It is believed that Taiwan's tea-drinking culture started in Taichung and Chun-shui Tang is a popular place for people to hang out and drink tea, or take a simple meal or snack at the same time.
The tea house has come up with quite a few cool inventions in the past such as foam black tea and pearl cream tea, that were first introduced to the Taiwan public, in 1983 and 1987 respectively. The pearl cream tea mixed by Chun-shui Tang is still considered unbeatable, however, and Chun-shui Tang is now operating as a chain store, having spread to the major cities and based itself in Taichung.
The tea house located by International Street near the Tunghai University campus is unique because it is in a street lined with artefact shops, boutique stores and gourmet restaurants. It is a one-way street and is usually packed with people during the weekends, and in the evenings on most weekdays when the university faculty and students come to patronize their favorite restaurants.
PHOTO: DEREK LEE, TAIPEI TIMES
Most of the tables in the tea house are arranged to lean against a large beautifully-shaped glass window through which sunlight filters through fine bamboo curtains. Little potted plants and elegant flower arrangements at every turn are pleasing to the eyes and create a good mood. The second-floor interior and teak-wood furniture of the place gives visiting guests the idea of a traditional Taiwanese tea house, yet with a modern and clever twist.
Best of all the food served with the teas is generally good, with a refined taste. The square-shaped brown sugar teacake introduced last year proved to be a knock-out for its smooth taste. It is a bit sweet at first bite. Yet, with a sip of the tea, the taste in your mouth turns and make the tea flavor much more fragrant.
If you care for a simple repast, the set meal of ground-pork with pickle is probably the best bet. The dish is served in a chinaware bowl with steamed meatballs mixed with thick sliced black mushrooms and egg yolk. Green vegetables are served on the side. The soup goes well with the white rice. The side dish of daikon pickles is neither hot nor salty.
Furthermore, your side order of tea -- either oolong, jasmine or another kind, with ice or hot -- always comes with extra-large cups or a teapot and will add to the satisfaction of the meal. -- Derek Lee
On April 26, The Lancet published a letter from two doctors at Taichung-based China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) warning that “Taiwan’s Health Care System is on the Brink of Collapse.” The authors said that “Years of policy inaction and mismanagement of resources have led to the National Health Insurance system operating under unsustainable conditions.” The pushback was immediate. Errors in the paper were quickly identified and publicized, to discredit the authors (the hospital apologized). CNA reported that CMUH said the letter described Taiwan in 2021 as having 62 nurses per 10,000 people, when the correct number was 78 nurses per 10,000
As we live longer, our risk of cognitive impairment is increasing. How can we delay the onset of symptoms? Do we have to give up every indulgence or can small changes make a difference? We asked neurologists for tips on how to keep our brains healthy for life. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH “All of the sensible things that apply to bodily health apply to brain health,” says Suzanne O’Sullivan, a consultant in neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, and the author of The Age of Diagnosis. “When you’re 20, you can get away with absolute
May 5 to May 11 What started out as friction between Taiwanese students at Taichung First High School and a Japanese head cook escalated dramatically over the first two weeks of May 1927. It began on April 30 when the cook’s wife knew that lotus starch used in that night’s dinner had rat feces in it, but failed to inform staff until the meal was already prepared. The students believed that her silence was intentional, and filed a complaint. The school’s Japanese administrators sided with the cook’s family, dismissing the students as troublemakers and clamping down on their freedoms — with
As Donald Trump’s executive order in March led to the shuttering of Voice of America (VOA) — the global broadcaster whose roots date back to the fight against Nazi propaganda — he quickly attracted support from figures not used to aligning themselves with any US administration. Trump had ordered the US Agency for Global Media, the federal agency that funds VOA and other groups promoting independent journalism overseas, to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” The decision suddenly halted programming in 49 languages to more than 425 million people. In Moscow, Margarita Simonyan, the hardline editor-in-chief of the
RSS