Around the Globe: Taiwan's State Banquet

It isn't everyday that you can get a taste of Taiwan in DC.  Ever since our visit to the yam-shaped country in 2012, I've been craving more of the tasty Taiwanese cuisine.

As one of the top 10 countries to visit according to Lonely Planet’s 2012 Best inTravel, Taiwan is famous for its authentic and tasty cuisine.  The feast featured food music and crafts at the Twin Oaks Estate.

From delicate steamed dumplings to roadside stir-fries, Taiwan’s distinctive geographic location and unique multicultural background has created a distinct gastronomical culture. 

Delicate appetizers

Taiwan’s cuisine combines the best elements of Chinese foods from each region of the mainland with influences from Japan and Taiwan’s aboriginal population. 

Gotta love lobster!

These dishes are a beloved part of Taiwan’s culture and are promoted and embraced by the people and government of Taiwan whether it’s presented at the nation-wide night markets, on roadsides, or in a state banquet.

Lamb chops

To showcase Taiwan’s delicacies and excellent cuisine, TECRO invited two well-known chefs from Taiwan, Mr. Kai-Tun Hsu and Mr. W.T. Huang, to present Taiwan’s refined food culture. Chef Hsu, whose fruit-carvings artwork was recognized as meeting the standards of Taiwan’s state banquets, is a master in seafood, noodles, and fruit carvings. 

The steamed cod was my favorite.

Chef Huang, a gold medalist in pastry and baking at the Shanghai Expo cuisine contests and who was also recognized as meeting the state-banquet standard, is famous for his baking skills and excels in pastry-decorating techniques. 

Famous Beef Noodle Soup

Photos by Emily Clack