is extremely popular among both children and diabetics.

To cleanse our palate of the porky flavor, we chose the top selling watermelon ice cream next.  It is not as creamy as the ice cream you would expect in America.  The texture is lighter, and the dairy is not as evident.  It is almost a cross between Italian gelato and a snow cone.  But it is visibly red with the color of watermelon.  If that weren't enough, little bits of the fruit are apparent with every bite.  This ice cream is not too sweet and easy to consume with big happy spoonfuls on a hot summer day.

The next special flavor that I went for was Taiwan Beer (台啤 / Mandarin: taí pí).  This is not as unusual as the first, especially for Westerners, since Guinness flavored ice cream has been more frequently found in recent times.  After the first bite, you will notice the hint of bitterness that the bubbly brew is known for.  The sweetness is only in the aftertaste when your brain affirms that yes, this tastes like nothing else but Taiwan Beer, the very drinkable national lager.  On a sweltering day in the sub-tropics, it doesn't if your beer comes as a liquid in a can or as ice cream in a cup.  As long as it is served cold, it is a fitting refreshment.  I really liked this one, and I definitely will come back for more.

Thank you very much to Madame Boss (老闆娘 / Mandarin: láo bǎn niáng) who conversed with us in fluent English to help us select from the many flavors offered at the store.  From lychee to peach and pineapple, all the ingredients are locally sourced.  Even the basil, wasabi, and hard liquor used in the ice cream are grown or produced in Taiwan.  The only one that has been imported is the Korean ginseng. 

I did not try the sesame oil chicken or the pig's feet flavors this time.  There's only so much ice cream that a guy can eat in one sitting! But I'm eager to test out those very traditional dishes in icy dessert form in the future.  But until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Snow King (雪王冰淇淋)
台北市中正區武昌街一段65號
No. 65, Wuchang Rd., Section 1, Jhong Jheng District, Taipei City
MRT: Ximen Station, exit no. 5 / 捷運西門站, 5號出口

ML - 20130709

164. Taiwan Day 1: Must Have Rice Balls from Eastern Ice Store Down Lane 216 / 到216巷就是要吃東區粉圓 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

After finishing lunch at Du Hsiao Yueh (度小月), my aunt and I strolled down Lane 216, one of the most famous little back streets in all of Taipei.  We swung by Eastern Ice Store (東區粉圓冰店), an extremely popular rice ball dessert shop in Taiwan.  They are known for their chewy rice balls (粉圓 / Mandarin: fen yuan), a smaller variation of Japanese mochi that is commonly submerged under an covering of shaved ice and other sweet toppings.

Whether it is for chilled red bean soup, grass jelly, or sweet dessert tofu, the toppings range from taro rice balls, almonds, stewed peanuts, chunks of sweet potato, pineapple, passion fruit syrup, or strawberry jam.  Other choices include extra red beans, konjac jelly, white wood ear fungus, barley, and sweetened condensed milk.  The options really run the gamut.

I added the classic taro rice balls to my cold red bean soup; I loved how the rice balls were so elastic and chewy.  I also chose the almond tofu, a jello that merely looks like tofu but is actually just almond infused agar agar.  Of course, everything was topped off with a good amount of condensed milk, and I helped myself to a few extra scoops of ice... available for all customers in the strongly air conditioned seating area around the corner from the counter.  Thank goodness for Eastern Ice Store in the dead middle of summer on a sub-tropical island.  Until the next meal (give me about an hour), let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Eastern Ice Store (東區粉圓冰店)
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷38號
No. 38, Lane 216, Zhongxiao East Rd., Sec. 4, Da An District, Taipei City

ML - 20130630

Post 68: Taipei - Never Too Far from Dessert

No matter where you are, you are never too far from dessert in Taipei.  Around every corner, at every intersection, and down every alley, you can find a plethora of post meal refreshments such as handmade mochi, shaved ice, fresh tropical fruit, milk tea, and ice cream.

One of my favorite sweets is mochi (麻糬).  Although the invention of mochi is usually accredited to the Japanese, the Taiwanese have their own balls of rice cake as well.  Whereas the Japanese mochi is filled with sweet pastes such as red bean paste or peanut butter, the Taiwanese version is often not filled at all.  Taiwanese style mochi is dense the entire way through and is also much smaller in size.  The mini mochi balls are commonly rolled in peanut powder, black sesame seeds, granulated sugar, or a combination of the above.  The flavor factor is on the outside rather than enclosed within the layer of pounded rice.



