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
The Dutch introduced the Indian mango (Mangifera indica) to Taiwan in the 17th century. It is a green-skinned mango with thick fibers that get stuck in the teeth, but it boasts a rich aroma and a unique taste. In 1954, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture introduced several mango cultivars from Florida, USA, including the Irwin, Haden, and Keitt varieties. After seven years of testing and domestication, the Irwin variety was chosen for promotion. Years later, the sample saplings started to bear fruit. These mangoes were large, with thin, vibrant red peels and golden pulp. The Irwin mangoes were mouth-wateringly sweet and
As the priest Antonius Hambroek stood in the dim chamber of Fort Zeelandia, his eldest daughter clung to him, her voice trembling. “Father, don’t go. They’ll kill you, and what will become of Mother and my sisters?” Outside, the sounds of Koxinga’s relentless canon siege boomed through the fortress. The defenders were on the brink of collapse. Starvation gnawed at their resolve, and the air carried the acrid stench of spent gunpowder and rotting flesh. Dutch reinforcements from Batavia had failed to arrive, leaving the garrison isolated and hopeless. Hambroek’s face was calm, though sorrow weighed heavily on his
對話 Dialogue 清清：今天中午我要多吃一點，不然晚上可能會吃不飽。 Qīngqing: Jīntiān zhōngwǔ wǒ yào duō chī yìdiǎn, bùrán wǎnshàng kěnéng huì chībùbǎo. 華華：怎麼了？為什麼會吃不飽？ Huáhua: Zěnmele? Wèishénme huì chībùbǎo? 清清：今天大年初七，是「人日節」，傳統上結了婚的女兒要回家給父母送長壽麵，而且最好是素的，我姐姐會回來，只吃素麵，我應該很快就餓了。 Qīngqing: Jīntiān Dànián chūqī, shì “Rénrì jié,” chuántǒng shàng jiéle hūn de nǚ’ér yào huíjiā gěi fùmǔ sòng chángshòumiàn, érqiě zuìhǎo shì sù de, wǒ jiějie huì huílái, zhǐ chī sùmiàn, wǒ yīnggāi hěn kuài jiù èle. 華華：我還是第一次聽說有「人日節」呢！這是怎麼來的啊？ Huáhua: Wǒ háishì dì yī cì tīngshuō yǒu “Rénrì jié” ne! Zhè shì zěnme lái de a? 清清：老一輩的人說，女媧是在第七天造出了「人」，所以今天可說是我們每個人的「生日」呢！生日快樂！ Qīngqing: Lǎoyíbèi de rén shuō, Nǚwā shì zài dì qī tiān zào chūle “rén,” suǒyǐ jīntiān kěshuōshì wǒmen měi ge rén de “shēngrì” ne! Shēngrì kuàilè! 華華：你也是啊！欸？那前六天女媧都做了什麼呢？ Huáhua: Nǐ yěshì a! Éi? Nà
As we bundle up in thick coats to stay warm during the winter, there is a population that has already adapted to extremely low temperatures. These people live in the remote city of Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth. Yakutsk is situated in the heart of Siberia, which is the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia. This historic mining city began to flourish in the 19th century following the discovery of gold deposits. Given its construction on permafrost, the average temperature in the city remains below 0°C for over half the year, with winter temperatures dropping to an astonishing -50°C.
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