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After 3 weeks in Taipei, we are back to NYC now.  Even though traveling with Ev was not easy, but when I saw my parents and sister spending time with Ev and they were very happy then it is fine for me to travel with a toddler on a 15-hour flight and 4 temper tantrums.  And that was not the end of the stories,  adjusting jet lag is also really pain.

I was very happy in Taipei because I saw the same street vendors and same shop owners every time I visit home and those people have been there since I was a child.  I love listening to the same language with Taiwanese accent and maybe that makes me want to visit home all the time.

Each time I go home, there is always one food item that is super popular.  This time is pineapple cake.  Pineapple cake is always the symbol of Taiwan because it produce the best one in the world.

Couple years ago when I was taking French cooking class in Upper West Side, my cooking teacher, Mr. Levy, was this 74 years old French man.  My Levy has quite a history himself and he used to live in Shanghai during World War II when Jewish people in France were in exile and some of them moved to Asia.  The year I took the French cooking class I brought back a box of pineapple cake from Taiwan for him.  Mr. Levy told me that he used to eat pineapple imported from Taiwan when he lived in Shanghai in the 40s and 50s because it was the best.  I was very surprised because I know fruits taste great in Taiwan but I did not know it was that famous.

Anyway, this time at home, pineapple cake has evolved into "pure pineapple cake" so the filling is just only pineapple instead of adding other types of mellon to sweeten it.  The result is so amazing because you can taste the fruit itself and it is not crazy sweet.  Try Sunny Hills!!  Of course, there are other bakeries makes the same type of cake and they are all very good!  Also, pure pineapple cake tastes different in summer and winter.  During winter season, it is a little sour, I can't wait to go home and try it this winter!

For the rest of the time, I have meals with my family and we go to the street vendors and restaurants.  This was this rice noodles place that Ev liked last time he was in Taipei.  I went back there trying to get some noodles and side dishes.  The owner corrected me and told me that last time I ordered this other type  of meat for Ev.  I was so surprised that she remembered that.  I have been having this same rice noodles since I was 12 years old.

I also went to this fish store with my dad where the food came from Tainan (located in southern Taiwan).  Tainan food is usually a little sweet.

Had miso soup with egg from a vendor downstairs from my parents'  apartment.

Best of all, there are juice places and shaved ice stores every where.  I forgot to mention that Taipei was hot.  But I came back to NYC, here is hotter then Taipei.  The difference is that here does not have juice and ice places everywhere like in Taipei.