Mochi can even become a form of entertainment at some dessert shops.  I found this out at Sweet Rice Ball (雙連圓仔湯), where I was served one giant blob of mochi (燒麻糬) plopped within a sandstorm of peanut powder, black sesame seeds, and little bits of sugar crystals.  A few toothpicks were placed alongside the enormous sphere of congealed rice.  My aunt picked up the toothpicks and started puncturing the rice cake.  After she had perforated the rice cake, she separated it into a dozen or so miniature mochi balls and rolled them around in the sweet peanut and sugar mixture.  She did it so quickly that I didn't even get a chance to try it for myself.  But no worries... I saved my energy for chewing the ridiculously elastic and malleable sticky rice balls.  No chocolate, no syrups, no heaviness.  Just naturally and slightly sweet.  It's even more fun to eat because it can be popped into your mouth in just one bite.

Sweet Rice Ball also serves shaved ice, which is one of my favorite chilled desserts.  Shaved ice is one of the most powerful ways to combat Taipei's horrendous heat and humidity.  What I like about the shaved ice at Sweet Rice Ball is that they not only have the traditional shaved ice toppings such as red bean, peanuts, and mochi, but they also have lots of unique toppings that other shaved ice shops don't offer as well such as sweet taro paste, corn, and white wood ear fungus.  I would choose this over artificially flavored, multi-colored snow cones any day.

If traditional or unique shaved ice toppings isn't your thing, count your blessings because Taipei has a wealth of shops that serve mango shaved ice and green tea shaved ice. Literally around the corner from world famous dumpling house Din Tai Fung is a shop that specializes in shaved ice called Smoothie House (思慕昔). What's cool about the shaved ice there is that fruit and condensed milk has been infused directly into the ice.

Every part of the dessert is covered in either fruity mango ice, fragrant Taiwan mango (艾文芒果), or golden yellow mango ice cream, so every bite of shaved ice tastes like a milky avalanche of sweet, tropical mango.  It's not even shaved ice or shaved snow anymore.  It's like a shaved mango bonanza. 

The matcha green tea shaved snow here is just as good.  It is as green as Kermit, which means the flavors of Japanese green tea have been truly conquered every part of the ice.  The hill of green tea ice is covered in a mound of sweet, soft azuki bean, and topped off with a panna cotta that is smooth and supple.  It tastes like an East Asian Christmas party.

If healthy is your thing, then you are in luck.  Taiwan is one of the best places in Asia to get fresh fruit.  With its sub-tropical climate, harvesting tropical fruit such as bananas, guavas, lychees, mangoes, mangosteens, pineapples, and wax apples are no trouble at all.  Fruits from Taiwan are, in a word... beautiful.  The first thing you notice about the guavas at the sidewalk fruit stands is the bright color of the fruit.  It's nothing like the pale pink that we get here in the States or in our cartons of Kern's Nectar.  Its fruitful fertility beckons you over the stand, which is when you smell the utterly fragrant scent of the bananas, mangoes, and pineapples.  Those are smells that literally open your eyes and take your breath away.  It's no wonder that the Taiwanese have one of the highest rates of fruits and vegetables consumption in all of Asia.

If you're like me and hate peeling and cutting fruit, then skip the fruit stands and grocery stores altogether.  Instead, head over to a café that serves afternoon tea.  My favorite place to munch on juicy, succulent fruit is in Tamsui, a district of New Taipei City on the edge of the coast.  Red 3 Café (淡水紅樓咖啡館) is atop a staircase that appears to have a million steps.  But the hike to the top is worth it.  There are ample fruits in the afternoon tea selection, and of course, there is a view overlooking the Tamsui River.  Did I mention the beautiful castle that sits halfway to the top? A reward for your efforts on the brick Stairmaster, no doubt.

