I have been in Taiwan for more than six years and I can say I am well adapted to the living environment here. Taiwan has almost everything similar to what I have in Vietnam (except for the food?), but there are these four things that I believe, can make my life more fulfilled and enjoyable here. I think if these four things are brought to Taiwan more in a commercial way, Taiwanese may like them as well!
Tropical fruits
Living in Taiwan, I adore the local fruits here, especially the cherry tomatoes from Yunlin and watermelons from Hualian in the summer. However, sometimes I miss the fruits I have in my homeland, like the big red lychees and sweet longan from the North, or the juicy mangosteens from the South. I have seen these fruits in Taiwanese supermarket before but they also looked a bit dry (perhaps because of the long way travelling from other countries) and not as appealing. Due to Covid, I could not go home for the season breaks last year and I miss these tropical fruits so much.
Vietnamese fruits, especially lychees, have been successful when being exported to the Japanese market. Japanese people love our lychees, and the price is relatively high! With the similarities in culture (and taste, maybe), I think Taiwan may also like Vietnamese lychees and our other fruits.
Lychees are the best summer fruits in Northern Vietnam in my opinion. Image source: Vietnam Travel
Meat jerky
Meat jerky (mostly made of beef or chicken) is a popular snack in my country. It is a great choice for small parties, gathering, movie nights… and there are different types depending on the way it is served (whole pieces or shredded pieces). Some people even put it in banh my (Vietnamese baguette) or eat it with instant noodles.
Taiwan also has meat jerky, but I find most of them vegetarian. Moreover, the flavor has a huge difference with the flavor I had in Vietnam. Somehow, I could not find a way to get used to the traditional Chinese five-spice flavor, or satay, so I just pass it. But I think some Taiwanese folks may like Vietnamese meat jerky because of the light flavor but moist texture. Give it a try if you see it in any Southeast Asian supermarket here!
Coffee with condensed milk
Vietnamese coffee has several products that have made it reputation on the global market, but the culture around it is really rich as well. To me, a perfect daily glass of coffee is one with the original phin coffee, adding condensed milk and ice. It may sound weird if it is the first time you hear about adding milk to coffee, but trust me, it tastes heavenly.
Although I have seen instant products of Vietnamese coffee being sold in big Taiwanese supermarket chains like Carrefour, still I think there has not any ‘guideline’ on how to drink Viet coffee like a real Viet person. It would be great if the Viet coffee culture along with our signature combination between coffee and condense milk are promoted more in Taiwan and in the world.
Umbrellas
Yes, you read it correctly! Umbrellas are daily essentials, but I do not understand why they are so expensive in Taiwan. All good umbrellas sold in supermarkets or even convenience stores have the price ranging from 400 to 700 NTD! Besides, I often lose my umbrella here in Taiwan (I am not sure if other folks are experiencing the same) so it is quite costly for me every time I have to buy a new one.
I often joke with my friends that one day I may open an umbrella-selling business here in Taiwan, all products will be imported from Vietnam with competitive price. Good and cheap umbrellas for everyone!
You must be logged in to post a comment.