Basil is an important culinary herb. It comes in many varieties throughout the world, including the sweet basil often seen in Western cuisine and the Thai basil (known in Taiwan as jiu ceng ta) widely used in Asian cuisine.
Jiu ceng ta literally means “nine-story padoga,” used to refer to the varieties cultivated in Taiwan. Thai basil has a stronger aroma and is commonly used in Taiwanese style stir fries and snacks. It goes well with spicy, robust dishes.
Sweet basil is the most common type of basil used in Western cuisine. It looks similar to Thai basil, but its leaves are rounder and its taste lighter and subtler, with a hint of sweetness to it. One classic way to cook it is to mix sweet basil with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and seasonings to make Italian pesto.
PHOTO: PIXABAY
照片：PIXABAY
Sweet basil and Thai basil are of different types: they have different flavors and hence are suitable for different dishes. If you were to make pesto with Thai basil, its taste would turn out to be too astringent and too strong. So next time you fancy making a genuine pesto, be sure to tell the vendor that you want to buy sweet basil.
(Liberty Times, translated by Lin Lee-kai)
羅勒是製作料理的重要香草，依地區又分成許多品種，包括歐美料理常見的甜羅勒，以及大量運用於亞洲料理的九層塔。
PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
照片：維基共享資源
「九層塔」為台語，用來指稱台灣栽培的羅勒品種，香氣比較濃厚，普遍用於台式熱炒、小吃料理中，適合與辛辣、重口味的菜肴搭配。
而西餐料理中最常使用的羅勒則是「甜羅勒」，外型類似九層塔，不過甜羅勒的葉片比較圓胖，且口味清爽、細緻不少，帶有些許的甜味。最經典的料理方式是把甜羅勒與橄欖油、蒜頭、松子及調味料混和做成義大利青醬。
兩種羅勒的品種、風味不同，適合不同的料理，所以若把台灣的九層塔拿來製作青醬，口感就會比較澀，氣味也過於強烈。所以下次如果想製作正統的青醬，採買時記得特別跟老闆說明，你要的是「甜羅勒」！（自由時報記者陳凱詩）
PHOTO: PIXABAY
照片：PIXABAY
A: More and more K-drama actors are holding fan meetings in Taiwan lately. B: Which K-drama stars are visiting? A: In September alone, Jang Ki-yong, Lee Joon-gi and Lee Je-hoon are all coming. B: I really love Lee Joon-gi‘s 2022 drama “Again My Life.” A: Lee Je-hoon’s 2016 drama “Signal” is also great. His fan meeting is scheduled for Sunday, while Lee Joon-gi‘s is scheduled for Saturday. A: 最近多位韓劇男神紛紛來台舉辦粉絲見面會。 B: 有哪些韓星啊？ A: 光是9月就有張基龍、李準基、李帝勳！ B: 我超愛李準基2022年的神劇《Again My Life：正義的重生》。 A: 李帝勳2016年的《信號》也很經典唷，他的見面會在本週日，李準基的則在本週六。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Have you ever looked up into the sky on a clear day and seen an airplane flying high in the clouds? If so, you’ve probably also noticed the long white streaks it leaves behind in its path. They are called contrails, and there’s more to these white lines in the sky than meets the eye. The jet fuel that powers the engines of a plane is intensely hot, often burning at more than 500°C. In contrast, the air temperature at high altitudes where commercial flights typically cruise can reach as low as -56°C. When the hot exhaust gases, which include water
A: Apart from K-drama stars Jang Ki-yong, Lee Joon-gi and Lee Je-hoon, who else will hold fan meetings in Taiwan? B: Actor Choi Jin-hyuk will visit in October, followed by actor Jung Hae-in in November. A: I heard that Jung’s visit has caused some controversy. B: Yeah, the tickets for his fan meetings cost up to NT$5,880 and NT$6,880, which led some fans to boycott them. A: The cost of meeting an idol is so high. A: 除了張基龍、李準基、李帝勳外，還有哪些韓星要來台開見面會？ B: 崔振赫10月即將訪台，丁海寅11月也將訪台。 A: 聽說丁海寅的見面會還引起一些爭議。 B: 對啊，因為票價高達5,880、6,880，導致不少粉絲抵制。 A: 想見偶像一面的代價還真高！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
Have you ever counted the number of keys on a piano? On a standard modern piano, the number of keys is 88. So, why is this the case? The piano is believed to have been invented around the beginning of the 18th century. It was first created as a modified version of the harpsichord. Most harpsichords at the time had 60 keys—covering five octaves, with each octave comprising seven white keys and five black keys. That’s why the earliest pianos also had 60 keys. The white keys on a piano are called natural keys and correspond to the musical
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