Too full from dumplings or beef noodle soup and can't hold down another bite? Well, Taipei offers the best iced beverages around.  There are tea houses everywhere that serve fruit infused tea and milk tea.  You may even see some familiar stores such as Quickly, Ten Ren, and 85C.  If you are craving a Frappuccino, Taipei is abound with three or four-storied Starbucks stores.  Almond milk tea? You got it.  Crash milk with grass jelly? You got it.  Lychee flavored Slurpee from 7-Eleven? Not even a problem.

What you may not know, though, is that Taipei also has plenty of coffee houses.  Taiwan is not a major player in the coffee bean industry, but its climate makes for rich and aromatic coffee beans.  Cama Café is brews its Joe (Chou in Taiwan?) to order.  From first hand experience and according to A Girl Lost in Taipei, you can smell their coffee from way down the street.  Their iced chocolate is also good.  It's not just syrupy sweet... it's packed with chocolatey cocoa punch.  Just enough sweet to seal off your appetite.  Oh, and it's just plain cool that they delivery your coffee on bicycles.

Anywhere you go in Taipei, you will find a dessert that is sweet enough for your palate.  Personally, though, I'd say you can't leave Taiwan without having some fresh fruit and some shaved ice.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 201109XX

Post 57: Wisdom Teeth Food

Not everyone remembers when their first tooth fell out, but everyone remembers when they had their wisdom teeth pulled out.  I was fortunate enough to experience this extraction of dental knowledge this past week.  After being completely scared by all the wisdom teeth horror stories from friends and family, I was hell bent on making sure I had all the culinary concoctions to make my discomfort bearable.  The last few days I have been able to consume the following items... most of which are not the least bit glorious, but I guess that depends on who you ask.

Lucky me... Kimmy dropped by with a dozen mini Beard Papa's cream puffs and two regulation sized puffs.  I started off by scooping out the insides of one mini cream puff... but by the end of day, I managed to devour seven mini cream puffs (the puff portion and all) and one regular sized cream puff.  Yes, I did that in just one afternoon.

I also managed to spoon in two cups of my favorite Japanese flan from Mitsuwa Marketplace... along with a number (four to date) of Korean honeydew melon flavored jumbo popsicles.

Since my face was throbbing with crimson fury, and the Maytag-produced hemispheres of ice weren't sufficient, I thought that the best way to calm the swollen rage down was with some Taiwanese shaved ice.  I dragged my mom with me to a local joint called Tasty To Go for their acclaimed mango shaved snow.  Being the obedient son that every Asian parent hopes to call their own (even I make myself sick sometimes), I ate all the cold, frigid, brain freezing ice... and left the nutritious, fiber-filled, vitamin-rich mango for my mom.  Heh, heh, heh...

After I thought that I would hit the roof with an uncontrollable sugar high, I decided to counter all the sugar with some protein... eggs.  I employed a very sumptuous recipe for Japanese style chawanmushi (茶碗蒸 or steamed eggs), which is a soft and simple way (and probably the most glorious of the aforementioned food choices) to endure the discomforts of wisdom teeth extraction.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can of chicken broth
1 package of ikura and/or uni (optional)

To set up a makeshift steamer, pour four or five cups of water into a large soup pot.  Fill a rice bowl one-third of the way up with water, and place the rice bowl into the large soup pot.  Fire up the stove.

Combine the two eggs and just half a can of chicken broth into a ceramic bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Carefully place and balance the ceramic bowl carefully on top of the rice bowl into the large soup pot.  This is now your makeshift steamer.  Place the cap of the pot on top, and let the eggs steam away for no longer than five minutes.  a chopstick into the middle to see if the eggs are still runny; the eggs are ready when the center has solidified.  The texture should be similar to a soft custard or a delicate flan.

Here's the glorious part.  After the chawanmushi has cooled off, spoon some ikura or uni onto the surface of the egg.  All of the ingredients should be easily conquered by even those who under the effects of Vicodin or Tylenol No. 3.  Here's my disclaimer: if your medication says you should not operate heavy machinery, please do not attempt to build a makeshift steamer no matter how simple it is.  Let your mom and dad, spouse, significant other or indentured sibling do this for you.

I hope these eggs distract you from your dental debacle.  Oh, and if the steamed eggs work, fire up the stove again... as long as there are more eggs, you still have half a can of chicken broth left! Until solid food invigorates my diet, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20110728-31