Unique Local Flavors

Given its abundant and diverse natural products and its mix of ethnicities and dietary cultures, Taiwan has produced all kinds of unique flavors embedded in the local terroir and lifestyles. Our Cover Story this month introduces readers to popiah, rice-based pastries, the cocktail bars of Tainan, and traditional tonic beverages. We invite foreign visitors to Taiwan to take the time to experience these local tastes.

Taiwan is home to a sweet potato germ­plasm bank larger than any in Southeast Asia, with more than 1,400 varieties. Our report explores the history and current status of sweet potatoes in Taiwan. Another local product, camellia oil, has also risen to prominence in recent years thanks to joint promotion by the government and the private sector. We look at how this excellent edible oil, which is comparable in nutritional value to imported olive oil, is made and marketed, and how differentiation between imported and domestically grown camellia oil seeds is enabling Taiwanese camellia oil to become a premium product for international markets.

For the Austronesian peoples, islands are like boats. They carry limited resources, so everyone must work together. Yet for them the sea is not an obstacle, but a road linking islands to each other. So says Fang Chun-wei, director of the Division of Exhibition and Education at the National Museum of Prehistory, in an interview with Taiwan Panorama. Read about Taiwan’s role in the history of the Austronesian peoples, and what current archaeological evidence tells us about the story of Taiwan’s interactions with the world across the millennia.

Taiwan and India set up representative offices in each other’s capital cities in 1995, nearly 30 years ago. In recent years, in the context of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy and cooperative partnerships in the Indo–Pacific region, bilateral relations have progressed in both the economic and cultural spheres. In this issue we visit with Manharsinh Yadav, director ­general of the India–Taipei Association. He talks with us about the cultural similarities and differences between our two countries and his wish list for his life in Taiwan since taking office.

This month we also report on how forest therapists are guiding citizens to enjoy the healing power of forests. Meanwhile, this issue’s Photo Essay features readers’ photos on the theme of Taiwan’s rice fields and rice culture. The images sent in from all over our island enrich the diversity of our content and create a virtuous circle of interaction between Taiwan Panorama and our readers as we jointly appreciate the beauty of our homeland.